What To Do During and After a Hurricane

 
So you've followed all the preparations – you've made a plan, you've filled up your car's gas tank, you've gathered all the supplies for your disaster kit and your valuable documents are tucked away in a waterproof container. Now what? No one has told you what to do now. How do you keep yourself and your family safe when the hurricane arrives?

Staying Home
 

If you live in a sound structure outside the evacuation area and do not live in a mobile home, stay home and take these precaution:

Before the storm

1. Make sure your windows are protected and your home is secured.
2. Check your disaster supplies kit. Make sure you have water, non-perishable food, medications and don't forget that non-electric can opener.
3. Clean containers for cleaning water. Line the bathtub with plastic sheeting or a clean shower curtain, or caulk the drain with silicone caulking — it holds water for weeks and cleans up easily when dry. Plan on three gallons per person, per day for all uses (including flushing the toilet).

During the storm

Howling winds, driving rain and the threat of tornadoes make riding out a hurricane a scary ordeal. 

Follow these tips for staying safe in your home during a hurricane:

1. Stay inside and away from windows, skylights and glass doors. 
2. Find a safe area in your home (an interior room, a closet or bathroom on the lower level).
3. If flooding threatens your home, turn off electricity at the main breaker.
4. If you lose power, turn off major appliances such as the air conditioner and water heater to reduce damage.
5. Do not use electrical appliances, including your computer.
6. Do not go outside.
7. If the eye of the storm passes over your area, there will be a short period of calm, but at the other side of the eye, the wind speed rapidly increases to hurricane force and will come from the opposite direction. 
8. do not go outside to see "what the wind feels like." It is too easy to be hit by flying debris.
9. Beware of lightning. 
10. Stay away from electrical equipment. 
11. Don't use the phone or take a bath/shower 

 

After the storm

Typically, more deaths occur after a hurricane than during. These deaths come from 

people being too anxious to get outside and survey the damage where they come into contact with downed power lines or unstable trees, etc. 

Follow these suggestions for staying safe after the hurricane:

1. Remain indoors until an official "all clear" is given.
2. Do not touch fallen or low-hanging wires of any kind under any circumstances. Stay away from puddles with wires in/near them. 
3. Do not touch trees or other objects in contact with power lines.
4. USE PHONES ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES. Call only for life-threatening situations.
5. Call police or utility companies immediately to report hazards such as downed power lines, broken gas or water mains, overturned gas tanks, etc.
6. Watch for weakened roads, bridges, tree limbs or porches which could collapse unexpectedly.
7. After power is restored, check refrigerated food for spoilage. (Spoiled food is the cause of much sickness two days to a week after the storm.)
8. When reinstalling a CB, TV or satelitte antenna, check in all directions to be sure no power lines are nearby. The same goes for climbing trees to clear debris.
9. Do not operate charcoal grills, propane camping stoves or generators indoors.

Staying at a Public Shelter

1. Area public shelters are for people who have no other place to go. If you must stay in a shelter, listen to news broadcasts for announcements of shelter openings. Shelter volunteers do their best to make you comfortable, but a shelter is not a very comfortable place. 
2. Stay with friends or relatives if at all possible.Those with special medical needs (oxygen, etc.) should go to special needs shelters only. Special needs shelters do not provide hands-on medical care, only medical monitoring. Bring a caregiver with you if needed.
3. Only service animals are permitted in public shelters.
4. Eat before you arrive. Meals may not be available during the first 24 hours. Bring snacks.
5. Bring your identification, valuable papers and medications in their original containers.
6. Bring baby supplies.
7. Bring blankets/sleeping bags, pillows. Those are either not provided or limited in supply.
8. Bring cards/games/books to pass the hours.
9. Bring flashlights and a battery operated radio or TV with extra batteries for all.
10. Stay inside and follow directions that are given for your comfort and safety.
11. You will not be allowed outside until the official "all clear."

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PETROL FROM WATER - John Andruss

Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954)

Friday 19 December 1941

 

INVENTOR VANISHES

Every German diplomatic represen- tative, Gestapo agents, spies, Fifth, Columnists, and many private Nazi citizens in foreign countries have been given an order: "Find John Andruss."

The reason is simple. John Andruss claims he has discovered how to make petrol from water! »

That, of course, ls an astounding claim (says "Answers") and his

"miracle" was investigated under test ? eonditions by competent authorities. A British Munitions expert and repre- sentatives of the U.S. Navy and the Royal Navy all agreed that John And russ's discovery had apparently passed bona-fide tests. Representatives of the world's largest oil companies and sevi eral prominent financiers also were impressed.

The first test was made on an auto- mobile. The tank was drained. A gallon of Andruss's "gas substitute" was poured in. The car started and ran as usual. The only change the observers noticed was that the exhaust fumes smelt different from those pro- duced by ordinary petrol.

The inventor explained that his "mixture'' was merely that of water,

fresh or salt, to which had been added - a few chemicals, which could be ob-

tained from any village chemist The ? cost? A gallon of petrol substitute could be made for lid.

Questions were asked, John Andruss, highly suspicious and afraid that his secret would be stolen, answered them. No, his discovery was not patented. His "homebrew" petrol was so simple and easy to make that he would not be able to collect royalties. He dared not reveal the secret until £250.000 cash had been deposited in a bank of his own choosing.

The hard-boiled but business-like investigators were still sceptical. The demonstration, ihey thought might have been a cleverly performed trick. They suggested another-under con- ditions they themselves arranged. Andruss agreed.

SEVERE TEST.

They would provide, they said, a brand-new motor launch. They would moor it at least 20ft. from any pier, building or other craft They them- selves were to fill the boat s petrol tank with seawater. Andruss could then pour his "dope" into that and run the launch-if he could. And he did!

Still officialdom was undecided, and it was then that American oil In- terests stepped in. At the Indiana- polis Speedway, "Andruss's High*Test Gasoline Substitute" was successfully demonstrated again-and for the last

time!

At this point the story becomes one of mystery. Its theme can be em- bodied In a single question: What has become of John A. Andruss?

Distrustful of everyone as Andruss obviously was, he may be earning a modest competence for himself by manufacturing his petrol substitute and selling it to some remote country filling station. Were he doing this, however; he could hardly keep it secret. Somebody would be bound to

find out

Perhaps the best guess ls that some monopolistic oil concern has paid John a million or two for the privi- lege of owning, but not using, the sec- ret There's even an argument against that theory. Were such the case, the name of John Andruss would be on the list of this world's millionaires. It isn't there.

Perhaps John's retired to his native Portugul and peace. Wherever he may be, however, he's the answer to Hitler's ardent prayers. A little of what John Andruss knows would cure Hitler's greatest headache, namely: What is he going to use for oil when his present rapidly diminishing sup- plies run out?

Original Post

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