5 Hurricane Cleanup Tips | What To Do After A Hurricane

In the wake of the tragic devastation left by Hurricane Ian across Southwest and Central Florida, Champagne & Parisi Real Estate extend our deepest sympathies to those affected. Links to donate and ways to support will be at the end of this article. For now, as part of the Champagne & Parisi blog, we share 5 crucial hurricane cleanup tips to know for the future. These tips range everywhere from creating a smoother experience for you and your neighbors, to potentially life-saving. Follow along and learn more about how to help our community with hurricane cleanup!

Wait Until Daylight

Wait until daylight to begin any cleanup process. Even with mobile lighting and generator support, there will never be sufficient lighting nor the urgency to warrant cleaning up at night. Following a long, difficult evening in which the hurricane passes, the next day weather is almost always exceedingly clear and cool. Take advantage of this weather, and the natural clarity granted by sunlight to begin the process of recovery.

Do NOT Enter Standing Water

This is a crucial safety tip to understand. Standing water contains a host of potential concerns, even when visible to the bottom. Standing water is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mosquitos, and infection. Even worse is the potential for a submerged live wire, which has led to deadly accidents in the hours following the storm. Walking through standing water, even with the proper footwear, is a dangerous and potentially deadly proposition.

Start With Organic Material First

With a Hurricane the size of Ian, or in the past: Charlie, Irma, Wilma, and Andrew, there are plenty of places to start with clean-up. When peeling back the layers of debris during hurricane clean-up, it's easiest to start with organic material. There are likely hours of labor ahead to clear tree branches, coconuts, palm fronds, and more. Organic material can be easily piled, broken down, and even burned if you have a safe fire pit and storage space. Tree branches and plant life is a known quantity, without hidden wires, jagged metal parts, rust, or other embedded hazards. It's not mandatory, but it's a sensible way to start.

Watch Your Generator Fumes

Much like the occasional tragedy regarding an underwater live wire, we occasionally hear the rare but unfortunate story about a generator stored in the garage... While this is an extreme example, we expect most to understand that an indoor generator is a deadly mistake. Yet, there are many instances in which generators are not stored in enclosed spaces, but remain in areas in which fumes can build and harm can be done. When powering your generator, keep it away from windows, frequently used entryways, and corners in which the home could prevent fumes from the maximal outflow. 

Do Not Drive Right After The Storm

There are several reasons not to drive after the storm. Firstly, when the storm surge is still at its peak, it's easy for cavalier drivers to overestimate the size of their tires. Dozens of videos of these brave men and women floating away in their trucks should be enough to keep drivers inside and at home in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane. For a more conventional reason not to drive - it's simple. There will be plenty of blockages on the road already, and you shouldn't become another. Emergency crews, power and lighting workers, and arborists will be pouring into the immediate area following a direct hit. Unless there is an extreme emergency, which should be answered by ambulance regardless, taking to the roads after the storm does nothing to help the community recover.

Click HERE For Ways to Help Those Affected by Hurricane Ian 

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