Familiarize yourself and your family with the location of the electrical breaker panel.

Turn off breakers for areas of concern.

If in doubt, shut off main breaker, which could be inside or outside your home.

In cases of basement flooding

	Think before stepping in any water.
	A shock hazard may exist even in an inch of water if an extension cord connection is on the floor.
	If the electrical panel is upstairs, shut off all circuits. If the electrical pane is in the basement, determine whether it can be reached on dry ground. If not, refer to the next step.

Check your house electrical meter. If it is on your home, there may be a main disconnect switch (breaker) next to it. If the meter is on an underground service, it may be in front of your home; but there should be a main breaker where the line enters the home. Shut it off!

Before planning an outing check the television, radio, weather radio, or internet forecast for your area.

Get inside a home or large building when a storm approaches. Stay indoors and don’t venture outside unless absolutely necessary. If you are unable to get to a building get into a vehicle, make sure all the windows and doors are closed.

Stay away from open doors, windows, fireplaces, radiators, stoves, metal pipes, sinks and appliances.

Do not use plug-in electrical equipment – hair dryers, electric blankets or razors - during the storm.

Use telephone for emergencies only. Lighting may strike the telephone lines outside.

If you are outside, with no time to reach a safe building or vehicle, follow these rules:

	Do not stand under a natural lightning rod such as a tall, isolated tree in an open area.
	Stay close to the ground. Curl up into a ball with only your feet touching the ground.
	Get out of the water and off small boats.
	Get away from tractors and other metal farm equipment.
	Stay away from wire fences, clothes lines, metal pipes, rails, exposed sheds or anything that is high and could conduct electricity. Some of these items could carry electricity to you from some distance away.
	Don't use metal objects: fishing rods, golf clubs, cleats, etc.
	Stay in your vehicle if you are traveling.
	Get off and away from motorcycles, scooters, golf carts and bicycles.
	If buildings are not available seek protection in a cave, ditch, canyon or under head-high clumps of trees.
	If only isolated trees are nearby, your best protection is to crouch in the open, keeping twice as far away from isolated trees as the trees are high.
	When you feel an electrical charge-if your hair stands on end or your skin tingles immediately drop to the ground.