Tropical storms become hurricanes when winds reach a constant speed of 74 mph or more. Hurricane winds blow in a large spiral around a relatively calm center known as the “eye.” The “eye” is generally 20 to 30 miles wide, while the storm may extend outward 400 miles.
As a hurricane approaches, the skies will begin to darken and winds will grow in strength, and it can bring torrential rains, high winds and storm surges. A single hurricane can last for more than two weeks over open waters and can run a path across the entire length of the eastern seaboard.
With winds that can exceed 155 mph, hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland. Hurricanes and tropical storms can also spawn tornadoes and micro-bursts, create storm surges along the coast and cause extensive damage from heavy rainfall.
Developing a Plan
Lake County residents should plan to shelter in a safe, site-built home. Residents that live in manufactured homes or low-lying areas should communicate and coordinate sheltering with friends or family that live in safe, site-built homes. Residents that do have any other options for sheltering, should seek shelter at Lake County Emergency Shelters that are located in public schools. Evacuating residents should think twice about staying in “shelters” that are not designated by the Office of Emergency Management.
A well-thought-out plan of action for you and your family can go a long way toward reducing potential suffering from any type of disaster that could strike. Household emergency plans should be kept simple. The best emergency plans are those that are easy to remember. Some other tips to include in a family disaster plan include:
- Teach responsible family members how to turn off the utilities in the home.
- Discuss what to do during power outages.
- Be familiar with escape routes in case you need to evacuate your neighborhood. Plan several escape routes for different contingencies.
- Find the safe spots in your home for each type of disaster.
- Instruct household members to turn on the radio for emergency information.
- Select two calling points, possibly a friend or relative, where family members can check in to, in case they are separated from the rest of the family.
- Learn and post-emergency phone numbers and information.
- Take a basic first aid and CPR class.
- Stay off the roads in extreme weather due to the possibility of debris and downed power lines.
Food
In the case of an electrical outage, it is important to take careful precautions to ensure food safety. The risk of food poisoning is heightened when refrigerators and ovens are inaccessible; discard any food that has been at room temperature for two hours or more and any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture.
“When in doubt, throw it out!” People can practice safe food handling and prevent food-borne illness by following simple steps:
- Frozen and refrigerated foods can be unsafe after hurricane. When the power is out, refrigerators will keep foods safe for only about four hours.
- Thawed food can usually be eaten if it is still “refrigerator cold,” or re-frozen if it still contains ice crystals.
- Commercially prepared cans of food should not be eaten if there is a bulging or opening on the can or the screw caps, soda pop bottle tops or twist-caps.
Communities hit by flooding and power outages may have compromised water systems and wells. Water treatment plants may not be operating, even if they are, storm damage and flooding can contaminate water lines. Listen for public announcements about the safety of the municipal water supply.
If a well has been flooded, it needs to be tested and disinfected after the storm passes and the floodwaters recede. Safe drinking water includes bottled, boiled or treated water. Here are some general rules concerning water for drinking and cooking.
- Do not use contaminated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, or make ice.
- When using bottled water, know where it came from. Otherwise, water should be boiled or treated before use. Drink only bottled, boiled or treated water until the water supply is tested and found safe.
- Boiling water kills harmful bacteria and parasites. Bringing water to a rolling boil for one minute will kill most organisms.
- Infants should be fed only pre-prepared canned baby formula. Use sterile water when preparing formula.
- Water may be treated with chlorine or iodine tablets, or by mixing eight drops (one-eighth of a teaspoon) of unscented, ordinary household chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Mix the solution thoroughly, and let stand for about 30 minutes. However, this treatment will not kill parasitic organisms.
Containers for water should be rinsed with a bleach solution before reusing them. Use water storage tanks and other types of containers with caution.
Emergency Supply List
- Infant formula and diapers
- Medication and prescription
- Pet food, water and supplies for your pet
- Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a portable waterproof container
- Cash and change
- Emergency reference material such as a first-aid book or information from www.ready.gov
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Complete change of clothing including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes.
- Fire Extinguisher
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Feminine supplies, personal hygiene items and hand sanitizer
- Mess kits, Paper cups, plates and disposable utensils, paper towels
- Paper and pencil
- Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
- Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:
- Water and non-perishable food for several days Extra cell phone battery or charger
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio that can receive NOAA Weather Radio tone alerts and extra batteries
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Non-sparking wrench or pliers to turn off utilities Can opener (if kit contains canned food)
Pets after a storm
Do not let pets roam free. Familiar landmarks and smells might be gone making a pet disoriented. Pets can easily get lost in such a situation.
If a house is damaged, keep dogs on leashes and cats in carriers inside the home as they could escape and become lost.
Be patient with pets after a hurricane. Try to get them back into their normal routines as soon as possible and be ready for behavioral problems that may result from the stressful situation. If behavioral problems persist, or if a pet seems to be having health problems, consult a veterinarian.
Wildlife after a storm
With numerous downed trees, wildlife will be displaced. Do not approach wildlife, they may be injured and disoriented after the storm.
With flooding conditions, snakes are often forced into places of higher ground in and around buildings where they are not usually found. Before beginning any storm cleanup, search the area thoroughly for snakes.
Similar to snakes, many rodents will seek higher ground near a building during a flooding situation. Structures damaged by the storm are particularly attractive and provide easy access to rodents. The unwelcome pests can cause property damage and can pose a potential health concern. Remove all debris around structures that can provide protective cover for rodents and any potential food source such as household trash.
