Staying Safe During a Storm

8/25/2018 (Permalink)

Priorities, people!  The most important thing is staying safe during a storm.  There will be plenty of time to review the damage, later.  In our modern, technology-driven age, we can sometimes forget how powerful the forces of nature are.  Here’s a few tips on how to protect your family and friends.

If You’re Outdoors

Find Shelter Fast

In the event that you’re caught in a thunder and lightning rainstorm, the best way to reduce the chances of danger is to get inside a protective structure.  If you can see lightning, there’s a chance it can hurt you.   Make sure and bring your pets inside with you and protect them, too.

Things to definitely avoid:  standing under a tree and being near powerlines.   Lightning is attracted to tall objects and  you could get hurt, either by the tree if it should crack or the lightning could hit you, too.  High voltage powerlines can come down in heavy storms and once down, move like writhing snakes.  People have been killed because they were ‘whipped’ and electrocuted by powerlines.

Should a protective building not be near, get in a car with metal roof and sides.  Metal is a great conductor of electricity.  Better to have the voltage go around you instead of through you!

Stay Off your Landline

Lightning has been known to travel through telephone wires.  Shocks from landlines are actually the leading source of lightning-related injuries. 

Avoid Potentially Wet Areas

This includes swimming pools and even showers and bathtubs.  Water is also an excellent conductor of electricity.  So is metal plumbing.  Lightning can run through metal pipes and shock you if you touch a metal faucet at the time it strikes.

What if You Can’t Get Inside?

There are just some times when there are no protective structures.  In these cases, the following rules apply:

Get to a lower elevation.  Lightning strikes less often at lower elevations.

Avoid being in situations where you are the tallest object.  This could include open meadows, athletic fields, golf courses etc.  Remember, the tallest objects in an area are practically ‘lightning targets’.  Don’t be one!

If you feel a staticky sensation in your hair, it could be that a lightning strike is imminent.  In this case, assume a crouched position transferring your weight to the balls of your feet with your shoes touching.  Next, tuck your head and cover your ears (make yourself as small as possible). This will improve the odds of avoiding a direct hit.  When the staticky sensation passes, make a ‘bee line’ for the nearest car or building.

If You’re Driving

Don’t Touch

The safest car to be in during a lightning storm is one where the entire cabin is composed of metal – something that isn’t found as commonly anymore.  Non-metallic materials actually increase the chances that the passengers may be injured.  In the event that the car is hit, the current may pass through the vehicle’s electrical systems, the GPS, cell phone chargers, car door handles, foot pedals, steering column and steering wheel.

The best advice in a situation like this is not to touch anything metal in the car’s cabin during the storm – including the radio. 

Drivers should also avoid driving through standing water.  Engines can easily stall in as little as 6” of water.  This increases the chances of being hit by another vehicle or getting caught in a flash flood.

Moving Past the Storm.  Restoration Services.

While these tips will not protect your property, they could save your life!  In the event that you should require water or storm damage restoration after the storm has passed, SERVPRO of Yorba Linda/ Brea is here to help.  We’ve been serving the Orange County community for eleven years and have become the #1 SERVPRO franchise in California during this period by staying true to our values. 

There when you need us.  We’re here for you when you need us most.  In many cases, we’ll be at your door within an hour of your call.

Share our knowledge.  Experience has shown us that what most people want is to understand what is happening all through the restoration process. 

Integrity.  You’ve been through something horrible.  Now you need someone you can trust.  Our word is our bond.

Someone you can count on.  Most of our business comes from word of mouth referrals.  To keep that going, we know we’re only as good as our latest job.  You’ll always receive our very best work.

Respect for your property and possessions.  You can trust us to carefully move, and cover everything in our work area to protect what you’ve worked so hard for.

Find out more about what our customers have said about our work by visiting our testimonials page:  http://www.SERVPROyorbalindabrea.com/testimonials

Need immediate assistance?  Call us at 714-701-0207.

We’ll make you feel “Like it never even happened”!