Prepare For Hurricane, Flooding

With Hurricane Irene bearing down on the East Coast, local and national organizations are mobilizing and sending out tips for ways you can keep yourself, your loved ones and your property safe.

PECO's full emergency response organization is preparing for the damage Irene may inflict upon our area this weekend, according to a news release.

Here are some tips from PECO:

How you can prepare:

• Keep PECO's emergency telephone number (1-800-841-4141) handy                     
• Have a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home                     
• Have a battery powered clock and radio available      

If an outage occurs:   

• Customers without power should contact the company at 1-800-841-4141. The more customers who call to report an outage, the more effectively PECO can dispatch crews and restore service. The company's automated telephone system can quickly record your outage, allowing customer care representatives to remain available to handle reports of dangerous situations.
• Stay away from downed wires, damaged electric equipment, and tree limbs and branches contacting electrical equipment. Always assume PECO's equipment is energized--even if there is an outage in your neighborhood. Report these dangerous conditions to PECO immediately.                      
• Turn off and unplug appliances and other devices to prevent possible damage. Remember to keep one light on so you know when service has been restored.                     
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Move meats, cheese, milk, etc. into the freezer to stay colder longer. A partially full freezer can keep food frozen for up to 24 hours, and up to 48 hours when full. 
• Customers with generators should never connect them directly to home wiring or plug them into household outlets. Generators connected to home wiring can 'backfeed' into PECO's electric delivery system, risking serious injury or death to PECO crews. Generators should always be placed outside to prevent carbon-monoxide poisoning.        

The above tips were provided by PECO.

From the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania:

The threat Hurricane Irene is posing for this weekend provides a very important reminder that we all need to be prepared for emergencies.

A hurricane can cause floods, which are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters. Conditions that cause floods include heavy or steady rain for several hours or days that saturates the ground. Flash floods occur suddenly due to rapidly rising water along a stream or low-lying area.

Stay safe: 

• Listen to area radio and television stations and a NOAA Weather Radio for possible flood warnings and reports of flooding in progress or other critical information from the National Weather Service.

• Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.

• When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher ground and stay there.

• Stay away from flood waters. If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, stop, turn around and go another way. Six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep you off of your feet.

• If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.

• Keep children out of the water. They are curious and often lack judgment about running water or contaminated water.

• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood danger.

Keep supplies on hand:

• Water -- at least a 3-day supply; one gallon per person per day

• Food -- at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food

• Flashlight

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

• Extra batteries

• First aid kit

• Medications (a 7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane)

• Multi-purpose tool

• Sanitation and personal hygiene items

• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, deed/lease to home, birth certificates, insurance policies)

• Cell phone with chargers

• Family and emergency contact information

• Extra cash

• Emergency blanket

• Map(s) of the area

Let your family know you’re safe. If your community experiences a flood, or any disaster, register on the American Red Cross Safe and Well Web site to let your family and friends know about your welfare. If you don’t have Internet access, call 1-866-GET-INFO to register yourself and your family.

To learn more, click here.