Post-Storm Survival Tips

Midwest faces deadly hazards when flood waters recede

March 26, 2008

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As flood waters begin to recede and residents return home, Midwestern storm and flood victims face serious hazards that may not be immediately apparent.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says portable electricity generators are among the most hazardous post-storm tools. Portable generators should never be used inside the home, in an attached garage or in any other partially enclosed space. Generator exhaust contains high levels of colorless, odorless carbon monoxide (CO) which can kill in minutes.

CPSC says its records indicate that 334 people died from generator-related CO poisoning from 1999-2006. Recent data show that as use of generators has increased, so too have deaths. There are typically about 50 per year. Many of these deaths occurred after major storms knocked out power.

The Commission provides these generator safety tips:

• Never use a portable generator indoors – including open garages, basements, crawlspaces and sheds. Opening doors and windows or using fans will not prevent CO buildup in the home.

• During use, keep portable generators outdoors and far away from open doors, windows and vents, so that CO does not build up indoors.

• If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air right away. Exposure to CO from generators can quickly lead to incapacitation and death.

• Keep generators dry. Wait for the rain to pass before using a generator. Consumer-grade generators are not weatherproof and can pose the risk of electrocution and shock when used in wet conditions.

• Do not connect the generator directly into your home's electrical system through a receptacle outlet – this is an extremely dangerous practice that poses a fire hazard and an electrocution hazard to utility workers and neighbors served by the same transformer.

• If using a generator, plug individual appliances into heavy duty, outdoor-rated extension cords and plug cords into the generator.

Other Precautions

Wet Carpets and Furniture

Carpeting, furniture and bedding can all be hazardous to your health if they have been exposed to flood waters.

Electrical and Gas Hazards

Dangers to Children

Con Artists

Not all hazards are physical. Some are financial. Unscrupulous con artists often prey on people in areas damaged by Mother Nature.

These con artists are called storm chasers, according to Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon. They're traveling crooks, who often go door-to-door and offer such repairs as new roofs, windows, carpet cleaning, and other home services.

"This flood of water may very well be followed by a flood of con artists," Nixon warns. "Consumers need to know there are people out there who want to take advantage of their misfortune by promising services, collecting money, and not following through on the job."

Storm chasers often do shoddy work and then skip town, leaving consumers without their money or any type of warranty.

Nixon says homeowners should be wary of hiring any contractor who:

• Offers services door-to-door;
• Drives an unmarked vehicle or has out-of-state plates;
• Demands full payment in advance;
• Has no address, just a phone or P.O. Box;
• Uses a high-pressure sales technique;
• Has no I.D.

Before hiring anyone to work on their homes, Nixon says consumers should:
• Only deal with companies they know or ones that have been recommended;
• Get at least two written estimates;
• Get a written contract that details all the work to be performed;
• Only make payments when the work is done to their satisfaction

Nixon also warns that some companies may try profit from storms and other disasters by increasing the prices of their goods.

"Any time a business raises prices simply to profit from a natural disaster, that's price gouging, and it's illegal in Missouri," Nixon said.

He urged consumers to report any cases of price gouging to the attorney general in their state.

Missouri officials recovered more than $170,000 in restitution from companies that gouged consumers during the winter storms of January 2007.

More Scam Alerts ...

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