Beyond the Wind: Alabama Health Officials Urge Hurricane Safety Precautions as Isaias Nears

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The wind and water from Hurricane Isaias are only part of the danger. As south Alabama braces for the storm, State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris is urging residents to follow hurricane safety precautions that address the hazards that often linger for days after a storm passes, from carbon monoxide poisoning and spoiled food to chain saw injuries, contaminated wells and mold.

Harris, who leads the Alabama Department of Public Health, asked Alabamians to heed all health and safety warnings as parts of the state prepare for possible significant flooding and damage. The department’s guidance focuses on the protective steps people should take after power outages and during cleanup, when many storm-related injuries and illnesses occur.

The advice arrived as state and local leaders spent Thursday, Oct. 8, urging residents to finish their preparations, and as Gov. Kay Ivey ordered visitors to leave Alabama’s barrier islands and beach communities ahead of landfall.

Where Isaias stood and what officials ordered

As of Thursday morning, Isaias was a Category 1 hurricane situated just off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and moving quickly to the northeast, according to the National Weather Service in Birmingham. Forecasters said it was expected to remain a hurricane as it approached the Alabama and west Florida portions of the central Gulf Coast on Friday.

“The latest forecast calls for it to continue to be a hurricane as it approaches the Alabama and west Florida portions of the central Gulf Coast Friday, probably making landfall Friday night and into the day Saturday,” said Jason Holmes, a meteorologist with the weather service in Birmingham.

Holmes said Isaias was expected to weaken to a tropical storm as it moved into central Alabama, passing west of Selma with tropical storm-force winds of more than 39 mph. By later Saturday, the system was forecast to be over northwest Alabama near Florence and Muscle Shoals before moving into Tennessee Saturday evening and into Sunday. He warned that the track would put much of central and eastern Alabama at risk of tornadoes.

“It is typical with tropical systems making landfall, there is a tornado risk generally on the east side of the tropical system,” Holmes said.

Government actions announced Thursday included:

• Visitor evacuation: Ivey ordered all visitors south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway — on Dauphin Island in Mobile County and in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Baldwin County — to evacuate immediately.
• Dauphin Island: Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for the island’s west end.
• Baldwin County: Voluntary evacuations were set for residents of flood-prone and low-lying areas.
• State of emergency: Ivey declared a state of emergency for 40 counties in south and central Alabama.
• State offices: State offices in Baldwin, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Mobile counties were set to close at noon Friday.

“We often hear in emergency management: Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst,” Ivey said in a message. “That is the approach we need with this particular storm system.”

U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, who joined Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed at a news conference, said his office has prewritten a disaster declaration request in case it is needed once storm damage is surveyed. “What is coming is a Category 2 hurricane,” Figures said. “With it will come wind, will come rain, the potential for flooding and for tornadoes as well.”

Reed and Figures urged households to gather supplies, fully charge their phones, limit driving, check on older adults who may need help receiving emergency notifications and make sure everyone in the home understands the family’s emergency plan. “Every household needs more than one way to receive weather warnings,” Reed said, encouraging people to turn on phone weather alerts and keep up with television and radio updates.

Carbon monoxide: the silent danger after the storm

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. When the power goes out, people often turn to generators, grills and camp stoves for electricity, cooling or cooking, and the gas from those devices can build up quickly inside homes, garages and campers, poisoning both people and pets.

The health department’s guidance is direct:

• Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or any gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device inside a home, basement, garage or camper.
• Do not run those devices outside near an open window, either. Keep them at least 20 feet from any door, window or vent.
• Use a battery-operated or battery backup carbon monoxide detector whenever you use one of these devices.
• If you cannot safely power or cool your home, look to friends or a community shelter for help.

The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. People who are asleep or have been drinking alcohol can die before they ever notice symptoms. Anyone who develops those symptoms should get to fresh air and contact a health care professional right away; call 911 in an emergency. The national Poison Help line, 1-800-222-1222, is also available around the clock.

Keeping food safe when the power goes out

Storm-force winds frequently knock out power, raising questions about what is still safe to eat. As a general rule, according to the department:

• A full upright or chest freezer will keep food frozen for about two days without power.
• A partially full freezer will keep food frozen for about one day. Keeping the door shut extends that time.
• A refrigerator will keep food cool for four to six hours if the door stays closed as much as possible.

Thawed food that has been at room temperature for more than two hours should be thrown out. Food that still contains ice crystals can be refrozen, though its quality may suffer, and food that has thawed but stayed at refrigerator temperature — no more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit — can be cooked and then refrozen. An inexpensive appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer makes those judgments easier. When in doubt, throw it out.

Chain saws and downed power lines

Cleanup after a hurricane often means cutting fallen trees, and chain saw injuries are a familiar part of the aftermath. The health department recommends that anyone using a chain saw:

• Operate, adjust and maintain the saw according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Keep the chain sharp and properly lubricated with bar and chain oil, and check the chain tension periodically.
• Choose a saw sized for the job, with safety features such as a chain brake, front and rear hand guards, a stop switch, a chain catcher and a spark arrester.
• Wear a hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, heavy work gloves, cut-resistant chaps that run from the waist to the top of the foot, and boots that cover the ankle.
• Avoid contact with power lines until they are confirmed to be de-energized.
• Always cut at waist level or lower to keep control of the saw.

Bystanders should stay at least two tree lengths, or at least 150 feet, from anyone felling a tree, and at least 30 feet from someone cutting limbs or a fallen tree. If someone is hurt, apply direct pressure to any heavy bleeding, which the department says may save a life.

Downed power lines are just as dangerous. Never touch a line on the ground or dangling near it, and do not try to move or repair it; notify the utility company as soon as possible. Avoid driving through standing water if downed lines are in it. If a line falls across your vehicle while you are driving, keep driving away from it. If the engine stalls, do not turn off the ignition — stay in the vehicle, wait for emergency personnel and do not let anyone other than responders approach.

Septic systems and private wells

Heavy rain can saturate the ground and cause problems for homes on septic systems. Warning signs include slow-draining sinks and toilets, overflowing floor drains and sewage visible outside the home. To ease the strain, the department suggests:

• Limiting water use by cutting back on toilet flushing, dishwashing, laundry and showers, or using a laundromat.
• Filling depressions in the drain field where rainwater can pond and directing roof and gutter runoff away from the disposal area.
• Staying away from septic system electrical components until they are dry and clean.
• Considering having the tank pumped for temporary relief, but never pumping it more than halfway, because an empty tank can float out of the ground.

The department recommends routine pumping every three to five years. Systems usually return to normal once the weather improves; those that do not should be checked by a professional, and the local county health department environmentalist can help.

Floodwater can also contaminate private drinking water wells with sewage. Any well that has been covered by floodwater should be assumed to be contaminated. Do not drink the water or give it to animals until it has been tested and a satisfactory result received. Sample kits are available from local health departments and state health department laboratories. Until the water is cleared, use only water that has been brought to a full boil for one minute, and keep testing periodically after the first good result.

Stray animals and mold

Storms displace and disorient animals. Do not corner strays, and avoid contact with them, since some may carry rabies. Although rabies is rare, in Alabama it can be transmitted by foxes, bats, raccoons and, rarely, other animals. Anyone who is bitten should seek medical care as soon as possible, and animal removal should be left to local animal control.

Flooded homes are also prime territory for mold. Molds mostly pose a risk to people with allergies, but some can threaten people with weakened immune systems, including cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients and people with HIV. Those with asthma or other breathing conditions may be more sensitive. The department’s cleanup advice includes:

• Remove standing water and wet materials such as carpet, padding, insulation, wallboard, pillows and mattresses.
• Wear gloves, goggles and a face mask during cleanup. People with heart disease or chronic lung disease such as asthma or emphysema should not wear a respirator and should avoid mold cleanup altogether.
• Remove sheetrock to at least 12 inches above the high-water mark.
• Clean hard surfaces with detergent and water, commercial products or a solution of 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water, using a stiff brush on rough surfaces like concrete.
• Never mix bleach with anything other than water, since other combinations can produce hazardous gases. Open windows and doors for fresh air.
• Dry the building with fans, open windows, dehumidifiers or air conditioning, and fix leaks so moisture does not return.

Alabama does not license mold remediation companies or keep a list of approved remediators. Homeowners looking for help can check for professionals certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification.

For more guidance, residents can visit the Alabama Department of Public Health at alabamapublichealth.gov or contact their county health department. Forecast updates are available from the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service.