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Last month, hundreds of thousands of people across King County lost power for several days when a powerful windstorm knocked down trees and power lines. 

Here are some tips to help keep yourself and your family safe during and after windstorms and long power outages:

Stay safe during a windstorm

  1. Avoid driving or walking outside and move indoors during a windstorm.
  2. Stay away from windows and doors to avoid flying branches, falling trees, and broken glass. 
  3. Move to a small interior room, like a bathroom, closet or hallway. If you can, go to a basement or ground floor. For more protection, get under a sturdy table or desk.

Stay safe when the power is out

  1. Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and accidental fires in your home. Never use charcoal, gas, or propane heaters indoors, or run a car in a closed garage. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless and can cause illness or death. Visit the page Preventing poisoning from carbon monoxide for more resources, including in-language graphics to share on social media.
  2. Avoid food poisoning by keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed. During long outages, move perishable food to a cooler, and keep it outside in the shade in cold weather. A full refrigerator can keep food fresh for about 4 hours, and a full freezer can keep food frozen for about 2 days. Throw out any food above 40°F in coolers and freezers.
  3. Keep warm by wearing multiple layers, closing curtains or blinds, and staying together in one room with the doors closed to capture body heat.

Find more information about cold weather safety, watch this short video:

From your friends at Public Health – Seattle & King County – learn more here:

Kingcounty.gov/preparedness

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