Why are the days after a hurricane so dangerous?

Relief comes naturally once the wind dies down, but the risks don't end with the storm.¹ In a study of US hurricanes and tropical storms from 1963 to 2012, indirect causes such as heart attacks, carbon monoxide and electrocution killed almost as many people as the storms' wind and water did.² Heart problems were the most common of these causes.² Most of these deaths came after the storm had hit, and losing power was behind many of them.²

The first danger of an outage is carbon monoxide, an invisible, odorless gas in generator exhaust.¹ Run the generator outside only, at least 20 feet from any window, door or vent, and never in a garage, even with the door open.¹³ A battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm is your backup: if it sounds, get everyone outside and call 911.¹ Heat is the other danger. Without air conditioning, long hot days can make people sick, especially older adults.² Spend part of each day somewhere air-conditioned, such as a cooling center, and check on neighbors who live alone.⁴⁵

Outside, stay clear of any fallen power line, since it can still be live, and call the electric company to report it.² Stay out of floodwater too, because a fallen line may be lying in it, and the water can carry germs, chemicals and waste.¹⁶ If a cut gets wet with floodwater, wash it with soap and clean water, and get medical care if it turns red, swells or oozes.⁶

Cleanup brings two more risks. The first is the chainsaw. The chance of getting hurt by one rises after hurricanes, when so many people are clearing fallen trees, so leave the cutting to someone trained if you can.⁷ If you do it yourself, wear chainsaw chaps, a hard hat, safety glasses and heavy gloves.⁷ The second is the strain the work puts on your heart.² In hot weather, pace yourself with breaks somewhere cool, and drink water often.⁸ If you get chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, or pain in your arm, jaw, neck or back while you're working, stop and call 911.⁹