PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
FOR
POST HURRICANE CLEAN UP ACTIVITIES CAMPAIGN:
You Survived, Now Stay Alive!
OCTOBER 1, 2002 Updated May 30, 2008 CONTENTS
Cleaning Precautions
Food Safety
Animal/Pet Safety
Chain Saw Safety
Dress Safely, Dress Right
Wash Your Hands!
Carbon Monoxide Danger
Heat Stress
Utility Safety PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release date: ______
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 30 seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032
YOU SURVIVED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “Cleaning Precautions”
Glad to be home, but is there an end to the cleaning? Probably not for a while since buildings and contents must be disinfected and dried. Mold, mildew, viruses, and bacteria are all threats to your health after a hurricane.
To clean floors, walls and counter surfaces wash with soap and water then disinfect with 1cup bleach to 5 gallons of water. Any wet sheetrock should be replaced. Mold on, or behind the sheetrock, may not be visible for up to six months, but it is a real health risk.
Wash all clothes and linens in hot water. Air-dry and spray with disinfectant all mattresses and washable furniture. Steam clean carpets. Throw away all non- washable items contaminated by the storm and flood waters.
When cleaning, be careful not to mix cleaners. Clorox and ammonia are especially dangerous and produce a toxic gas when mixed. Many prepared cleaners contain bleach or ammonia, so carefully read labels. You survived, now stay alive!
This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health District.
##### PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release date: ______Page 1 of 2
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 50 seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032 YOU SURVIVED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “ Food Safety”
You are home, working hard to clean up, and hungry. So what’s safe to eat?
You will have to ask yourself several questions to figure out the answer.
Question #1 - If your home was flooded, did shelf foods get wet? If so, only foods in water-proof containers are safe to keep. Food containers with twist-tops, snap-lids, flip tops and home canned foods should be discarded if they came in contact with flood waters because these types of containers cannot be properly cleaned. Undamaged, commercially canned foods may be cleaned by removing labels, washing cans, and then soaking in 1 cup bleach to five gallons of water. Re- label cans with a permanent marker and include the expiration date.
Question #2 – Was refrigerated or frozen food without power? Your refrigerator, if not opened, will keep food cool for 4 hours. If your refrigerator did not have power for more than 4 hours, discard the food. If frozen food is still refrigerator cold, it can be prepared and eaten. If frozen food still has ice crystals, it can be refrozen.
Question #3 – Is infant formula safe? Use only canned and totally prepared infant formula. Do NOT use powdered formula mixed with treated water. Page 2 of 2
Question #4 – Are you in doubt? Throw it out! Any food left at room temperature for 2 hours or more should be discarded. You Survived, Now Stay
Alive! This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health District.
##### PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release date: ______
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 30 seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032
YOU SURVIVED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “Animal Safety”
Pets are glad to be home, too. However, home may be different. The sights, sounds and smells may be unfamiliar to your pet. They become confused and frequently get lost after disasters. Downed power lines, snakes and storm debris add to the confusion, so walk your pet on a leash.
If your pet was lost during the storm, contact your local animal control office. Also, carry a picture of your pet to the office, if possible.
Following a disaster, animals are stressed and can become aggressive or defensive. Be aware that your pet’s behavior may be very different from what you normally expect. Keep animals contained to prevent injury both to your pet and others. You and your pet survived, now stay alive! This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health District.
##### PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release date: ______
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 40 Seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032
YOU SURVIVED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “Chain Saw Safety”
You probably returned home to find a lot of clean up work waiting for you.
If cleaning involves using chain saws, be careful! They can cause serious injury, especially if you have never used a chain saw before.
To reduce your chances of injury hold the saw firmly with both hands and cut with the engine on high speed. Always use an anti-kickback chain, and cut away from your body. Never cut toward yourself or higher than shoulder height.
Remember, if the nose of the bar touches anything, the saw will kickback.
Crushing injuries can be reduced if you check the work area for dead limbs or debris, and if you choose a retreat or quick “get-away path” BEFORE cutting.
Also, use the right tool for the right job. If the saw you are using is smaller than the width of the tree, you need a larger saw.
Protect yourself with insect repellent, sunscreen, gloves, goggles, boots, hard hat, earplugs and clothing to cover your body. When using a chain saw, do not smoke and get at least 10 feet away from the fueling area before starting the saw.
You survived, now stay alive! This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health
District.
##### PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release date: ______
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 30 seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032
YOU SURVIVED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “Dress safely, Dress Right”
You are home and survived the storm, but now face days of cleaning up.
Where to begin? Begin by taking care of you.
When working outside, apply insect repellent with DEET, wear a wide- brimmed hat, not a cap, and use sunscreen with an SPF or sun protection factor of at least 15.
Dress safely by wearing safety goggles if using saws, rotary blades, spray paint or applying pesticides. Take time to put on rubber gloves when cleaning with chemicals and work gloves when moving yard debris.
Dress right by wearing clothes that cover your body. Light colored cotton fabric with long sleeves and long pants offer protection without the heat of synthetic fabrics. Baggy clothes, loose drawstrings, and long loose hair are a hazard around machinery with moving parts.
Protect yourself by taking time to dress safely and dress right. You survived, now stay alive! This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health
District.
##### PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release date: ______
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 40 seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032
YOU SURVIVED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “Wash Your Hands!”
You made it home and now you are busier than ever. There is NO time to get sick, so work smart. Help prevent a common health problem that frequently follows disasters…upset stomach. Prevention involves a simple skill, hand washing.
Washing hands is easy…wet your hands, apply soap, rub hands together for at least 15 seconds and then rinse under clean running water. Both soap and the friction caused by rubbing hands together are necessary to clean your hands. If clean water is not available, use disposable hand cleaning towelettes.
When to wash? Before eating, before cooking and preparing food, after using the bathroom, after changing diapers, after handling animals or animal waste, and when your hands are dirty. Following a disaster, especially flooding or hurricanes, many things we normally consider clean are not clean because they have been contaminated with animal waste, human waste and unknown chemicals.
The elderly, infants and people with weak immune systems are very susceptible to diarrhea. Wash hands and help prevent this problem. You survived, now stay alive! This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health District. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release Date: ______
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 40 seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032
YOU SURVIVED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “Carbon Monoxide Danger”
Carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas, can be a real threat during the clean up after a storm. Especially since you cannot smell it or see it. Where does carbon monoxide come from? It is the result of incomplete burning of carbon containing fuels such as gasoline, coal, wood, charcoal, kerosene, and natural gas.
Gasoline powered generators and pressure washers are two possible sources of carbon monoxide poisoning that can result from storm clean up, if the equipment is used incorrectly. Avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from gasoline- powered engines by placing the equipment outside and away from air intakes of buildings. A well-ventilated area is necessary to safely operate gasoline-powered equipment.
How do you know you have carbon monoxide poisoning? The symptoms are nausea, fatigue, headache, weakness, disorientation and, ultimately, death. If you have any of these symptoms, go outside. Breathe fresh air. Turn off equipment that requires combustible fuel and get medical care. You survived, now stay alive! This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health District.
##### PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release Date: ______
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 40 seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032
YOU SURVIVIED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “Heat Stress”
Hot and no air conditioning? That’s bad enough, but add “after the storm” clean up work and it can be overwhelming.
Begin by pacing yourself. Try to do the hottest jobs in the morning or early evening. Ask for help with big jobs. Take frequent breaks. If possible, plan your workday to follow the shade.
Drink water before working in the heat and, even if you do not feel thirsty, drink a glass of water every 30 minutes while working in the heat. Drink water often. Staying hydrated helps you to work more efficiently and think clearer. Make sure the water source is safe and, good news, it is NOT necessary to take salt tablets.
Watch out for symptoms of overheating. These can include flushed skin, muscle cramps, mental changes, increased heart rate, confusion, dizziness, nausea, headache, dry skin (not sweating), chest pain, or even stroke. Often, a person who is overheated is not aware that there is a problem. So when you first notice someone becoming flushed, encourage them to cool down by drinking water and resting in the shade or air conditioning.
Take time to be cool. You survived, now stay alive! This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health District. ##### PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Release Date: ______
Time: ______
Length of PSA: 45 seconds Contact Person: District Director of Environmental Health (912) 262-3032
YOU SURVIVIED, NOW STAY ALIVE! “Utility Safety”
Going home again! That’s great news, but it can also be very dangerous news. Make sure the area you live in has been approved for re-entry. Wind and water may have caused property damage that left structures and grounds unsafe.
Since power may be out, try to return home in the daytime so you can see the hazards. If lighting is necessary, use a flashlight that is battery operated. DO NOT light matches, burn candles or lanterns until you know there is not a gas leak!
Before entering your home, make sure ALL power is off. Turn off the main electrical breaker. Do not touch downed power lines. Shut off natural gas or propane tanks. If you smell gas, leave immediately and once you are away from the area, call and report a gas leak. Do not return until told it is safe to do so.
Your appliances may be wet, so do not use them until they are thoroughly dried. If you have a generator, avoid hurting line workers by using only generators with an APPROVED, AUTOMATIC INTERRUPT DEVICE.
If using candles, make sure they are in safe holders and away from anything that will burn. Fires have caused several deaths after hurricanes. Help prevent that from happening in your home. You survived, now stay alive! This is a health advisory from your Coastal Health District. #####