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An environmental disaster is a natural force that can strike anywhere at any time, carving a deadly path of destruction through a region and causing billions of dollars in damages. Environmental disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes and flash floods can be unpredictable and may strike with little or no warning; be prepared to take shelter quickly. Other environmental disasters such as hurricanes and severe winter storms or blizzards are seasonal and can be tracked in advance-providing time for local emergency management authorities to issue warnings. In many communities, sirens sound as an alert to an impending environmental emergency. If you hear a siren, immediately tune in an emergency broadcast station on your radio or television and follow the instructions of your local emergency management authorities; be prepared to evacuate. Keep a well-stocked emergency survival kit in a convenient, accessible location in your home; refer to --- for temporary sources of lighting and heating you may need in the event of an environmental disaster. The Troubleshooting Guide places procedures for coping with an environmental emergency at your fingertips, listing quick-action steps to take; read the instructions before you need them. In the event you must evacuate your house, be prepared to safeguard your possessions--if there is time. For example, prepare plywood panels to cover windows against high winds; or, in an emergency, use tape to help protect them. Or, to help minimize water damage, anchor your water heater and elevate major appliances onto platforms or wrap them in plastic sheeting. In the event of an environmental emergency such as an airborne hazardous material, you may be advised to take shelter indoors. You may also need to seek refuge indoors during a heating system failure, eliminating drafts around doors and windows; or, during a heat wave, installing window shields. The list of Safety Tips at right provides basic guidelines to follow in preparing for and coping with an environmental disaster. If you must evacuate your house, don’t return until you are advised by your local or federal authorities that any danger is past. Call your insurance agent as soon as possible; an insurance adjuster will be assigned to assess the damage. Prepare to re-enter your house safely; if you have any doubt about its structural safety, don’t enter it until it’s inspected by a local or federal building authority or a certified home inspector. When your house is safe to enter and upon permission of your insurance agent, begin your cleaning-up operation as soon as possible. === === SAFETY TIPS 1. Keep a well-stocked emergency survival kit on hand and store it in a convenient, accessible place; in the event of an environmental emergency, you will want anyone to be able to find it quickly. 2. Locate and label or tag the main shutoff for each utility in your home: electricity; gas; propane; water; oil; in the event of an emergency, you will want anyone to be able to find them quickly. 3. Find out about the emergency warning system in your com munity. If you are unsure if there is a warning system or what do if it’s activated, call your local fire department. 4. Call your local emergency management authorities to find out about the recommended evacuation routes in your area. Obtain the location of all nearby public shelters and post a map of them in a convenient place in your home. 5. Conduct regular drills with your family on the correct procedure to follow in the event of different environmental emergencies-taking shelter quickly during an earthquake, evacuating before a hurricane and taking shelter indoors following release of an airborne hazardous material, for example. 6. Ask an out-of-town relative or friend to serve as a contact person in the event family members are separated during an emergency. Make sure all family members know the name and memorize the telephone number of the contact person. 7. During an impending environmental emergency, keep your car filled with fuel. If there is a widespread power outage, gas stations may not be able to operate their pumps. Don’t store gasoline in your garage or the trunk of your car. 8. Make sure your house and possessions are protected by an appropriate homeowner insurance policy; consider obtaining additional coverage for any environmental disaster to which the region you live in may be vulnerable. 9. Make a comprehensive list of all your possessions, including their model and serial numbers. Keep the list in a convenient location at home and store a copy of it outside the house-with a relative or friend or in a safety deposit box. 10. Keep important documents such as birth certificates, pas sports and insurance policies in a safe, accessible location at home; in the event of an evacuation, you will want anyone to be able to find them quickly. As a precaution, store a copy of important documents outside the house, preferably in a safety deposit box. 11. If you must evacuate your house during an environmental emergency, don’t return until the area is declared safe by your local or federal authorities. If you doubt the structural safety of your house, don’t enter it until it’s inspected by a local or federal building authority or a certified home inspector. 12. If you return home and detect the odor of gas, don’t enter the house; call the gas company or the fire department immediately. Don’t light any flame or smoke in the house until it’s aired out; pockets of gas may be trapped in areas of it. === 119--- Emergency heating sources-- Kerosene space heaters and propane space heaters rated for indoor use are reliable temporary sources of heat. Caution: Use fuel-fired heating sources carefully following manufacturer's instructions. Emergency cooking-heat sources -- Canned heat and propane camping stoves are reliable temporary heating sources for cooking. Caution: Use fuel-fired heating sources carefully following manufacturer's instructions. Gas-powered generator--For use as temporary source " of electricity during extended power outage; 2200-wattage generator usually large enough to run refrigerator, electrical space heater and several lamps. Must be operated in dry, sheltered, well-ventilated area. Emergency lighting sources--Battery-operated, heavy-duty flashlights candles, propane lanterns and kerosene lanterns are reliable temporary lighting sources. Caution: Use fuel-fired lighting sources carefully following manufacturers instructions. === ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS The National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States uses specific terms when forecasting weather activity and reporting emergencies • Tornado: Violent storm with winds up to 300 miles per hour. Likely months for a tornado are May and June-especially in the Great Plains area of the U.S. • Tornado watch: Issued 6 to 8 hours before an expected tornado. • Tornado warning: Issued when a tornado is sighted in an area. • Hurricane: Violent storm with winds between 75 and 155 miles per hour, heavy rainfall and tidal flooding. Hurricane season in the U.S. lasts from June 1 to November 30. • Hurricane watch: Issued 24 to 36 hours before an expected hurricane. • Hurricane warning: Issued 12 to 24 hours before an expected hurricane. • Tropical storm warning: Issued when storm with winds between 39 and 73 miles per hour is expected. Look for on emergency broadcast radio and television stations. An understanding of these terms can help you prepare for an approaching environmental emergency: • Flood warning: Issued 18 to 24 hours before expected flooding; includes severity of flooding anticipated. • Flash flood: Usually caused by a torrential rainfall, melting snow or a dam failure. • Flash flood watch: Issued when conditions are conducive to a flash flood. • Flash flood warning: Issued when a flash flood is imminent or flooding is sighted. • Winter storm watch: Issued 12 to 24 hours before expected severe winter conditions-including freezing rain or heavy snowfall. • Winter storm warning: Issued 12 hours before expected severe winter conditions. • Blizzard warning: Issued 6 hours before expected heavy snowfall with winds of 35 miles per hour or more. === TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE SYMPTOM [Earthquake Tornado Hurricane Flood Tropical storm Thunderstorm Snowstorm or blizzard; Heat wave; Forest fire Airborne hazardous material; Dust storm; Power outage; Heating system failure; Water shortage] PROCEDURE [ Take shelter immediately; Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand; Shut off utilities ; Remain indoors until area declared safe by authorities Cope with power outage (128) and water shortage (130) Clean up (132) Take shelter immediately; Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand; Evacuate house if instructed by emergency management authorities; Shut off utilities;-if there is time Safeguard possessions (124)-if there is time Stay away or remain indoors until area declared safe by authorities Cope with power outage (128) and water shortage (130) Clean up (132) Take shelter immediately; Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand; Evacuate house if instructed by emergency management authorities; Shut off utilities;-if there is time Safeguard possessions --if there is time; Stay away or remain indoors until area declared safe by authorities Cope with power outage (128) and water shortage (130) Clean up (132) Take shelter immediately; Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand ; Evacuate house if instructed by emergency management authorities ; Shut off utilities;-if there is time Safeguard possessions --if there is time Prepare for water shortage by filling bathtubs, sinks and containers with water-if there is time Stay away or remain indoors until area declared safe by authorities Cope with power outage (128) and water shortage (130) Clean up (132) Take shelter immediately ; Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand; Remain indoors until danger past Cope with power outage (128) Clean up (132); Take shelter immediately; Remain indoors until danger past Cope with power outage; Clean up (132) Take shelter immediately; Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand; Remain indoors until area declared safe by authorities Cope with power outage (128) and heating system failure (129) Cope with heat wave (129) Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand; Evacuate house if instructed by emergency management authorities; Shut off utilities ( 123)-if there is time Stay away until area declared safe by authorities Cope with power outage (128) and water shortage (130) Clean up (132 Safeguard house against forest fires (131) Take shelter indoors immediately; Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand; Evacuate house if instructed by emergency management authorities; Shut off utilities;-if there is time Stay away or remain indoors until area declared safe by authorities Clean up (132) Take shelter indoors immediately; Tune in emergency broadcast station on radio or television and follow instructions of emergency management authorities Have emergency survival kit on hand (122 Remain indoors until area declared safe by authorities Clean up (132) Have emergency survival kit on hand; Turn off or unplug appliances and other electrical units to prevent overloading of system when power restored; turn on lamp or lighting fixture to know when power restored Cope with power outage (128) Have emergency survival kit on hand; Cope with heating system failure (129) Have emergency survival kit on hand; Prepare for water shortage by filling bathtubs, sinks and containers with water-if there is time Cope with water shortage] COPING WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY Taking shelter in an environmental emergency. Take action at the earliest warning of an emergency. Have an emergency survival kit on hand (below) and be ready to evacuate;; if there is time, safeguard your possessions (124). Stay calm; the first step in coping with the emergency is clear thinking and an unpanicked response. Tune in an emergency broadcast station on a radio or television. Follow the instructions of your local emergency management authorities and use the guidelines below: • Earthquake. If you are indoors, stand in an interior doorway and brace yourself against the door frame, crouch under a heavy piece of furniture or brace yourself against a supporting wall; don’t stand near a window or a bookcase or other object that can topple over. If you are outdoors, move to an open area away from any structure or overhead utility line, If you are in a car, stay in it. • Tornado or hurricane. Seek shelter close to the ground away from any window in the lowest level of the house-the basement or a closet or bathroom in the center of the house. If possible, crouch under a heavy piece of furniture. If you cannot move indoors, take refuge close to the ground in a ditch or ravine and try to anchor yourself to a secure tree or structure. If you are in a car, abandon it and take refuge close to the ground. • Flood. Evacuate your house immediately if you are advised. Otherwise, seek shelter indoors or outdoors at the highest level possible. Avoid drinking tap water that may be contaminated by floodwater. If you are outdoors, stay away from any natural water way and don’t attempt to cross it. If you are in a car, drive care fully; if floodwater stalls the car, abandon it and move by foot to higher ground. • Winter storm or blizzard. A winter storm or blizzard can result in a power outage and isolation at home. Stock extra supplies of non perishable food during the winter; have emergency lighting and heating sources on hand. If you are trapped in a car during a winter storm or blizzard, stay in the car and flash your emergency lights or hang a cloth from the aerial or window; if you run the engine, open a window to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. • Thunderstorm. Seek shelter indoors away from any window, electrical unit, fireplace, radiator, pipe or plumbing fixture. Turn oft and unplug electrical units with electronic components; avoid using the telephone. If you cannot move indoors, seek shelter close to the ground at a low level-in a ditch or ravine or under a thick growth of small trees. Don’t stand near an isolated tree, a telephone pole or a body of water, avoid being the tallest object in an open area. If you are in a car, stay in it. • Forest fire. Safeguard your house and follow the instructions of local emergency management authorities. • Airborne hazardous material. Take shelter indoors -- follow the instructions of local emergency management authorities. ===== 122--- ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY SURVIVAL KIT Clothing, toiletries and blankets. Keep a complete change of warm clothing for each family member. Stock supplies of soap, towels, toothbrushes, tissue paper and other personal hygiene items. Include a blanket or sleeping bag for each family member. Non-perishable food. Stock a 7-day sup ply of canned, dehydrated or precooked food for each family member; it should require no refrigeration and little heat and water to prepare. Consider infants, pets and others with special diet needs. Include a bottle opener, a mechanical can opener, plates, drinking glasses, cooking and eating utensils, and garbage bags. First-aid kit and fire extinguisher. Keep a well-stocked first-aid kit on hand and include a 7-day supply of any prescription medication required by a family member. Include a portable fire extinguisher rated ABC and know how to use it. Potable water. Stock a 7-day supply of drinking water for each family member (1 gallon per person each day). Bottled water can be stored for an extended period of time; replace stored tap water every 2 months. To store tap water, disinfect each container using a solution of 1 tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of warm water; fill each container with the solution, empty it after 15 minutes and rinse it thoroughly. Refill each container with fresh water, then label and date it. Battery-powered radio. Rely on a battery-powered radio to tune in local emergency broadcast stations for updates on an emergency situation. Stock extra batteries for the radio. Lighting, heating and cooking equipment. Store a battery-powered flashlight, candles, matches and canned heat for cooking food. Fuel-powered lanterns, heaters and stoves can be used if carefully stored and operated ac cording to the manufacturer's instructions. === PREPARING AN EVACUATION PLAN Planning to evacuate safely. Be prepared to evacuate your house immediately, following the instructions of your local emergency management authorities. Have an emergency survival kit on hand and take measures in advance to safeguard your pos sessions. Study the history of environmental disasters in your area and learn the time of year an emergency is most likely to occur; in many coastal areas frequently subjected to severe storms and floods, storm surge maps are available. Use the following guidelines to help you prepare a safe evacuation plan: • Call your local emergency management authorities to find out the recommended evacuation routes in your area-especially if you live in a region prone to tornadoes, hurricanes, floods or forest fires. Have your local emergency management authorities help you map out the best evacuation route from your house. • Obtain the location of all public shelters in your community. In quire about the geographical site of your house; for example: its elevation in relation to nearby waterways or its location in relation to wind patterns. • Have an emergency survival kit on hand to take with you if you evacuate; make sure each family member knows where it’s located. • Find out if your community uses emergency warning signals; be sure you know what they sound like, what they mean and what to do when they are heard. • Locate and label or tag the main shutoff for each utility in your home: electricity; gas; propane; water; oil; in an emergency, you will want anyone to be able to find them quickly and shut them off. • Practice family evacuation drills to ensure each family member knows how to respond safely and quickly in the event of an environmental emergency that calls for evacuation. • Keep important documents in a convenient, accessible location; in the event of an evacuation, you will want anyone to be able to find them quickly. • Don’t wait until the last minute of an emergency to evacuate; you could face hazardous and congested road conditions. Stay tuned to your local emergency broadcast station and use your designated evacuation route. As you leave the house, lock all the windows and doors behind you. == SHUTFING OFF UTILITIES Shutting off electricity to the system. Work in safe conditions to shut off the electrical system. If your electrical system is protected by a service disconnect breaker, shut off electricity at it. Otherwise, locate the main circuit breaker or the main fuse block at the service panel and shut off electricity. If your electrical system is protected by a main circuit breaker, wear a rubber glove to flip it to OFF . If your electrical system is protected by a main fuse block, wear a rubber glove to grip its handle and pull it straight out ; if there is more than one main fuse block, pull out each one the same way. If there is a shutoff lever instead of a main fuse block, pull it down to shut off electricity. To restore electricity, reset the service disconnect breaker or the main circuit breaker, reinstall the main fuse block or push the shutoff lever up. 124-- Turning off the main water supply. Locate the main shutoff valve on the main water supply pipe for the house and close it; usually it’s found at the entry point of the main water supply pipe, indoors near the water meter or in the basement, utility room or crawl space. Turn the handle fully clockwise to close the valve , shutting off the water supply; if the water meter has two valves, close the valve on the supply side (before the water meter). To restore the water supply, open the valve by slowly turning the handle fully counterclockwise. Turning off the main gas supply. Locate the main shutoff valve on the main gas supply pipe for the house; usually it’s found at the entry point of the main gas supply pipe near the gas meter, outdoors or in the basement, utility room or garage. To shut off the gas supply, close the valve using adjustable pliers or a wrench, turning the handle perpendicular to the supply pipe. To restore the gas supply, open the valve by turning the handle parallel to the supply pipe. With propane, shut off or restore the gas supply at the tank or cylinder. === SAFEGUARDING YOUR POSSESSIONS Minimizing disaster aftermath. If your area is prone to disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes or floods, take measures to protect your house before an emergency occurs. Listen to weather forecasts and learn the warning signs of an impending emergency; during the summer, for example, a fast-moving, turbulent, green-gray cloud front preceded by a sudden drop in • Consider purchasing special insurance coverage for earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods or other environmental disasters common to your region. For example, the U.S. government-sponsored National Flood Insurance Program protects homeowners against losses suffered from a flood. • An earthquake can collapse a chimney, causing extensive damage. Most new houses built within an earthquake zone have chimneys reinforced with steel ties; if your chimney is not rein forced, use steel straps to anchor it to floor and ceiling joists. • High winds can lift a mobile home off its footings; use metal cables or straps to anchor it to concrete posts or the ground. • Consider installing a lightning protection system if you live in an area of frequent lightning storms-especially if your house is isolated or the tallest one in the neighborhood. Ensure any roof-mounted antenna is grounded. Temperature may mean imminent hail or heavy rain. Evacuate immediately on the instructions of your local emergency management authorities, even if you feel your own house is safe-do not waste valuable time attempting to safeguard your possessions. The following guidelines list ways you can help to safeguard your possessions in advance of an emergency, as well as at the first sign of its approach: • Anchor your water heater. Prepare plywood panels to cover windows; or, tape them. • At the first sign of an emergency, bring indoors your outdoor furniture, barbecues, garbage cans, garden tools and other movable objects. Stake to the ground sheds, birdbaths, small trees, freestanding plants and other immovable objects outdoors. • Keep a supply of old sheets or burlap on hand to anchor with rocks over valuable plants, affording them some protection against heavy rain, hail or frost. Cover large freestanding plants with inverted cardboard boxes. • If there is a risk of flooding, move your furniture and other household possessions to the highest level of your house. Turn off and unplug all electrical appliances; elevate a heavy major appliance onto a platform or wrap it in plastic sheeting. 125--- Anchoring a water heater. Use metal strapping to anchor the water heater to the studs behind it. If the studs are not exposed, locate them by tapping along the wall, listening for a change from a hollow to a solid sound; or, use a magnetic stud finder or a density sensor. Nail 2-by-4s or other wood as a horizontal bridge between the studs, filling the gap between them and the water heater. Wearing safety goggles, use a drill fitted with a bit of a diameter slightly smaller than a lag bolt to bore a hole through one end of the bridge and partway into the stud; mark the hole depth on the bit with tape. Wearing work gloves, fit a washer onto the lag bolt, then insert the lag bolt through the strapping and screw it into the hole using a socket wrench. Wrap the strapping 1 1/2 turns around the water heater, pull it to the other end of the bridge and use tin snips to cut off any excess. Secure the end of the strapping at the end of the bridge the same way, boring a hole for a lag bolt , pulling the strapping tightly and fitting the lag bolt through a washer and it, and screwing in the lag bolt . Use the same procedure to anchor the bottom of the water heater. Elevating a major appliance onto a plat form. To help protect a major appliance from floodwater, wrap it in plastic sheeting or elevate it onto a platform of plywood and concrete blocks. Turn off and unplug the appliance. With a clothes washer, also shut off the water supply to it and remove the water supply hoses from the faucets (inset); with a clothes dryer, take off the exhaust hose. Place concrete blocks on the floor near the appliance, stacking them to the height you need; avoid stacking more than 3 blocks together. Then, cover the blocks with a plywood panel thick enough to support the weight of the appliance; if necessary, stack plywood panels. Working with a helper, lift the appliance and set it down on the platform . Caution: To avoid back strain while lifting and lowering the appliance, bend at your knees, keeping your back straight. 126--- Wrapping a major appliance in plastic sheeting. To help protect a major appliance from floodwater, elevate it onto a platform of plywood and concrete blocks or wrap it in plastic sheeting. Turn off and unplug the appliance. With a clothes washer, also shut off the water supply to it and remove the water supply hoses from the faucets; with a clothes dryer, take off the exhaust hose. Working with a helper, tilt the appliance back enough to slide the sheeting under it , then tilt it forward and pull the sheeting up and around it; work carefully to avoid tearing the sheeting. To help prevent the appliance from floating, wrap garbage bags around sandbags and place them inside it as ballast; or, with a clothes washer or top-loading dish washer, fill it with clean water. Continue wrapping the sheeting around the appliance, overlapping sections of it, if necessary, and using duct tape to seal the seams completely . === 126b--- PROTECTING WINDOWS Protecting windows with tape. To protect a window during a strong wind, prepare a plywood panel in advance to cover it; in an emergency, use duct tape. Working indoors, first apply strips of tape along the top, bottom and each side of the window. Then, start at one corner of the window and apply strips of tape about every 4 inches diagonally across it. Finally, apply strips of tape about every 4 inches diagonally across the window in the other direction . Use the same procedure to protect each window of the house. 127--- BOARDING UP WINDOWS 1. Preparing a plywood panel. In an emergency, use duct tape to protect windows during a strong wind; otherwise, prepare a plywood panel in advance to cover each window. Measure the length and height of the window, then add about 6 inches to each dimension. Using a circular saw, cut a plywood panel at least 1/2 inch thick to the size needed; if necessary, join 2 plywood panels with a wood batten and nails. Position the panel on the window, resting it on the sill, and temporarily nail it in place. Mark a hole for a fastener every 24 inches along the top and each side of the panel about 1 inch from the edge; avoid locating a fastener at any mortar joint. If the wall is masonry, install lag bolt shields (step 2). If the wall is other than masonry, bore a hole at each mark through the panel and partway into the wall using a drill fitted with a bit of a diameter slightly smaller than a screw; mark the length of a screw on the bit with tape. Then, secure the panel (step 3). 2. Installing lag bolt shields. With the panel still in position, wear safety goggles and bore a hole at each mark through the panel using a drill fitted with a bit of the same diameter as a lag bolt; mark the thickness of the panel on the bit with tape. Mark each hole on the wall, take down the panel and use a drill fitted with a masonry bit of the same diameter as a lag bolt shield to drill a hole in the wall at each mark ; mark the length of the shield on the bit with tape. Using a ball-peen hammer, tap a lag bolt shield into each hole until it’s flush with the wall. Then, reposition the panel on the window. 3. Securing the plywood panel. Holding the panel in position, secure it with lag bolts or screws. To secure the panel with lag bolts, fit a lag bolt with a washer and use a socket wrench to drive it through a hole in the panel into the shield; repeat the procedure at each hole in the panel. To secure the panel with screws, drive a screw through each hole in the panel and into the wall with a screwdriver. Unscrew the panel, take it down and label it; leave the shields or holes in the wall for reinstallation of the panel in the event of an emergency. Store panels for windows in a dry, accessible location. COPING WITH A POWER OUTAGE 128-- Equipping yourself with emergency energy sources. Plan in advance for a power outage or heating system failure-have alternate sources of lighting and heating on hand. A gas-powered generator can be purchased or rented to cope with an extended power outage. Stock candles, matches and a flashlight in a convenient, accessible location; candles are a reliable source of light and can provide a surprising amount of warmth. A propane lantern or a kerosene lantern can provide bright, long-lasting light, a propane space heater or a kerosene space heater rated for indoor use can provide heat for a room and canned heat or a propane camping stove can provide heat for cooking-but each must be used carefully following the manufacturer's instructions. Caution: If you use any fuel-fired lighting or heating source indoors, open a window or door slightly for proper ventilation. Set up any temporary lighting or heating source on a sturdy, flat surface at least 3 feet away from combustible materials; never leave it unattended. Don’t use a propane or charcoal barbecue indoors. Keep a portable fire extinguisher rated ABC on hand and know how to use it. Using a portable gas-powered generator. Purchase or rent a gas- powered generator to provide a temporary source of electricity. Choose a generator of sufficient wattage, calculating the electrical load you need; a 2200-wattage generator is usually enough to run a refrigerator or freezer, an electrical space heater and several lamps. To run an appliance with a compressor, such as a refrigerator or freezer, a generator with surge capacity is required. Set up the generator on a flat, dry surface in a sheltered location with direct ventilation to the out doors-a garage, carport or porch, for example. Unscrew the fuel tank cap and fill the fuel tank with gasoline , then screw back on the cap. Following the manufacturer's instructions, turn on and start the generator, bracing it firmly with a foot and one hand to pull the starter cord . When the generator starts, adjust the choke until the engine runs smoothly. Plug extension cords rated for outdoor use into the outlets of the generator, then plug the appliances, tools or other electrical units you need into the outlets of the extension cords and turn them on. To refuel the generator, turn off the appliances, tools and other electrical units, unplug the extension cords and turn off the generator; wait at least 15 minutes for the engine to cool. 129-- COPING WITH A HEATING SYSTEM FAILURE Eliminating drafts around doors and windows. Plan in advance for a power outage or heating system failure, having alternate sources of heating on hand; a gas-powered generator can be purchased or rented to cope with an extended heating system failure. Set up any temporary heating source in one room of the house, carefully following the manufacturer's instructions; keep the interior doors to the room closed as much as possible and seal off any vent in the room with towels, cloths or rolled-up newspapers. To help prevent heat from escaping out of an exterior door, seal off the openings around it the same way. To help prevent heat from escaping through a window, use plastic sheeting to weatherproof it, securing the sheeting to the frame with duct tape or staples. Caution: If you use any fuel-fired lighting or heating source indoors, open a window or door slightly for proper ventilation. COPING WITH A HEAT WAVE Installing a window shield. During a heat wave, stay indoors as much as possible in a well-ventilated, cool room of the house. If you live in an area prone to heat waves, consider having aluminum awnings or shutters that help deflect heat professionally installed or install tinted plastic film on the windows; in an emergency, temporarily install window shields of cardboard and aluminum foil. To make a window shield, measure the length and height of the window, then use a utility knife to cut a section of cardboard to the size needed. Cover one side of the cardboard with aluminum toil, keeping the shiny side exposed, and secure it to the other side of the cardboard with duct tape or staples. Position the shield over the window and use duct tape to hold it in place. 130-- Installing tinted plastic window film. During a heat wave, stay in doors as much as possible in a well-ventilated, cool room of the house; in an emergency, temporarily install window shields of cardboard and aluminum foil. If you live in an area prone to heat waves, consider having aluminum awnings or shutters that help deflect heat professionally installed or install tinted plastic film on the windows. To install tinted plastic film on a window, wash off the inside of the window using a clean, lint-free cloth and a commercial window cleaner or a solution of mild household detergent and warm water. Measure the length and height of the window, then add about 1 inch to each dimension and use scissors to cut the film to the size needed. Working with a helper, peel the backing off the film and use an atomizer to mist it with water (inset); also mist the inside of the window. Position the film on the window and work from the top to the bottom of it, pressing it into place with your fingertips. Mist the film again and use a hand squeegee to smooth out wrinkles and bubbles. Trim off the excess film along each side of the window using a carpenter's square and a utility knife. Mist the film again, remove excess moisture from it using the squeegee and dry it off with a clean, lint-free cloth. COPING WITH A WATER SHORTAGE Finding emergency sources of potable water Plan in advance for a shortage of potable water; keep bottled water on hand or store tap water labeled and dated containers. In an emergency, obtain potable water from a toilet tank or the water heater. Use a cup to bail water out of a toilet tank, funneling it into a clean plastic or glass container. To drain the water out of a water heater, shut off power to it or the system; with a gas water heater, also turn off the gas supply to it. Locate the shutoff valve for the water supply to the water heater, usually found near and above it, and turn the handle fully clockwise. If the valve leaks or there is no valve, turn off the main water supply. Connect a garden hose to the drain valve of the water heater and run it to a clean bucket , then open the drain valve by turning the handle fully counterclock wise. Drain as much water as needed from the water heater, then close the valve by turning the handle fully clockwise. As a safety precaution, treat the water taken out of a toilet tank or the water heater using water purification tablets or by boiling it for at least 10 minutes before drinking it or cooking with it. ++++++++ 131--- PROTECTING YOUR HOUSE AGAINST A FOREST FIRE Removing a tree branch. If the branch is over 4 inches in diameter, call a tree professional. For a branch less than 1 1/2 inches in diameter, trim it off using pole shears or lopping shears. For a branch less than 2 inches in diameter, trim it off using a small, curved pruning saw. Wearing work gloves, stand out of the way of the branch and position the blade next to the bark ridge, then saw down through it . If the branch is 2 to 4 inches in diameter, trim off its smaller branches. Then, position the pruning saw under the branch about 10 inches from the trunk and saw up about 1/3 of the way through it. Start a second cut on the top of the branch about 1 inch farther from the trunk than the first cut and saw down to it. === Safeguarding your home against forest fires. A forest fire can be triggered by a number of causes-including lightning, prolonged hot, dry weather and negligence. Houses located in and near woodland areas are vulnerable to forest fires; hundreds of homes in the U.S. are lost each year. If you live in or near a woodland area, the risk to your house from a forest fire can be reduced by proper landscaping and maintenance. Follow the guidelines below: • Create a firebreak around the house by clearing away under brush, leaves, conifer needles and dead vegetation within a 30-foot radius of it-further if it’s located on a slope. • Prune any dead or low-hanging branch within 10 feet of the roof or chimney. If a branch touches a power line, call your electricity utility to have it pruned. • Sweep leaves, twigs, conifer needles and debris off your roof, deck and porch, and clean out the gutters regularly-especially during periods of hot, dry weather. • Store firewood away from your house and other structures- including deck, porches, fences and sheds. Don’t burn trash in an outdoor incinerator, • Install a wire-mesh spark arrestor on the top of each chimney to prevent sparks and burning particles from flying out. • Install smoke detectors throughout your house; service them regularly. Have at least one fire extinguisher rated ABC on hand; know how to use it. === COPING WITH AIRBORNE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Sealing ducts and vents. To help minimize the amount of airborne hazardous material entering your house, seal all ducts and vents with plastic sheeting or aluminum foil. For example, to seal the exhaust duct of a clothes dryer, turn off and unplug the clothes dryer; if necessary, move it out from the wall to reach the exhaust duct to the outdoors. Loosen any clamp or screws holding the exhaust hose, then pull it off the exhaust duct (inset). Stuff wet towels, cloths or rolled-up news papers into the exhaust duct, then cover the duct opening with plastic sheeting or aluminum foil and secure it with duct tape . === Taking shelter in your house. In the event of an airborne hazardous material emergency, seek shelter indoors immediately and tune in an emergency broadcast station on a radio or television; your local emergency management authorities may recommend that you stay indoors until the danger is past or instruct you to evacuate. If you are advised to stay indoors, use the guidelines listed below to help minimize the concentration of airborne hazardous material that enters the house: • Close the doors and windows; use wet towels, cloths or rolled- up newspapers or duct tape to seal the openings around them. • Turn off the central heating or cooling system; shut off any window air conditioner. • Turn off any window or attic fan and seal any duct or vent with plastic sheeting or aluminum foil (step right). • Shut the flue damper of the fireplace. • Seek shelter in the center of the house, preferably in a windowless room; close interior doors behind you. • Stay tuned to the emergency broadcast station on your radio or television and follow the instructions of your local emergency management authorities • If you must venture outdoors, cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or an article of clothing === Previous: Heating
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