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Tip of the Month

National Preparedness Month - Tip 5:  After an Event - What Now?

 

September 29, 2011 — You've made it through the disaster…now what?

After an emergency, safety is a primary issue, as are mental and physical well-being. This tip offers some advice on steps to take to begin getting your home and your life back to normal.

  • If you or someone you are with has a life-threatening issue, dial 911.
  • Contact your loved ones and let them know your status. Use texting or social media rather than calling to lessen the volume on telephone lines needed for emergency operations. 
  • Tune into broadcast television and radio for important news alerts. Don’t forget you can listen to your car radio for important news.
  • Be aware of new safety issues created by the disaster. Watch for washed-out roads, contaminated buildings, contaminated water, gas leaks, broken glass, damaged electrical wiring and slippery floors.
  • If there is no electricity:
    • Do everything you can to conserve the power you have. Conserve your cell phone battery by reducing the brightness of your screen, placing your phone in airplane mode and closing apps you are not using.
    • Try to save your food. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.

     

  • Stay off the streets. If you must go out, watch for fallen objects like downed electrical wires, and weakened walls, bridges, roads and sidewalks.

For information, see FEMA's Recovering From Disaster website or contact U.Va.'s Office of Emergency Preparedness  at 434-982-0565 or uvaoep@virginia.edu.

 

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