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After The Storm
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Published: June 6, 2007
Water Purification | Food | Property Damage | Downed Power Lines | What Not To Do
Water Purification
- Boiling is the safest method of purifying water. Bring water to a rolling boil for three to five minutes. When it cools, pour it back and forth between two containers to improve the taste. Make sure the containers have been sterilized with boiling water.
- To disinfect, use only liquid household bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented, color-safe or bleach with added cleaners. Put 16 drops of bleach in a gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. Don't use other disinfectants, such as iodine.
- Distillation is the most thorough purification process -- and the most complicated and time-consuming. Fill a pot that can be covered half way with water. Tie a cup or smaller container on the lid handle so it will hang upright inside the pot when the lid is turned upside down. Tie it high enough to be suspended over the wa ter. Invert the lid over the pot and boil the water for 20 minutes. What collects in the container is distilled water. Be very careful when you empty the container.
Food
- Eat perishable food first. Thawed food can be eaten if it is still cold, and can be refrozen if it still has ice crystals.
- Once perishable food reaches room temperature, it's usually safe for only about two hours. Don't assume it's edible because it looks and smells OK.
- If the door isn't opened, a refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours. After the storm, open the refrigerator as little as possible.
- If the food's temperature is above 50 degrees, throw it away.
Property Damage
- Take photographs of the damage. Notify your homeowners insurance agent. Make emergency repairs to prevent more damage and keep receipts for anything you buy.
- If your car is damaged, notify your automobile insurance agent. If the engine has been flooded, don't turn it on: that could cause more damage. Note any items in the car that have been damaged.
- If a few shingles are gone from your roof, try covering the area with a garbage bag. Slide one edge of the bag under the shingles about two rows above the affected portion and secure the other edge two rows below. Caulk the exposed nailheads; water gets in by running down the nails. If a large area is damaged, cover it with a tarpaulin. Be sure not to cover the vent pipes of any natural gas appliance because that could cause a deadly accumulation of carbon monoxide in the house. Again, put caulk over any nails holding the tarp.
- If water pipes are damaged, call the water department. Don't use water from the tap until the pipes have been repaired.
- Flying debris can break exposed polyvinyl pipe. Check the pipes on well pumps and irrigation systems.
- If sewage is backing into the shower or under the toilet, the whole system is backed up. Don't use other sinks or toilets either.
Downed Power Lines
- Avoid touching any object that comes in contact with the downed power line - fences, tree limbs, railroad tracks, sheds or floodwater.
- If a tree has fallen on a power line, call the power company.
- Don't drive through standing water if power lines are in the water.
- If a line falls across your car, continue driving. Do not turn off the ignition if the car stalls and do not leave the car. Wait for emergency personnel and do not let anyone else approach your vehicle.
What Not To Do
- Don't connect a generator directly to your home's electric system. It can electrify lines outside and endanger neighbors and utility workers.
- Don't drive through moving water over a road. Even six inches of flowing water can cause a car to float.
- If returning after an evacuation, don't stay in the house if you smell gas. Open windows and leave.
- Don't approach animals wandering after the storm. Even docile pets can be unnerved by a storm and could bite.
- Don't let your pets out after the storm without a leash. With landmarks gone, they can get lost and perhaps encounter displaced wild animals.
- Don't sightsee in damaged neighborhoods.
- Don't touch metal fences after a storm. They could be touching downed power lines.
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