Precautions you can take ahead of storms
Precautions you can take ahead of storms
- Make sure gutters and downpipes on your home and other structures are clear so heavy rain can flow freely off your roof
- Make sure tiles, corrugated sheets or other coverings on your roof are secure and can withstand high winds
- Secure any items around your house that could become dangerous if blown about in high winds
- Make sure tree branches don’t overhang your house
- Draw up a home emergency plan that includes where you and your family will go if you must evacuate your home and how you’ll contact each other if separated
- Keep a list of emergency telephone numbers in easy reach, plus details of local relief centres and evacuation routes
- Put together an “emergency pack” containing tinned food, water, a first-aid kit, blankets, warm clothing, spare batteries, matches and a tin-opener
- Equip yourself with a battery-powered radio and torch so you can stay updated on power restoration and evacuation alerts if the power is cut
- Gather sentimental, important, and valuable items and photos that you can take with you should you need to evacuate
- Identify a room in your house where you can shelter if you can’t evacuate
Precautions you can take as a storm approaches
Precautions you can take as a storm approaches
- Make sure outdoor furniture, bicycles, pot plants or other outside items that could become projectiles are secured or taken inside
- Put your car in the garage
- Secure doors, windows, and awnings
- Shift furniture and fixtures away from windows and doors
- Unplug electrical items, especially computers
- Make sure you have drinking water in containers
- During the storm, stay indoors and away from windows
- Use a battery-powered radio to monitor your local radio station for updates on the weather, power supply, emergency warnings and evacuation alerts
- Carry your mobile phone with you
- Avoid fallen power lines
- Avoid driving during heavy storms