What to do BEFORE a severe storm
Assemble a “72-Hour Survival Kit” that meets the needs of your family. Include individual medication, ready-to-eat foods, hobbies, and entertainment your family enjoys. Don’t wait until the last minute. Some items you need may not be readily available.
Items in a 72-hour kit include:
* First-aid kit
* Red Cross First-Aid Manual
* Battery-powered radio, extra batteries
* Wind-up or battery-powered alarm clock
* Flashlight, extra batteries (also consider a battery-powered fluorescent light)
* Bottled water
* Sleeping bags, blankets
* Emergency preparedness manuals
* Canned food and juices
* Powdered or canned milk
* Peanut butter, jelly, crackers
* Infant foods
* Stress foods – sugar cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals
* Dried fruit (Caution – drink water)
* Paper cups, plates
* Plastic utensils
* Manual can opener, utility knife
* Prescription medicine
* Sanitation supplies
* Large and small plastic trash bags
* Plastic bucket with tight lid
* Improvised toilet, extra bags
* Bar soap, liquid detergent
* Disinfectant
* Feminine hygiene needs
* Insect repellent
* Fire extinguisher, ABC type
* Extra clothing, shoes
* Entertainment – coloring books, crayons, games for children; books, knitting, other projects for adults
House checklist
* If an evacuation is ordered, leave immediately. Check often for official bulletins.
* Fuel car, park in a safe place.
* Bring in pets.
* Secure lawn furniture and other loose material outdoors.
* Board or shutter windows to prevent shattering.
* Wedge sliding glass doors to prevent them from lifting in their tracks.
* Locate insurance and medical records.
* Locate electrical, water and gas cutoffs.
* Trim trees and shrubs away from your house to minimize the chance of damage.
* Move valuables to upper floors.
* If possible, lock up the house and leave. Drive, carefully, to a friend’s or relative’s house, or – if necessary – to the nearest designated shelter. Follow recommended routes.
Mobile home checklist
* Check tie-downs
* Store or secure outdoor accessories.
* Shut off fuel lines at the tank.
* Disconnect electrical, sewer and water lines.
* Open faucets
* Pack breakable items and store in center of home.
* Tape windows and mirrors.
* Evacuate when winds reach 30 mph.
Boat checklist
If you can remove your boat from the water:
* Block and anchor the boat on its trailer, or remove the boat from the trailer and anchor it to the ground, or store it in a garage.
If your boat must remain docked:
* At least double the length and number of lines you normally use.
* Places on the line that apt to scrape against a dock, another boat or some other object should be reinforced with chafe lines.
* Use extra bumpers if your boat is in a confined area, such as a slip.
* Remove all items that could possibly blow out of the boat. Secure loose deck fittings.
* Tape windows
* Strip all removable equipment and electrical gear from the boat.
* Disconnect batteries
* Consider anchoring larger boats in a harbor. If you do, use extra anchors and reinforced lines.
What to do DURING a severe storm
If you stay at home:
* Stay away from the windows. As with a tornado, put as many walls and doors between you and the outside as possible.
* Use flashlights, not candles
* Should the eye, or center, of the hurricane pass over, the weather will temporarily calm. Remain in a safe location. The storm is not over.
* If your electricity shorts out because of damage to your house, turn off the power to decrease the chance of fire.
* Turn of the power if flooding begins.
* Stay inside until the “all-clear” is announced.
What to do AFTER a severe storm
Be on the lookout:
* Medical care should be available at hospital emergency rooms, fire stations or walk-in clinics.
* Drive carefully. Watch for downed power lines, trees, debris and washed-out areas.
* Do not sightsee in disaster areas.
* Report broken sewer or water lines to the appropriate utility.
* Check for leaking gas lines by smell only. If a line is leaking, open windows and doors, turn off the main meter and leave the house. Notify the gas company or police. Stay out of the house.
* Watch out for snakes, insects or other animals that may have been driven to higher ground.
* Stay tuned to radio and TV for advice and instructions. The Daily Press will publish detailed damage and recovery information in the event of a hurricane.
* Make certain food and water supplies have not spoiled because of flooding or a loss of electricity.
* Don’t drink tap water until it’s been declared safe.
* Be careful entering damaged buildings.
* Take extra care to prevent fires. Extinguishing them could be more difficult because of low water pressure.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
FOR ALL EMERGENCIES, CALL 911
Virginia State Police: 1-800-582-8350
U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue, Local Command Center483-8567
Police, Fire department or sheriff department, non-emergency
* Charles City County (804) 829-9265
* Hampton 727-6111, 728-3045 (public info)
727-6414 (office of emergency management)
* Gloucester (804) 693-3890; (804) 693-3890
* James City County 566-0112; 220-0626
* Middlesex (804) 758-2779(804) 758-2779
* Mathews (804) 725-7177(804) 725-7177
* Newport News 247-2500247-2500
* Poquoson 868-3501868-8264
* Smithfield 357-3247357-3231
* Suffolk 925-6350539-8787
* York County 890-3730890-3600
* Williamsburg, Windsor and West Point, and New Kent and Surry counties can reach all emergency services at 911.
American Red Cross
* Hampton Roads Chapter:838-7320
* York/Poquoson Chapter: 898-3090
* Colonial Virginia Chapter:253-0228
* Gloucester County Chapter: (804) 693-5554; 693- 6491; 693-3372; 693-4564
* Suffolk Chapter: 539-6645
* Tidewater Chapter: 446-7794
Utilities
Electricity
* Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson,Suffolk and Williamsburg, and York, James City, Gloucester, Mathews, Isle of Wight, Charles City, New Kent: 1- 888-667-3000
* King & Queen, King William: 1-800-572-2264 (or Rappahannock Electric Co-op, 1-800-552-3904
* Surry County:(804) 834-2424
Natural gas
* Newport News, Hampton, York County, Poquoson, Williamsburg, James City County and most of Suffolk: 873-1322 or 539-2376 ; for emergency 873-6200
* Outlying areas of Suffolk, Isle of Wight and Surry (Columbia Gas), 1-800-544-5606
Telephone:
Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson and Williamsburg and James City, York, Charles City and New Kent, 1-800-275-2355
GLoucester, Middlesex, Mathews, King and Queen, Surry and Isle of Wight, 1-800-483-1000
Cavalier Telephone customers 1-800-367-3459
Waterworks
Peninsula 247-8421
Volunteer and Social Services
Peninsula
CONTACT Peninsula 245-0041
Salvation Army 499-0032
Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula 596-7188
Peninsula Agency on Aging 873-0541
Peninsula Division of AAA of Tidewater Virginia 826-1061
Peninsula Rescue Mission 380-6909
United Way of the Virginia Peninsula 873-9328
