Safety Tips: After A Flood

Floods are everywhere in Metro Manila.  So here are some tips and reminders for all you peeps out there.

1. After a flood hits your home, be very cautious beforee you power up, plug and turn on your appliances.
2. Check if your house is the only one without power or it's the whole neighborhood.  If your home is the only one without power, you need to check your home electrical system.  Ask a competent licensed electrician to do this for you.
3. Make sure that the main electrical power switch or circuit breaker is turned off.
4. Unplug all equipment and appliances.  Turn off switches of permanently connected equipment.  Unscrew all light bulbs if possible.
5. Remove mud and dirt from the service equipment or main circuit breaker/fuse and its enclosure, using protective gear or equipment such as rubber gloves, rubber-soled shoes and well-insulated pliers.
6. As a safety precaution always assume the wires are "hot", "live" or energized whenever working.
7. Allow convenience outlets, switches, electrical wires, sockets, connectors, breakers and other devices to dry completely.  Drying may take days, depending on how wet the system is and on external temperature.
8. When all electrical wires and accessories are dry and clean, proper testing must be done to ensure the integrity of the electrical system.
9. Appliances must be completely dry and serviced or checked by a licensed electrician or service center agent.  Do not turn on damaged electrical applicances.
10. Be observant and watchful after powering up your house to immediately detect any abnormalities.