The Atlantic Hurricane season runs from June 1st to Nov 30th. Impacts from the devastating storms cause loss of life, destruction of property, and ecological harm due to heavy rains and excessive winds. These storms continue to effect other areas as the storm weakens and runs its course.
Recently, four devastating storms ripped through the Atlantic region including Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria. These storms result in a great need for government and public support to restore the communities. What is often under reported is the chemical and biological contamination of the waterways in the wake of these storms.
Storm preparedness is key to ensure personal safety which is the top priority during storms, but preparing your property to minimize environmental impact is also important. COA recommends the following “water quality” preparedness actions to reduce our adverse footprint on our waterways, especially during the Atlantic Hurricane Season.
• Minimize the escape of floatables, trash and debris entering our waterbodies: (i) Remove all objects left outdoors (garbage cans, bikes, small gear etc) and bring them indoors, if possible. (ii) If not possible, secure them tightly so they don’t fly or float away.
• Minimize the escape of organic and inorganic contaminants: (i) Move any chemicals, oil, salt, deicers, and fertilizers off the ground above the flood or puddle zone outside homes, businesses, and municipalities, as well as in sheds and garages. (ii) Park your car and other mechanical equipment such as mowers, snow plows away from flood waters.
• Minimize the entry of solid waste and microbial pathogens: (i) To minimize the entry of microbial contaminants and solid waste into our waterways, cover and secure all outdoor garbage cans including pet waste trash collection bins, recycling cans etc. (ii) Dispose the contents of outdoor litter boxes appropriately. (iii) Bring pets indoors and close down “outdoor” pet housing securely.
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