What To Do After the Storm 

Electrical Safety

Electrical hazards can cause burns, shocks, and potential electrocution.
Always assume that all overhead wires are energized, or "live", and at lethal voltages.

• Never touch a fallen overhead power line. If an overhead wire falls across your vehicle while driving, stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line.
• Never operate electrical equipment while standing in water or the rain.
• Have a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment that was made wet to ensure that no water remains within the unit.
• Always report all fallen electrical lines to your local utility provider.
• Avoid washing your hands and taking a bath or shower, as lightning strikes can cause electrical chargers to travel through water lines.
• Stay away from windows and doors. Debris can come through windows if unprotected.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Exposure risk factors include generator exhaust, gas and charcoal grill fumes, and vehicles used inside (including garages).

• CO is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas that can be deadly.
• Inhaling CO may cause fatigue, weakness, chest pains for people with heart disease, shortness of breath, stomach pain, vomiting, headaches, confusion, lack of coordination, vision problems, loss of consciousness, and, in some cases, death.
• You can't see or smell carbon monoxide.
• Exposure risk factors include generator exhaust, gas and charcoal grill fumes, and vehicles used inside (including garages).
• If you start feeling sick, dizzy, or weak, get to fresh air immediately.

Portable generators produce high levels of CO very quickly.

Using generators indoors, including in your garage, can cause carbon monoxide to build up in your home and kill you and your loved ones.

• Use all gas-powered or charcoal-burning equipment OUTSIDE ONLY, at least 20 feet away from doors, windows, vents, and air intakes.
• Install battery-operated CO or plug-in CO alarms with battery backup in your home.
• Test your CO alarms regularly.

Call 911 or the Florida Poison Information Center at 1-800-222-1222 if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.

Well Water Safety

If your well is affected by flood waters, there may be disease-causing organisms in your water, making it unsafe to drink. The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH-Manatee) recommends you do ONE of the following.

1. Boil tap water and keep it at a rolling boil for at least one minute. Let it cool completely before using it to avoid burns.
2. Disinfect tap water by adding eight drops of plain, unscented household bleach (4-6% strength) per gallon of water. If a higher strength bleach is used (8.25% strength), only add seven drops of bleach. Mix the solution and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure one more time. If it is still cloudy after the second treatment, dispose of the water and start the process again OR use bottled water. Always store water in clean, closed containers.
3. Use commercially available bottled water, especially for mixing baby formula.

Septic Tanks

Residential Septic Systems.

If your home is served by a septic tank and your plumbing is slow or sluggish:

• Minimize water use as much as possible.
• Do not have the septic tank pumped. Exceptionally high water tables might cause the surrounding area to cave into a septic tank that was pumped dry.
• If using your plumbing creates a sanitary problem, consider renting a portable waste receptacle.
• Do not repair the septic tank and drainfield until the flood water has receded.

Flooding and Electrical Outages Impact Sewer Systems.

Use less water until power and other services have been fully restored and there is no visible sewage on the ground.

• Septic Systems: While pump stations and sewage treatment plants are out of power, avoid adding additional water to sewer lines.
• Septic Systems: Report any sewage spills to your local utility providers.
• Flooding: Remove absorbent household materials such as wall coverings, cloth, and drywall. If sewage backs up into your house, wear foot coverings, such as rubber boots and waterproof gloves, during cleanup.
• Flooding: Thoroughly clean hard-surfaced walls and floors, countertops, refrigerators, and surfaces.

Pets and Wildlife

Severe weather can displace pets and wildlife, and any animals lost, frightened, or hurt - may be more likely to bite.

• Do not approach, feed, or handle displaced pets or wildlife.
• Do not disturb an animal that is sleeping, eating, or caring for its young.
• If an unknown animal walks toward you, stay calm and slowly move away.

If you are bitten by an animal and emergency help is needed, go to the nearest available hospital, medical treatment facility, or call 911.

If you are bitten and not in need of immediate assistance:

• Wash your hands with soap and clean fresh water.
• Put pressure on the wound with a clean cloth to stop bleeding.
• After the bleeding has stopped, pour bottled or clean running water over the wound and gently clean around the wound with soap and clean water.
• Pat dry and use an adhesive bandage or dry clean cloth to cover the wound.
• Once the wound has been stabilized, seek medical assistance to ensure that no additional treatment is needed.

Report all bites to your local animal control or law enforcement to ensure rabies prevention follow-up is conducted.

Insured or Orphaned Wildlife.

You may encounter a small animal that seems orphaned or abandoned, but the parent may be searching for food or observing its young from a distance.

•  Keep your distance, and report any wildlife you think may be insured or orphaned to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or local FWC regional office.

Dogs.

Bites from displaced dogs are the most commonly reported animal bites. If you see a displaced dog:

• Dogs are more likely to bite other dogs than people. When walking your own pet dog, avoid areas where free-roaming dogs may be present.
• If another dog attacks your dog, don't put any part of your body between the dogs. Consider carrying a stick or another sturdy object that you can safely use to try to keep the aggressive dog away.
• Do not make eye-to-eye contact with a stray dog or any animal that's being aggressive.
• Report aggressive dogs to local authorities, such as animal control or law enforcement.

Wildlife.

Following a storm, you are more likely to see displaced wildlife.

• If you see a snake, stay back. To avoid bites, stay out of tall grass, wear thick boots, and keep your hands and feet out of areas you can't see, especially when picking up storm debris. Very few snakes produce venom, but if you think a poisonous snake may have bitten you, call poison control immediately at 1-800-222-1222 and seek medical care.
• Alligators may be observed more frequently in flooded areas after a storm. If you believe a specific alligator poses a threat to people, pets, or property, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) hotline at 866-FWC-Gator (866-392-4286).

Food Safety

Wash hands thoroughly with soap and clean water...

• After using the bathroom.
• Before handling any foods or consumables.
• When switching between raw and cooked foods.
• When hands become contaminated.

Wear gloves...

• Before handling any food.
• Never re-use or wash gloves; only use single-serve.
• Change gloves once they become soiled or discolored.
• Make sure to wash your hands before wearing a new pair of gloves.

Food preparation safety...

• Keep soap and paper towels at all hand-washing stations.
• Keep hot foods at 135˚F or above.
• Keep cold foods at 41˚F or below.
• Cook foods thoroughly.
• Cool hot foods rapidly from 135˚F to 70˚F within two (2) hours of preparation and within a total of 6 hours from 135˚F to 41˚F or below.
• If possible, do not keep leftovers.
• Thaw foods in the refrigerator.
• WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!

Mosquito Prevention

Immediately following a storm, flooding may occur. Mosquito eggs laid in the soil during previous floods can hatch and result in very large populations. Most of these mosquitoes are considered nuisance mosquitoes, however it's essential to protect yourself and your family from mosquito breeding and mosquito-borne illness by doing the following:

• Remove standing water where mosquitoes could lay eggs. Empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out any items that hold water like tires, tarps, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpot saucers, or trash containers.
• Check and repair screens on doors and windows. Keep them closed and use air conditioning when possible.
• Close doors, including garage doors. Do not leave doors propped open.
• Cover your skin. Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and long sleeves.
• Spray bare skin and clothing with repellent. Use spray with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Follow label instructions carefully.
• No not apply insect repellent to a child's hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin. Spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child's face.
• Mosquito spray is not safe for children under 2 months old.