Keeping Workers Safe in the Aftermath of a Hurricane

While many people across the country returned to a fully functional workplace today after spending the Labor Day weekend enjoying picnics and get togethers, workers in Louisiana and other areas hit by hurricane Ida are still waiting for electricity and drinking water to be restored to their homes and facilities, CNN reports.

The catastrophic damage left by the hurricane means businesses and homes in some Louisiana parishes won’t have electricity for up to a month, a dangerous situation during an oppressive heatwave. Many areas also still lack running water and have nonfunctional sewage systems.

Health officials say although people in these areas my be eager to back to work and into their regular routines, they will have to practice patience. They offer the following advice:

• Evacuate or stay evacuated. Staying away from the worst-hit areas is the best thing storm victims can do, not just for themselves, but to expedite the recovery. “It’s going to be almost impossible to maintain that many people with clean water and sewage, hospitals, and essential services without electricity in metropolitan areas,” said retired US Army Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré.
• Realize the pandemic will impact hurricane recovery. As hospitals are already overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, the last thing they need is to treat people suffering from heat exhaustion or trauma.
• Brace for water and sewer outages. These outages can make life miserable or even dangerous. If available, chemical toilets may be placed on street corners and emptied by municipal workers. In some cases, generators can help power water and sewer systems until electricity is fully restored. All residents are being asked to limit water usage in both residential and commercial buildings.
• Find creative ways to keep your phone Use an external battery pack or battery-powered charger to keep the lines of communication open. Consider charging your phone in your vehicle using a car adapter. Some communities have set up public charging stations. 
• Have patience and prepare for a long recovery. With Ida’s magnitude of devastation, Honoré predicts it will take “a month to get people back, and 10 years to rebuild.”