BATON ROUGE, La. – As Hurricane Delta makes landfall, be sure to take precautions to keep yourself safe from the many hazards associated with high winds and flood waters. Some common hazards to be aware of include flooding, flying/floating debris and downed live wires.
Flooding
- Turn around, don’t drown! Do not drive through floodwaters—just one foot of water can sweep your vehicle away. Cars or other vehicles will not protect you from floodwaters.
- Stay off bridges over fast-moving water.
- Floodwater poses a drowning risk for everyone—regardless of your ability to swim.
- Do not walk, swim, or dive through flood waters— just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down.
- There may be hazardous debris underneath the water or hazardous chemicals in the flood waters that you cannot see including:
- Downed power lines;
- Human/livestock waste;
- Household, medical and industrial hazardous waste (chemical, biological, and radiological);
- Coal ash waste that contain carcinogenic compounds such as arsenic, chromium and mercury;
- Physical objects such as lumber, vehicles and debris; and
- Wild or stray animals such as rodents or snakes.
Debris
- Take refuge in a designated storm shelter, or an interior room to avoid potential flying debris.
- If trapped in a building by flooding, go to the highest level of the building. Do not climb into a closed attic as you could be trapped by rising flood water.
Downed Power lines/live wires
- Never touch a fallen power line. Call the power company to report any seen.
- Do not drive through standing water if downed power lines are in the water.
- Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or you are standing in water.
Finally, make sure your lines of communication stay open. Make sure your cell phones or communication devices are fully charged and save phone calls for emergencies. Phone systems are often down or busy after a disaster. Use text messages or social media to communicate with family and friends.
For the latest information on Hurricane Laura, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4559 or follow the FEMA Region 6 Twitter account at twitter.com/FEMARegion6.