The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, July 13, 1996               TAG: 9607130279
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A13  EDITION: FINAL 
                                            LENGTH:  241 lines

HURRICANE BERTHA: SAFETY AFTER THE STORM

ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC

SAFETY AFTER THE STORM

FOOD:

The main rule of food safety is, ``If you have any doubt, throw

it out.'' Here are some food-safety guidelines from the Virginia

Beach Cooperative Extension Service:

From the freezer

Without power, a full freezer will keep food for about two days.

A half-full freezer will keep foods for about one day.

Make the food last as long as possible by keeping the freezer

door shut.

When the power returns, you can refreeze foods that still contain

ice crystals.

From the refrigerator

The refrigerator will stay cool for four to six hours without

power, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.

Discard the following items if they are kept for more than two

hours at above 40 degrees: Raw or cooked meat, poultry, or seafood;

lunch meat; milk, cream, yogurt, custard, soft cheese, eggs, egg

substitutes; cooked pasta or salads; stews, soups, casseroles;

mayonnaise or tartar sauce; refrigerator cookie dough, cream-filled

pastries, chiffon or cheese pie; meat-topped pizza.

At room temperature

Throw out anything that turns moldy or has an unusual odor or

appearance. Otherwise, these foods will keep at room temperature for

a few days: butter, margarine; fresh fruits and vegetables; dried

fruits; opened peanut butter, jelly, relish, taco sauce, barbecue

sauce, mustard, ketchup, olives, pickles; hard and processed

cheeses; fruit juices; fruit pies, rolls, cakes and muffins.

IF THERE IS FLOODING

If flood waters come in contact with food, the water may carry

silt, oil or waste. Discard meats, produce and jars, such as

mayonnaise, sealed with wax liners. Also throw away all foods in

cardboard boxes, paper, foil and cloth; home-canned items; opened

containers; and dented, leaking, bulging or rusted cans.

Sanitize commercial jars and cans: Mark the contents. Remove

labels, and wash containers in a strong detergent solution with a

scrub brush. Immerse containers for 15 minutes in a solution of 2

teaspoons bleach per quart of water and allow to air-dry.

Sanitize dishes and glasses in the same way as canned goods.

To disinfect pots and pans, boil them for 10 minutes.

Discard wooden spoons, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and

pacifiers.

WATER:

After a major storm, assume that all water sources are

contaminated until proven safe, says the Virginia Cooperative

Extension Service. Purify all water used for drinking, cooking and

washing dishes.

Disinfect water in one of these ways:

Heat water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Once the storm has

passed, use grills and camp stoves (outdoors only) to cook food and

boil water. Small electrical appliances can be used if you have an

electrical generator. If you have to build a fire outside, build it

away from buildings and carports.

Add eight drops of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water.

Make sure the bleach has no active ingredient other than 4 to 6

percent sodium hypochlorite.

Add 20 drops of 2 percent iodine per gallon of clear water, or

40 drops per gallon of cloudy water.

Add water purification tablets, according to the directions on

the package.

With any of these methods, throughly mix solutions and let the

water sit for 30 minutes before using.

Always use clean or purified water to wash any part of the body

that comes in contact with flood waters.

Listen to radio and other reports from local officials. In most

cases, residents who get city water can drink it without concern.

People who get water from private wells should boil it for three to

five minutes to kill bacteria.

POWER

Electricity

If flooding starts in your house, or if you evacuate, turn off

your power at the main breaker.

Report broken power lines, sparks, fire or other electrical

equipment damage to an electric company customer service official.

Utilities also want to hear about broken tree limbs on lines.

If your power is out, leave a message on the electric company's

computerized voice response system. Your message will be cataloged,

and repair crews will be dispatched as soon as possible.

Don't go near downed lines, nor touch them.

Natural gas

If you smell natural gas, or have reason to believe a line is

broken, leave the house immediately and call the gas company from a

neighbor's house. Don't go home until the problem is resolved. If

flooding starts in your home, it's a good idea to turn off gas lines

- but only if you know how. If you don't, an alternate step is to

turn off the pilots on gas appliances. But, again, only if you know

how. If you evacuate, it's not necessary to shut off gas lines.

Generators

Don't use a portable generator unless you've installed a bypass

switch. Without such a precaution, your generator may energize a

downed power line.

DOWNED TREES:

Leave the cleanup to professionals if trees are leaning on houses

or if power and utility lines are down. If you use a chain saw, be

sure you know its proper use - most of the injuries and fatalities

from 1992's Hurricane Andrew occurred after the storm had passed.

Local rental companies rent gas and electrical chain saws and should

explain how to use them properly.

CARS AND DRIVING:

Avoid flooded roadways. Water can hide debris that can damage

your car; it can also stall the engine. Wet brakes can also be

dangerous.

Cars manufactured since 1985 are at greater risk in flooding

because many have expensive computers in low, vulnerable spots. In

Hondas, for instance, the computer is under the passenger seat.

Computers can cost anywhere from $200 to several thousand dollars to

replace.

If your car doesn't start, it's a good idea to let it dry out for

a few days and then try again. If it still doesn't start, get it

towed to a mechanic.

If you have to drive on flooded roads, go slowly. Keep your

foot on the brakes, even while accelerating, to help keep the rotors

dry.

BEWARE FLOODED STREETS

STAFF REPORT

Specific spots in South Hampton Roads prone to flooding:

NORFOLK

Try to avoid the underpasses downtown, and The Hague. Some

intersections tend to gather a great deal of water during major

storms: Tidewater Drive and Charlotte Street; Boush Street and Olney

Road; Llewellyn at 41st Street; Monticello Avenue at 11th Street;

19th Street and Pleasant Avenue in Ocean View.

PORTSMOUTH

Steer clear of Crawford Parkway from Holiday Inn to Court Street;

Wavy Street and Washington Street. Other areas prone to flooding:

Effingham Street at London Boulevard; Churchland Boulevard between

Town Point and West Norfolk roads; and the Interstate 264

underpasses.

VIRGINIA BEACH

It is probable that coastal roads, including those in Sandbridge,

Atlantic Avenue through the resort area and roads near Chesapeake

Beach to the north, will flood. Other places include Princess Anne

Plaza; roads near the Lynnhaven River and Linkhorn Bay; and

Lynnhaven Parkway near Rosemont Road.

CHESAPEAKE

Roads at risk are near large waterways: North Landing River, the

Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River and the Intracoastal

Waterway. Cedar Road and Bainbridge Boulevard under the

triple-decker Military Highway overpass are also trouble spots.

SUFFOLK

Areas that typically flood include the Nansemond River Bridge on

North Main Street; the railroad underpass on East Washington Street;

and Constance Road near the former sewage plant. Also, watch out for

the downtown section of Driver and parts of Nansemond Parkway from

its intersection with Virginia 125 to Florence Bowser School.

NEED SERVICES OR SHELTER?

PHONE NUMBERS

Storm and shelter updates

Infoline: 640-5555, press 1237

Norfolk Line: 664-4010

Virginia Beach Line: 427-3580; for evacuation information, 492;

for drinking water tips, 513; for hurricane terms, 625; for

hurricane preparedness, 626; for information on basic supplies, 628;

for after the hurricane, 632; how to get hurricane bulletins, 633;

shelter information, 630.

Utilities

ELECTRIC

Virginia Power: 858-4660

North Carolina Power: 1-919-473-6780 or 1-800-945-0633; on the

Outer Banks, call 1-919-331-7260 or 1-800-291-7743

Hatteras Island Electric: 1-919-995-5616

Ocracoke Island Electric: 1-919-928-3351

NATURAL GAS

Virginia Natural Gas: 466-5550; after 5 p.m., call 466-5500

Suffolk: 539-2376; after 5 p.m., call 873-6200

Hampton: 873-1322; after 5 p.m., call 873-6200

Newport News: 873-6200

Commonwealth Gas: 399-3961 or 1-800-544-5606

TELEPHONE

Bell Atlantic of Virginia: 611

GTE-Virginia: 1-800-483-1000

Mid-Atlantic Sprint Carolina: 1-919-977-7100

City Services

NORFOLK

Police, fire, rescue: 911

Non-emergency information: 441-5600

VIRGINIA BEACH

Police and fire: 911

Public information: 427-4111

Shelter information: 427-3580, press 630

PORTSMOUTH

Ambulance, police, fire: 911

Emergency Services office: 393-8551

City information: 393-8432

CHESAPEAKE

Ambulance, police and fire: 911

Office of Emergency Services: 547-6464

SUFFOLK

Police and fire emergencies: 911

Police: 925-6415; at night, 925-6350

Information: 934-3111

Emergency Services: 925-6414

Insurance Claims

National Insurance Consumer Helpline: 1-800-942-4242

Virginia State Corporation Commission consumer hotline:

1-800-552-7945.

Some companies:

Aetna Casualty & Surety: 1-800-238-6225

Allstate: policyholders should contact their agents; if storm

hits, company will activate a toll-free phone number for

policyholders who cannot reach their agents. The number will be

1-800-755-4126

Cigna: 1-800-523-9254

Liberty Mutual: 461-6831 or 1-800-746-7421

MetLife: 1-800-854-6011

Prudential: 1-800-437-3535

USAA: 461-5188 or 1-800-531-8222

Nationwide: 1-800-421-3535

State Farm: policyholders should contact their agents; if storm

hits, company will make available a toll-free phone number to help

policyholders who cannot reach their agents.

Travelers: 1-800-252-4366 (for auto and homeowners);

1-800-842-8586 (for commercial insurance)

Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual: 1-800-445-8323

NAVY NUMBERS

When Navy announces arrival times, Infoline will have them.

640-5555, presss 6289.

KEYWORDS: HURRICANE BERTHA by CNB