Hurricane survivors returning to damaged houses face a torrent of challenges – if they’re lucky enough to have a home at all.
Flooding. Mold damage. Insurance headaches. Deadly hidden hazards.
The onslaught of mental anguish and post-hurricane dangers can seem overwhelming. Here’s how victims can stay safe, get help and take the first steps toward recovery:
- Don’t go home until it’s completely safe
Just because the hurricane is over doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive.
Residents should “return home only when local officials say it is safe to do so,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency says.
If you see a flooded road, officials stress a life-saving but often ignored mantra: “Turn around, don’t drown.”
Every year, more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm-related hazard, the National Weather Service says.
- Use extreme caution when you get home
When it’s safe to go home, try to arrive during daytime hours so you don’t need any lights, the CDC says. You might not have power in the area.
Once you get there, “Walk carefully around the outside of your home to check for loose power lines, gas leaks, and structural damage,” the National Weather Service says.
If your home is flooded, “wait to re-enter your home until professionals tell you it is safe, with no structural, electrical or other hazards,” the CDC says.
- Minimize the risk of electrocution
Flooded homes require additional precautions to prevent electrocution.
“If you have standing water in your home and can turn off the main power from a dry location, then go ahead and turn off the power,” the CDC says.
Read more about how to recover from a hurricane or tropical storm.
