Hurricane Irma

Follow the direction of state, local, and tribal officials. (Español)
 

After the Hurricane

• Avoid debris, downed power lines, and flood water, which may be electrically charged and hide dangerous debris or places where the ground is washed away. Avoid downed power or utility lines as they may be live with deadly voltage. Stay away and report them immediately to your power or utility company.
• Emergency workers may be assisting people in flooded areas or cleaning up debris. You can help them by staying off the roads and out of the way as much as possible.
• If your home has flood water inside or around it, don’t walk or wade in it.The water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline, or raw sewage.
• If you have a flooded basement in your home, never attempt to turn off power or operate circuit breakers while standing in water.
• If your power is out, safely use a generator or battery-operated flashlights.
• Never use a generator inside a home, basement, shed or garage even if doors and windows are open.
• Keep generators outside and far away from windows, doors and vents. Read both the label on your generator and the owner's manual and follow the instructions.
• Avoid plugging emergency generators into electric outlets or hooking them directly to your home's electrical system – they can feed electricity back into the power lines, putting you and line workers in danger.

Tips for Clean-Up

Below are a few simple guidelines to follow that will make the clean-up and salvage process safer and easier:

Fact Sheets

• NFIP Policyholders Must Follow the Guildelines of Their Flood Policy When Cleaning Up
• Homeowner's and renter's guide to mold cleanup after disasters (EPA)
• Public Assistance: Contracting Requirements Checklist
• Public Assistance: Alternative Procedures Pilot Program for Debris Removal
• Public Assistance Debris Removal Tips Fact Sheet
• Public Assistance: Private Property Debris Removal Fact Sheet
• After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures
• Test your well water before drinking it. For more information, go to TCEQ's hurricane response page.

Returning Home

• Always wear protective clothing including long-sleeved shirts, long pants, rubber or plastic gloves and waterproof boots or shoes.
• Before entering your home, look outside for damaged power lines, gas lines and other exterior damage.
• Take photos of your damage before you begin clean up and save repair receipts.
• Your home may be contaminated with mold, which raises the health risk for those with asthma, allergies and breathing conditions. Refer to the Center for Disease Control for more info on mold: www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/pdf/flyer-get-rid-of-mold.pdf.
• Open doors and windows so your house can air out before spending any length of time inside.
• Turn off main electrical power and water systems and don’t use gas appliances until a professional can ensure they are safe.
• Check all ceilings and floors for signs of sagging or other potentially dangerous structural damage.
• Throw out all foods, beverages and medicines exposed to flood waters or mud including canned goods and containers with food or liquid.
• Also, throw out any items that absorb water and cannot be cleaned or disinfected (mattresses, carpeting, stuffed animals, etc.).
• Beware of snakes, insects, and other animals that may be on your property or in your home.
• Remove all drywall and insulation that has been in contact with flood waters.
• Clean all hard surfaces (flooring, countertops, appliances, sinks, etc.) thoroughly with hot water and soap or detergent.

Returning Home

Road conditions, traffic, severe weather, and gas are all factors to consider after Hurricane Irma. If you evacuated for the storm, check with local officials both where you’re staying and back home before you travel.

Here are a few more travel tips:

• Let friends & family know before you leave and when you arrive
• Charge devices and consider getting back-up batteries in case power-outages continue
• Fill up your gas tank and consider downloading a fuel app to check for outages along your route
• Bring supplies such as water and non-perishable food for the car ride

Survivors should expect and prepare for significant, ongoing impacts, and disruptions to daily activities, and remember that returning home before storm debris is cleared is dangerous.

National Flood Insurance Program

Helping Children Cope

Children may cope more effectively with a disaster when they feel they understand what is happening and what they can do to help protect themselves, their family, and friends. Here’s how you can help them cope and a Fact Sheet:

• Talk about the concerns about the storm with your children. To not talk about it makes it even more threatening in your children's mind. Start by asking what your children have already heard and what understanding they have. As your children explain, listen for misinformation, misconceptions, and underlying fears or concerns, and then address these.
• Explain - as simply and directly as possible - what is happening or likely to happen. The amount of information that will be helpful to children depends on their age and developmental level, as well as their coping style. For example, older children generally want and will benefit from more detailed information than younger children. Because every child is different, take cues from your own children as to how much information to provide.
• Encourage your children to ask questions, and answer those questions directly. Like adults, children are better able to cope with a crisis if they feel they understand it. Question-and-answer exchanges help to ensure ongoing support as your children begin to understand the crisis and the response to it.
• Limit television viewing of disasters and other crisis events, especially for younger children. Consider coverage on all media, including the internet and social media. When older children watch television, try to watch with them and use the opportunity to discuss what is being seen and how it makes you and your children feel.
• Reassure children of the steps that are being taken to keep them safe. Disasters and other crises remind us that we are never completely safe from harm. Now more than ever it is important to reassure children that, in reality, they should feel safe in their schools, homes, and communities.
• Consider sharing your feelings about a crisis with your children. This is an opportunity for you to role model how to cope and how to plan for the future. Before you reach out, however, be sure that you are able to express a positive or hopeful plan.
• Help your children to identify concrete actions they can take to help those affected by recent events. Rather than focus on what could have been done to prevent a disaster or other crisis, concentrate on what can be done now to help those affected by the event.
• Play games and do activities together to create meaningful dialogue and offer a distraction.
• If you have concerns about your children's behavior, contact your children's pediatrician, other primary care provider, or a qualified mental health professional.

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