When preparing for Hurricane Irene or many other storm related events, the following tips may help keep you safe. In addition, DPW is distributing sandbags today , August 26, 2011 until midnight and tomorrow, August 27, 2011 8 am – midnight at the DPW facility located at New Jersey Avenue and K Street, SE site. Staff will be able to direct persons to the site.
Here are some quick tips you may not have considered:
• Get cash. If there's no power, there's no access to ATM machines.
• Get gas. No electricity means gas stations can't pump.
• Charge your mobile devices. A power failure may knock out your cellphone. And if the only other phones you have at home are cordless, you could be without any telephone service at all.
• Get food. You should have several days worth of non-perishable food on hand. But if there's no power, you better have a good, old-fashioned manual can opener since your electric can opener will be useless.
• Refill Prescriptions. If you are low on your prescription you may try to refill early because the storm may delay your ability to get your prescriptions for a few days.
• Get batteries and a radio, and know your local stations. WTOP operates at 103.5, 103.9, and 107.7 FM
• Get supplies for your pets. If you can't stay in your home, most emergency shelters will not accept pets such as dogs and cats.
• If you need to buy something, do it today. If the power is out, places like supermarkets will not have scanners or cash registers. Lines could be be VERY long.
• Stock up on bottled water. If you get water from a well, you'll need jugs of water for personal use including toilet-flushing because if the power goes out, no well water. Fill up your bathtub, too.
• Clean out your rain gutters. If we get heavy rains, they could be a trouble spot.
• Look at large trees near your house. Find branches that could pose a potential threat in high winds, and trim them now.
• Bring in or lash down lawn and patio furniture and plants. Those items could turn into missiles smashing your windows in high winds.
• Make sure your sump pump is operating and that storm drains are not blocked. If the power goes out and your sump pump can't operate, consider getting items in your basement that would be ruined by water placed up on saw horses or tables.
• Fill clean bathtubs with water. To help with flushing toilets and for sanitation after the storm.
• Freeze bottles of water. In case of power outages frozen bottles will help keep your refrigerator cold longer.
During a storm:
• Avoid using candles for lighting. Use a battery-powered flashlight.
• Never use a candle when fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern, since the candle flame can ignite fumes from the fuel.
• Try to stay in an interior room or away from windows.
• Stay calm and do not call 911 unless it is an emergency.
• If flooding occurs, turn off electricity at the main breaker.
• During a power outage, turn off major appliances. This will minimize losing power again through a power surge and protect the equipment when power returns.
• Do not go outside. Flying debris from high winds is a danger. As the eye of the storm passes, there will be a short period of calm followed by rapid wind speed increases to hurricane force that will come from the opposite direction.
After a storm:
• Do not touch fallen or low-hanging wires of any kind under any circumstances. Stay away from puddles with wires in or near them. Do not touch trees or other objects in contact with power lines.
• Use phones only for emergencies. Call 911 only for life-threatening situations.
• Call police or your utility companies immediately to report hazards such as downed power lines, broken gas or water mains or overturned gas tanks.
• Avoid areas subject to flooding, including low spots, canals and streams. Do not attempt to drive on a flooded road -you can be stranded or trapped.
• Do not operate charcoal grills, propane camping stoves or generators indoors.
After a storm call:
For emergencies: 911
Pepco power outage: 1-877-737-2662
Downed power lines: 872-3432
Tree/debris removal: 311.