Windstorm Safety Tips
Here are some safety tips for staying safe before, during and after a wind storm:
Before
- Keep a close eye on your child’s school or daycare website for possible early release and facility closures.
- Fuel up your vehicle and allow extra commute time home from work or school.
- Locate flashlights, radio, and extra batteries, in case you experience a power outage at home.
- Plan pre-cooked meals for your family that don’t require a stove-top, microwave, or oven to prepare.
- Make sure pets have appropriate shelter to stay warm and safe from falling debris.
- Ask your employer how you will be notified if power outages impact your worksite.
- Trim tree branches away from your house and powerlines
- Secure loose gutters, lawn furniture and other items so they don’t blow away or fly through a window
- Update your emergency kit and be sure to include enough food and water to last for three days for each person in your home
- Download the preparedness checklist
Cell phone
- Fully charge your phone to prolong battery life
- Use a ring tone instead of vibrate
- Use extra features sparingly
- Turn off or limit use of back light
- If no reception, turn off phone
During
- Immediately go inside a sturdy building during a high wind warning and move to an interior room or basement.
- If you are in a mobile home, move to a sturdy building before the winds pick up or the storm system reaches your location.
- Latest forecast from KING 5 meteorologists
- Like KING 5 Weather on Facebook for updates
- Download KING 5’s Weathercaster app to track conditions in your neighborhood
If you’re outside or driving
- Take shelter in your car if you are not near a sturdy building. If possible, drive to a nearby sturdy building.
- Otherwise, move your car to a location where it is less likely to be hit by falling trees or powerlines.
- If no shelter is available avoid trees, power lines, and the side of the road. Keep in mind that power lines that are laying on the ground may be live. Do not go near them. Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.
- If you are driving and aren’t near a sturdy building, hold the steering wheel with both hands and slow down.
- Keep a distance from high profile vehicles such as trucks, buses and vehicles towing trailers. One strong gust of wind can be enough to flip one of these trailers onto its side.
After a wind storm
- Do not go near downed power lines. Report downed power lines to the police
- Listen to local news for updates Related: Up-to-the-minute live weather blog
- Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard
- If you lose power and are using a generator, be sure to review generator safety tips
- Related: List of utility companies and contact information
