After a Hurricane

After the hurricane you should attend to injured people and give first aid as needed. Do not move a severely injured person unless in great danger and must be moved. Try to secure the house as best you can to keep out looters and rain. Be careful when you go outside. Stay away from dangling power lines or metal fences to avoid electrocution. Be extremely careful on the road if you try to drive. You may need to cut branches away with a chain saw. Avoid high water. You can be swept away from fast flowing streams, either in your car or on foot. High water also may harbor snakes, alligators or other wild animals. If possible, take care of yourself and don’t rely on emergency relief. Have your Survival Kit (72 hours or 3 days) and first aid kit close at hand if you need to evacuate your home. There may be others who need it worse. But if you do need help, seek medical attention. It could be days before there are working telephones, so out-of-town relatives might not know your status. Call one relative and have that person call the others. This will avoid tying up telephone lines, but lets your family know you are safe and well.

• Attend to any injuries.
• Secure your house to keep out looters and the rain.
• Stay in house if possible, use your long term food storage.
  
• If you do go out, avoid power lines.

Other things that are good to have are two coolers, one for food and the other for keep ice. Additionally charcoal, plastic tarps for roof or window repair, garbage bags, hand tools and nails, and a water purification kit (tablets of chlorine, iodine.) If you have an infant, you’ll need infant necessities (medicine, sterile water, diapers, formula, and bottles). Have clean-up supplies (mop, buckets, towels, disinfectant), a camera and film, toilet paper, paper towels, and pre-moistened towelettes. You should keep these items together in a storage room for emergency only.