Power lines are likely to be down; be careful where you step. Keep your pets inside.

if water rose to a level where it made contact with the engine.

standing water. The average car can be swept off the road in 12 inches of moving water.

and your employer know you are safe as soon as possible.

to a minimum to allow for emergency calls to get through.

will respond as quickly as possible, but you should count on being self-sufficient for three days.

for such vital information as recovery facilities, insurance company field offices and shelter if you need it.

, wildlife and insects that have been driven to higher ground.

, disengage your electric garage door. Pull the small cord hanging from the mechanism at the top of the door. Some garage doors are heavy, so get help to lift them.

supplies you need, go to a relief site as quickly as possible. Public, private and volunteer agencies may be able to get you water, food, medical attention and shelter.

for items you buy before power is restored. Your insurance or governmental assistance may cover some of your living expenses.

, open the refrigerator and freezer only when necessary.

for only one or two days and your freezer is full, the food probably will stay frozen if you keep the door closed.

Milk, meat, fish, yogurt, cooked pasta, meat-topped pizzas and mayonnaise. Discard anything that is moldy or has an odd odor or appearance.

Hard or processed cheeses, fresh herbs (keep in water, like flowers), bread, cakes and muffins, tortillas, shelf-stable pizza crusts, guava paste, apples, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, carrots, celery, tomatoes, bananas, plantains, malanga, boniato and iceberg lettuce. Onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes and garlic will keep longer.

These items can be kept without refrigeration after opening if they have never been refrigerated: Ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, olives, pickles, syrup, oil (vegetable and extra-virgin olive oil), vinegar, bottled lemon and key lime juice, horseradish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Tabasco sauce, some salad dressings and salsa.

that gets wet from flooding, including produce. Cans that get wet should be rinsed off in clean water before they are opened.

, water heaters hold several gallons of clean water that you can use after a storm for sanitary needs. Before a storm, unhook or shut off the water heater from its water source so it will not get contaminated.

It's safest. Bring water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. It will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring it back and forth between two clean containers.

Add four drops of unscented liquid chlorine laundry bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes.

These tablets, available at most sporting goods stores and some pharmacies, release chlorine or iodine. Follow package directions.

to the home wiring system, such as through a fuse box or circuit breaker. The power can flow outside the house to the power lines and injure workers. Rather, connect an appliance to the generator via a heavy-gauge extension cord.

For example, run the refrigerator eight hours and it should stay cold for another 20 without the generator.

listed on the generator, and don't use it to run the air conditioners, which require a lot of power. Use it for refrigerators, microwaves, fans and lights.

a generator produces determines how many appliances you can run. Wattage ranges from 750, which will run a light and a fan, but not much more, up to 8,000 watts, which will practically power an entire house.

before you add more gas. If you spill gas on a hot muffler, it might flame.

outdoors because they emit carbon monoxide, which can be deadly.

, it will not affect the appliances connected to the generator because the power is restored to the house, not to individual appliances.

or plants inundated by salt water, there are some things you should try to do as soon as possible.

cover the exposed roots with old covers, sheets or rags, and keep them wet. This will prevent sunburn and help the trees survive until you have the time to replant them.

your yard with salt water, and you still have water available, thoroughly drench your plants with fresh water. Salt can kill many plants, and the sooner you act, the more you may be able to save.

stripped of leaves will bud out again. You don't want to rush to cut them down just because they're leafless.

but under heavy winds they will be badly shaken. This bruises the single growing point and any bud that might be about to emerge. To keep the bud from rotting, prepare a mix of a copper-based fungicide and pour into the growing point, where the new spear may be poking out.

, call Miami-Dade's Answer Center at 305-468-5900 to obtain the phone number of agencies that find stray animals. In Broward, call the Animal Care and Regulation Division at 954-359-1313.

Wet upholstered furniture should be elevated if it's resting on carpet. If you have a covered patio, move sofas and chairs outdoors to dry. Do not place them in direct sunlight.

you need a machine to extract the water. If your upholstery is stained, your best bet is to call professional upholstery cleaners.

Get your furniture out of the wet area but don't put it outdoors. The sun would do even more damage. For fine wood furniture and antiques, your best bet is to call a furniture repair specialist to clean, treat and seal the water damage.

If your stove, washer, dryer, microwave or other appliance got wet during the storm, be extremely cautious. Any household electrical or gas equipment that has been submerged in water should not be used until it has been inspected and reconditioned by a qualified service technician. There is danger of electrical shock, leaking gas or food contamination.

, let it dry out completely; this may take a week or two. If you suspect any problem, do not use it.

Area rugs should be taken outdoors to dry, but keep them out of direct sunlight. If possible, dry them on a covered patio or porch. Take water-stained rugs to a rug cleaner as soon as possible.

, the most important thing is to lift it and remove the wet padding, which acts as a sponge and retains water. If you don't think the padding can be saved, cut it up, roll it up and discard.

, wrap aluminum foil around the feet. If possible, elevate upholstered sofas with wood or plastic blocks.

, but not in direct sunlight. If you have power, wash and dry wet clothing as soon as possible according to care labels. Certain garments, such as synthetic suits, need to be dry-cleaned or the fabrics will shrink.

even if it's full of debris. Our high water table could cause the pool to ''pop'' out of the ground.

contact Associated Swimming Pool Industries of Florida, 305-937-0960.

do not mix your garbage or trash with bulk waste or debris. Do not place debris near lamp posts or fire hydrants.

that spells out the work to be done, the cost and payment methods. Be sure labor and materials are covered in any warranty.

the local building department and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to verify that the contractor has an active license.

of requests for unusually large sums of money before work begins. An up-front payment amounting to more than 50 percent of the total cost of the work should raise a red flag.

the roofer has workers' compensation and general liability insurance.

to obtain the building permit and have it posted on the property before work begins.

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