PGPD Provides Safety Tips for Potential Severe Weather

The Prince George’s County Police Department wants to help our community prepare for Hurricane Sandy.  The massive storm is expected to reach our area this weekend or early next week.  The National Weather Service is reporting the hurricane has extremely dangerous winds that can cause extensive damage.  Heavy rain is expected throughout the weather event.

To help the PGPD coordinate a response, we are asking the public to report the locations of intersections that are suffering from non-working traffic lights, downed wires, or any other traffic-related hazards.  To report these locations, please call 311 or visit http://countyclick.princegeorgescountymd.gov.

We will actively monitor the storm and its aftermath.  We encourage you to join the conversation and information exchange by using hashtags #PGPD and #Sandy on Twitter.  Your information and pictures can also be tweeted to @PGPDNews.

The Prince George’s County Police Department offers the following tips to ensure your safety: 

• Follow @PGPDNews on Twitter to track news and alerts from PGPD.
• Stock and/or re-stock emergency supply kits (including extra batteries, etc.).
• Do not wait until Sunday evening to do your shopping.
• Clean out gutters, storm drains, etc. (keeping drains clear of trash, leaves and branches) so rainwaters can easily flow, reducing possible flooding and ponding situations.
• Keep up to date with local conditions – follow TV and radio reports from your area.
• Visit www.weather.gov, (http://mobile.weather.gov on your phone) for the latest forecast.
• Remember food safety – power outages and flooding may happen as a result of a tropical storm or hurricane, so have a plan for keeping food safe. Have a cooler on hand to keep food cold, and group food together in the freezer so it stays cold longer.
• Have an adequate communication plan - be sure friends and family know how to contact you. Remember that text messages can often get around network disruptions when a phone call can’t get through.
• Do not travel during the storm unless for emergency.
• Keep in mind, hurricanes bring heavy rains, storm surges, and possible flooding events. Avoid walking or driving through any flooded areas.
• It takes only six inches of fast-moving flood water to knock over an adult and two feet to move a vehicle. Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown!  Find another route if you approach a flooded road.
• Treat all intersections without power as a 4-way stop.  See video below for more info.

Latest Sandy forecast from the National Hurricane Center

On your computer: www.hurricanes.gov

On your phone: http://hurricanes.gov/mobile

On Twitter: www.twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/US.NOAA.NationalHurricaneCenter.gov