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<br />Do not try to drive across a flooded road. If your car stalls, <br />leave it. Many people drown trying to rescue their car. <br /> <br />Do not try to walk across a flowing area where the water is <br />above your knees. <br /> <br />Stay tuned to the radio and keep on the lookout for a second <br />crest. <br /> <br />Keep your family together. Everyone should carry identification. <br /> <br />Obey police, civil defense workers and warning signs. <br /> <br />III. After the Flood <br /> <br />A. Safety Precautions <br /> <br />Make sure the electricity and gas are cut off before going back into <br />your house. Do not turn either back on until a contractor or the <br />utility company has checked your house. <br /> <br />Open doors and windows and let fresh air in and get rid of odors and <br />gas. <br /> <br />Check your walls and floor for cracks. Use a level to see if the <br />structure was damaged. If you are not qualified to judge the stability <br />of your home's foundation, get a contractor to inspect it. Neighbors <br />can join in hiring one for this work. <br /> <br />Remember the static lateral pressures. Don't pump your basement dry if <br />the ground is still saturated. If there is no water on the ground, <br />pump a third of your basement water out each day. If the level goes <br />back up during the night, wait another day before pumping again. Do not <br />use an electric pump connected to your home's electrical system. <br /> <br />Watch out for loosened plaster which may fall on you. <br /> <br />Charcoal and other materials listed in section I.E. are highly combustible <br />when moist. Put wet charcoal in tin cans or on metal grates to dry. Do <br />this in a well ventilated space. <br /> <br />Make sure there is no mud or debris in chimneys, flues and vents. Check <br />your chimney carefully for signs of settling or cracks that could let <br />fire or carbon monoxide out. <br /> <br />Do not turn on electric motors that have gotten wet. Disconnect them <br />and wash them with clean water to get rid of grit and dirt. Allow two <br />weeks to dry (or less if you use a hair dryer or fan). <br /> <br />Don't overstrain yourself. <br /> <br />37 <br />