EAGLEVILLE PA – Some people are always prepared for the worst. Many people want to be prepared, but don’t know where to start. For them – and given the strong possibility that residents of Lower Pottsgrove, Limerick, Pottstown and surrounding municipalities may face the power of Hurricane Sandy in only days – workers in the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, Eagleville Road, offer these tips:
Easy start: fill jugs with water. You’ll need a gallon per person per day. Hurricane Sandy may affect us for three or more days. In a four-person home, that’s at least 12 gallons.
Plan for provisions. To take care of themselves and their loved ones, the department suggests home owners have the following on-hand:
- Three-day supply of drinking water (one gallon per person/per day);
- Non-perishable food, ready-to-eat canned food;
- A manual can opener (in case power is out);
- First-aid kit;
- Flashlight, with extra batteries;
- Personal care items and toiletries;
- Prescription medicines;
- Special items for infants, the disabled, and the elderly (formula, diapers, etc.);
- Eyeglasses; and a
- Whistle to signal for help.
Plan to find each other. Families are first advised to develop an emergency communication plan. In the event family members are separated from one another during floods, have a plan for getting back together.
Plan on contacting each other. Ask an out-of-town relative or friend to serve as the “family contact.” After a disaster, it often is easier to call long distance than locally. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address and phone number of the contact person.
Plan to avoid driving. Do not drive during the storm unless absolutely necessary. If you do end up out on the roads, watch for debris, downed trees and limbs and utility lines, which could be live. If you encounter a flooded roadway, do not attempt to drive through it. The average automobile can be swept off the road in 12 inches of moving water, and roads covered by water are prone to collapse. If you come upon a flooded street, take an alternate route.
Also, it is now illegal for drivers to go around a traffic control device that indicates a road closure due to a hazardous condition. The law imposes a fine of $250 to $500 on violators and two points on their driver’s license, and requires they pay restitution for the cost for any fire, police and EMS response.
Plan your at-home safety. Be cautious if you intend to use gasoline powered generators or other tools, such as power washers, during or after the storm. Carbon monoxide poisoning that results from those devices being improperly ventilated is one of the biggest sources of injury or death following a major storm. Also, do not use charcoal grills indoors.
Find a more detailed list and other preparedness instructions, here.
Tracking Hurricane Sandy:
- County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation
- Sandy May Bring The Year’s First Snow To Western PA
- Montgomery County Preparing For Sandy As Major Storm
- Follow Hurricane Sandy’s Path Toward Pennsylvania
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[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]
[...] County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here. [...]