Dealing with Storm Damage Clean Up

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CLEVELAND - Many residents are dealing with the aftermath of last night’s severe storms, and if you’re one of them, it’s important to be careful with clean up.

“You have to be very careful with debris. There’s fallen trees and branches and things like that,” said Aisha Subhani, DO, emergency medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic Florida. “And if you're in an area that has downed power lines, I would not be going out or going near those until you have clearance.”

Dr. Subhani said you should also avoid wading through flood water.

It tends to be dirty, plus you don’t know what’s under the surface.

There could be live wires or sharp objects.

If you plan to use a ladder to pull down branches, make sure you’re on steady ground and wearing slip-resistant shoes.

You should also have protective gear on when using a chainsaw.

Finally, if your power is out and you’re using a generator, it’s critical to keep it outside where it’s well-ventilated.

If it’s too close to your house, you could risk carbon monoxide exposure, electrocution or even a fire.

“The other thing is that there's a lot of wires that are sometimes involved. Be careful with those as well. And you may be able to only generate power to one section of your home. The rest of the house may be dark at night, so make sure some of those places that you're going to have to go to frequently are well-lit, even if you have to use lanterns or flashlights so you don't have fall injuries.”

Once everything calms down, it’s a good idea to take stock of any supplies you didn’t have and buy them for next time – like extra flashlights, batteries, water and non-perishable foods.