POWER SUPPLY
If your roof or windows have leaked, there may be water in the walls and ceiling - call on electrician and do not touch any electrical equipment wires. Report only downed lines and/or the fact that service has not been restored to your house if the rest of the neighborhood has power. Do not turn on the power until water service is restored if the water heater was drained. Appliances should be turned off or unplugged after losing power so that power systems will not be overloaded when the electricity is restored. Do not turn on any appliances until electrical parts are dry. Don’t touch any electrical appliances unless they are in a dry area or you are standing on a dry piece of wood and wearing rubber gloves and footwear.

Overhead Power Supply: call FPL if there is damage to the meter (they are responsible). Damaged piping, meter box and/or weatherhead (where wires enter the pipe on the roof) are the owner’s responsibility.

Underground Power Supply: If the meter box is not intact, contact an electrician.

EMERGENCY GENERATORS

DO NOT use inside the house - they emit carbon monoxide. Do not hook the generator up to the main power supply at the breaker panel or fuse box: downed power lines can be re-charged and shock people working on the lines. Add up the wattage of each appliance and make sure that it is lower than the wattage rating of the generator. Use an extension cord directly from the generator to the appliance. Never plug the generator into a house outlet.

ROOF REPAIR

Look inside the attic at the trusses first to make sure they will support your weight.

For A Small Hole: Cover with roofing cement or caulking.

Large Section Of Tarpaper Missing: Starting at the bottom, coat with roof cement and cover with tarpaper (you might find some in the debris or you may use a piece of plastic but make sure it overlaps the peak of the house). Coat the edges with roof cement. Nail down the tarpaper every six inches with roofing nails (or nails with big heads) and tin tabs. Cover nails and tin tabs with roofing cement.

Large Holes: Using 4 x 8 sheets of plywood, nail down to the truss members. Fill in as much of the hole as possible then apply tarpaper as in above.

CHAINSAWS

Chainsaws should be used with extreme caution. Always wear protective clothing: gloves, eye goggles and hearing protection. Long pants and boots should be worn to protect the legs - most injuries occur to the legs as the saw swings down after cutting through an item. Be aware of a chainsaw’s potential for kickback, which can throw the saw back into your face or body. Striking the tip against any object can cause kickback. Proper operation - Start cuts with the base of the chain. Pivot the blade at the base to work the blade through the wood. Never pivot on the tip of the saw. Never operate from a ladder or tree and keep all spectators at a safe distance. Begin and continue cutting at full throttle.

Maintenance: Keep chain properly lubricated. Fill the oil tank each time you re-fuel. Clean the cooling system after every other re-fueling.

SAVING FALLEN TREES

Should I Replant It: If a tree has not been pulled too far out of the ground and the root ball is still intact, try re-planting the tree and bracing it. If more than one-third of the plant is missing, it may be better to replace it. If the bark has been split and a significant portion of the green below the bark is exposed, the plant will not survive.

Procedure: Keep the roots covered with wet towels or dirt (not plastic) until it is re-planted. Re-stake plants uprooted plants and those that are leaning and trim as little as possible. Angle stakes toward the tree so they will give in heavy winds. Pad the wire to protect the bark. Mound dirt to form a trench around the tree to aid in water retention. Place three to four inches of mulch over and around the base and water daily: give it enough water to keep the area damp but not soggy (citrus trees cannot tolerate over-watering). Wait for new growth to appear before fertilizing. If the leaves droop, too many roots may have been damaged. The tree probably will not root any deeper; all root systems tend to be shallow in South Florida.

ROADS may be undermined.

WATER PUDDLES -Stay clear of all water puddles - they may be in contact with power lines.

LOOTERS - Deter with a sign spray painted on your house: "You Loot, I Shoot". Stay outside, especially at night, keeping your home well lit.

PRICE GOUGING should be reported to the state Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Division (985-4780). Don’t hire unlicensed roofers, tree-trimmers or contractors.

DAMAGED WIRING AND SWITCHES

You may be able to repair flood-damaged electric wiring and switches yourself if you take certain precautions.

1. Disconnect the main switch and any switches which control pumps and out buildings.

2. Stand on a dry board when turning off any switch or pull the handle with a dry stick.

3. Remove all branch circuit fuses so no one can reconnect the electricitywhile you are working on equipment and wiring. Wear rubber gloves because electrical leakage may be present if the switch box is filled with mud or debris.

4. Clean dirt and debris from load center panels and all switch, outlet and junction boxes. And leave them open to dry out. Stand on a dry surface and use a plastichandled scraper to clean around "hot" wires.

5. Allow the entire wiring system to dry out, uncovering all possible openings to hasten drying.

6. To clean rigid conduit wiring in farm shop or dairy buildings, cut the wires and pull them out. Blow or suck air through the conduit to dry it out.

7. When the entire system is dry, have an electrician check it for leakage and grounds.

8. After all of these precautions have been taken, it should be safe to check the wiring by following these steps:

a. First, replace the main fuses and close the main switch. If there is current leakage, the switch needs further repair or replacement.

b. If there is no evidence of leakage, insert a fuse in one of the branch circuits and close the main switch. Additional repair is necessary if the fuse blows or if there is any sign of smoking or heating.

c. After all circuits have been repaired and checked one at a time, insert all branch fuses.