What to do after the storm

No electricity. No AC. No running water. No phones. No cable.

Cell phones work sometimes. Sometimes they don't.

Those who endured hurricanes Charley and Wilma when they came ashore the past two years in Southwest Florida remember what it was like afterward.

For those who prefer to block out those memories or who weren't here, these are some suggestions from utility companies, emergency managers and insurers on what you should do after the storm:

• Be patient. Emergency and repair crews will be extremely busy.

• Drive only if it is absolutely necessary. Immediately following the passage of the storm, debris and flood waters may be covering roadways.

• Don't drive into flooded streets because you don't know what might be under the water.

• Stay on firm ground. Moving water only 6 inches deep can sweep you off your feet. Standing water may also be electrically charged from downed power lines.

• Stay away from fallen lines in your yard or on the street because the power lines may still be charged.

• Enter your home with extreme caution. Beware of fallen objects or damaged roofs and wall sections, undermined foundations and gas leaks.

• Use flashlights for light. Do not use matches, candles, torches or other open flames.

• If the electricity is off to your home, turn off the circuit breakers or remove fuses. It will help protect your appliances and guard against an overload when power comes back on. Keep one breaker on that operates a light so you know when power is back.

• Inspect the box around where your electric meter is. If there appears to be damage, have an electrician inspect and service it before your power comes back on.

• If power is out, wait if at all possible to start cleaning up your yard so you are sure there are no power lines hidden under vegetation.

• Use generators outdoors and in an open area. (A separate list of generator safety tips is elsewhere in this guide.)

• If the rest of your neighborhood gets power back and you don't, then call it in.

• When the phones work, initially try to limit calls to emergencies and to report outages or matters needing immediate attention.

• Check for gas leaks. Call a professional if there is a problem.

• Don't use the public water supply until notification is issued by public health officials or the utility system that it is safe.

• Take photographs of damage to the home and contents for insurance claims and tax deduction purposes.

• Wear protective clothing on legs, arms, feet and hands while cleaning up debris. Wear rubber gloves while scrubbing flood-damaged interiors and furniture.

• Do not drink or prepare food with tap water until you are certain it is not contaminated.

• Remove shutters or plywood, then open windows and doors to ventilate or dry your home if necessary.

• If your home has been flooded, flush plumbing fixtures with buckets of water to be sure they are open. Have health authorities inspect your sanitary disposal system. Water may have backed up into the septic tank, which in turn backs up into the plumbing system.

• Thoroughly dry and clean your house before trying to live in it.

• Do not use food that has come in contact with flood waters.

• Give special attention to cleaning children's toys, cribs, playpens and play equipment. Boil any items a toddler or baby might put in his or her mouth. Discard stuffed toys, waterlogged toys, and non-cleanable toys.

• Beware of snakes and other animals also looking for a dry area.

• Remove debris from the pool and super chlorinate it or put shock in it and keep it that way until power is restored.

• Retrieve insurance documents and pre-storm photographs from a safe, waterproof place where you have secured them before the storm, such as a safety deposit box. (Some experts suggest you send them well before the storm hits to family or friends outside of the area where you live.)

• If a repair crew shows up and you hadn't contacted them to come do the work, ask to see a valid county contractor's license and find out if the company is bonded. Don't pay for work in advance.

• Do not mix garbage and yard vegetation when cleaning up as these may be picked up many days, or even weeks, apart.