NEWS & EVENTS

Hurricane Irma Headed for Florida; Are You Prepared to Survive This Storm?

?The OSHAC encourages everyone in the path of Hurricane Irma to keep informed, heed government warnings and stay safe. Unlike tornadoes and earthquakes, hurricanes can be forecast several days ahead of landfall, giving residents time to take precautions:

• Board up windows and secure loose outdoor items like patio furniture
• Know where to go in the event of an evacuation and how to get there
• Establish an assembly point for family members to meet if separated, and choose one person everyone can contact with their whereabouts and status
• Take shelter in a sturdy building; avoid isolated sheds or other small structures, open areas, hilltops, beaches or boats
• If you are driving in heavy rain, try to safely exit the road, stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers
• During heavy rain, avoid underpasses, underground parking garages and basements
• Never drive into flooded areas; if flood waters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground
• Don't walk in water above your ankles; you can be swept off your feet in as little as 6 inches of rushing water
• Contact your local emergency management agency for information
• Avoid contact with electrical equipment, cords, metal and water
• Listen for warning sirens, stay away from windows and exterior doors, and seek shelter in a bathroom or basement
• Stay indoors until authorities tell you it's safe to go outside
• Hurricanes can cause massive flooding;
• Learn about safe cleanup from local authorities.

Because severe weather and natural disasters can occur at any time with devastating effects, an impending storm is a timely reminder to review safety procedures. September is Emergency Preparedness Month, and OSHAC is calling on Americans to develop emergency kits and plans in the event of unpredictable, severe weather.
More than 400 people were killed in weather-related incidents in 2014, according to Injury Facts. In September and October, thunderstorms, high winds and floods are common. OSHAC advises families to keep an emergency kit at home and in the car.
Emergency kits should contain basic needs to sustain a family for at least 72 hours. When putting together an emergency plan, families should practice various methods of evacuation or identify places to seek shelter, make emergency contact lists in case family members become separated and learn how their community alerts residents when severe weather or a natural disaster are imminent.

About the OHSAC
The OSHAC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate preventable deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education, and advocacy. OSHAC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, elected officials and the public in areas where we can make the most impact.