Post-Hurricane Information

  • Generator Safety

  • Do not connect your generator directly into your home’s wiring system. It is a fire hazard and poses a risk to FPL personnel restoring power to your area.
  • Ground your generator according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
  • Never use a generator indoors or in any enclosed or partially enclosed area, even with ventilation. Opening doors and windows or using fans will not prevent carbon monoxide from building up in the home.
  • Place the unit outdoors on a dry surface, away from doors, windows, vents, and air conditioning equipment that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.

Carbon Monoxide Safety

  • Carbon monoxide fumes emitted from the generator are toxic and can be lethal.
  • Do not burn charcoal or gas grills inside a house, garage, vehicle, tent or fireplace.
  • If you have a poisoning emergency, call your nearest Florida poison information center at 800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911 immediately.
  • If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air right away.
  • Install battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms or plug-in carbon monoxide alarms with battery back-up in your home, according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
  • Remember that you cannot see or smell carbon monoxide, and portable generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide very quickly.
  • Test your alarms frequently and replace dead batteries.

Conserving Water

Use water when needed and do not let it run.

If you experience very low pressure, which is normally caused by uprooted trees, it is recommended to proactively boil your water prior to drinking, cooking, brushing your teeth, washing dishes or making ice when service is restored.

Chainsaw (Electric or Gas-Powered) Safety

  • Carry the saw with the guide bar pointing to the rear, or point the bar to the front if you are going downhill.
  • Do not wear slippery shoes or baggy clothing that could catch in the brush and cause you to fall; always watch your footing while working.
  • Even if you do not need an assistant, someone should be with you in case of an accident.
  • Have a first-aid kit nearby. If someone is cut, cover the wound with a clean cloth and press hard to stop the flow of blood. Get the injured person to a doctor or hospital immediately.
  • Shut off the saw when carrying it from one tree to the next if working conditions are hazardous - heavy brush, slippery ground surface or steep slopes.
  • Stop the engine and do not smoke when refueling your chain saw. Do not spill gas on a hot engine. Use a filtering funnel or a gas can with a flexible hose to fill the fuel tank.
  • Wear a hard hat and goggles to protect yourself against flying splinters and chips. Because a power saw is noisy, you should also wear hearing protectors.

Heat Safety

  • Check frequently on the elderly, young children and others at higher risk for heat-related illnesses.
  • Drink plenty of cool fluids throughout the day, but avoid those that contain caffeine, alcohol or a high sugar content, since they actually contribute to dehydration and make a heat-related illness worse.
  • If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. A sports drink can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat.
  • If you start to feel muscle cramps, extreme thirst, confusion, fainting or unconsciousness, nausea, vomiting, rapid strong pulse, rapid shallow breathing and extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees Fahrenheit), call 911 immediately.
  • Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, even with the engine running.
  • Stay in a cool, well-ventilated area and limit your outdoor activities. Don’t forget your animals and provide them plenty of freshwater.
  • Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.

Home Repair Tips

The use of unqualified or unlicensed contractors often leads to unsafe and hazardous construction as well as an additional cost, rework and potential fines to the consumer. The best way to safeguard against faulty and hazardous construction work is to make sure the contractor one hires has a valid contractor license. Even though property owners’ initial reaction is to get repairs started, they should not allow unscrupulous people to take advantage of them because they are anxious to have their home repaired.

Beware of Debris

Storms with extensive rain and high winds, such as tropical storms and hurricanes, can cause severe damage and create hazardous conditions such as fallen trees and other types of dangerous debris including downed power lines, broken glass, small pieces of buildings, commercial signs, and road signs. After the storm passes, residents should be extremely careful as they sort through the wreckage to assess the damage.

Debris Placement

Storm-related debris from your property should be placed adjacent to the roadway. Do not place storm debris in the street, near fire hydrants, power poles, or on a storm drain. Do not stack or lean debris on trees, poles, meters or other structures. Please keep normal household trash and recycling containers separate from storm-related debris. Please follow your normal garbage removal schedule for household trash and recycling.Separating Your Debris

Separate storm debris in separate piles as follows:

  • Vegetation such as leaves, logs, branches plants, etc.
  • Construction and demolition debris such as building materials, lumber, carpet, furniture, doors, windows, etc.

FEMA Requirements

Lighthouse Point, like most cities, is required to follow FEMA requirements for debris removal if the City expects to be reimbursed for the storm debris cleanup effort. By following these requirements the City is reimbursed by FEMA 87.5% of the costs of removing the debris. Failure to follow the FEMA requirements will jeopardize reimbursement to the City, which may cost over a million dollars. Unfortunately, the City does not ultimately control the time table for debris removal.

  • Any plastic bags containing leaves and small twigs can be placed next to your garbage container and will be picked up by Waste Management on your regular garbage collection day. Please to not put an excessive amount of plastic bags out at this time.
  • Do not place piles on storm drains or any other above-ground utilities, such as backflow pipes and telephone service risers or boxes.
  • Do not place storm debris in the street and place vegetation and other types of storm debris in separate piles.
  • Normal household trash and recycling will be collected on your regularly scheduled days.
  • Please do not mix plastic bags in the piles of vegetative materials. The debris contractors are picking up piles of vegetative storm debris only on the first pass through the City. If there are black bags in the piles of vegetative debris, they will not be picked up on the first pass. The collection of construction and demolition storm debris will be picked up on the second pass.

Traffic Lights

If a traffic light is out, treat the intersection as a four-way stop. Always drive with caution when leaving your home, and only drive when absolutely necessary.