Preparing for Hurricane Sandy

There is a possibility that Hurricane Sandy may impact the Washington D.C. region in the days ahead. Should predictions show that the hurricane will hit our area, officials remind residents that they should prepare for the possibility of high winds, power outages and flooding. The hurricane season traditionally runs through November.

Anyone who has not already signed up for the Countys Alert Montgomery notification system is encouraged to do so by going to https://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov and selecting the types of emergency alerts they are interested in receiving regarding weather, severe traffic, schools, park and government facilities, athletic fields and public events; along with the devices they would like the messages sent to (cell phones, text pagers, wireless PDAs, home and work emails).

During severe weather and all other times, residents are reminded to call 9-1-1 only in emergencies that threaten life or property, which include any type of fire or serious medical condition, when there is fear for personal safety or the safety of others, or during a crime in progress. Calling 9-1-1 for the wrong reason or calling the number inadvertently may keep someone else from getting the help they need. DO NOT call 9-1-1 to ask for directions; check on power, phone, or cable outages; inquire about road or weather conditions; check on the status of school closings; for information about public services; or to report situations that are not emergencies. If you do call by mistake, please stay on the line until the call taker can confirm that you do not require emergency assistance.

Whenever a hurricane threatens a region, a hurricane watch will be issued within 24-36 hours. A hurricane warning will be issued if hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours or less. Below are some more preparedness tips for hurricanes and other storms:

Before a Storm
Put copies of important documents in a safe place, preferably a waterproof container. Important documents can include passports, birth certificates, insurance policies or anything else that might be needed immediately or cannot be easily replaced.

Have enough cash for a few days ATMs may not work during power outages and stores might not be able to take debit and credit cards.
Make sure vehicle gas tanks are full.
Secure or bring inside exterior items that might become windborne, such as lawn furniture, toys and garden tools.
Fill prescriptions that might be needed and stock up on any necessary medical supplies.

Keep flashlights and battery-powered radios with extra batteries on hand, along with a basic first aid kit, emergency food and water, and a non-electric can opener. Have enough non-perishable food and water for at least 72 hours.
Listen to the radio or television for hurricane progress reports.
Clean out gutters.
Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting in anticipation of a power outage. Open the doors only when necessary and close quickly.
Refrain from putting out trash cans the night before the regular pickup.

During a Storm
Avoid using candles for lighting. Use a battery-powered flashlight.
Never use a candle when fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern, since the candle flame can ignite fumes from the fuel.
Try to stay in an interior room or away from windows.
Stay calm and do not call 911 unless it is an emergency.
If flooding occurs, turn off electricity at the main breaker.
During a power outage, turn off major appliances. This will minimize losing power again through a power surge and protect the equipment when power returns.
Do not go outside. Flying debris from high winds is a danger. As the eye of the storm passes, there will be a short period of calm followed by rapid wind speed increases to hurricane force that will come from the opposite direction.

After a Storm
Do not touch fallen or low-hanging wires of any kind under any circumstances. Stay away from puddles with wires in or near them. Do not touch trees or other objects in contact with power lines.
USE PHONES ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES. Call 911 only for life-threatening situations.
Call police or your utility companies immediately to report hazards such as downed power lines, broken gas or water mains or overturned gas tanks.
Avoid areas subject to flooding, including low spots, canals and streams. Do not attempt to drive on a flooded road you can be stranded or trapped. The depth of the water and the condition of the road is not always obvious.
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers, downed wires and other hazards.

For downed trees on public property, call 3-1-1 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays (or 240-777-0311 from outside the County or from a cell phone) or go to http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/311 at any time to report the problem. If live wires are involved, the tree is blocking a roadway, the tree is on a structure, or if persons are trapped under the fallen tree, call 9-1-1.
Trees that have fallen on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. The Countys Office of Consumer Protection advises homeowners to deal with established businesses only, and to call Consumer Protection first to check a businesscomplaint record. Consumer Protection can be reached at 240-777-3636.
For non-emergency police assistance, call the police non-emergency number, 301-279-8000.

If case of a power outage, residents are urged to take steps to ensure that food left in the refrigerator and freezer is safe. According to the United States Department of Agricultures (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service, meat, poultry, fish and eggs should be refrigerated at 40F and frozen food at or below 0F, which may be difficult with a prolonged power outage. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. A refrigerator will only keep food safely cold for about four hours if it is unopened. Food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheeses, butter and leftover cooked meats, casseroles and pizza should be thrown out if they have been held above 40F for over two hours. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. To be sure a particular food is cold enough; take its temperature with a food thermometer. Never taste food to determine its safety.

Do not operate charcoal grills, propane camping stoves or generators indoors.

Important Utility Numbers:
Pepco: 1-877-737-2662
Baltimore Gas and Electric (BG&E): 1-877-778-2222 or 1-800-685-0123
Potomac Edison (Allegheny Power): 1-800-255-3443
Washington Gas: 800-752-7520
WSSC: 1-800-828-4002
For more information about emergency preparedness, go to the County website, www.montgomerycountymd.gov, check the Countys Facebook page, or sign up to receive County tweets from Twitter, http://twitter.com/#!/MontgomeryCoMD.