Heavy rain, gusts, floods... Faced with the remains of Hurricane Kirk sweeping across part of France this Wednesday, October 9, Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician, reveals the best advice for avoiding accidents.
Today, 34 French departments have been placed on "orange alert", whether for "rain and floods", "wind" or "floods". How to (properly) react to avoid accidents? What are the right reflexes to adopt in the event of a storm? Dr. Gérald Kierzek, medical director of Judgeyourhealth, answers our questions.
Orange alert: what does it mean?
As Storm Kirk continues its path from the Pays de la Loire to the Ardennes, passing through the Île-de-France, a question arises. What does the "orange" alert level triggered by Météo France mean?
According to the government, this is "level 3", indicating that " dangerous weather phenomena " are to be feared. An opinion shared by Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
" It is from the orange level that the prefect of the zone or department implements an alert system intended for mayors, general councils and operational services," he explains in his book " Have the right reflexes ". This level "is to be taken seriously and allows you to prepare to go through a particular meteorological event. In this case, meteorologists recommend being very vigilant and canceling any outing or activity planned outside. "
On the ground, in the event of an orange alert, " emergency services must intervene in several areas affected by the winds, which can cause significant damage to homes, parks, and also to roads, which may become inaccessible," warns the medical director of Judgeyourhealth.
Proof of this is the landslides this morning, which prevented TER trains from running between Lyon and Saint-Étienne until midday.
Storm: what good reflexes should you adopt?
Faced with gusts, depressions and other floods resulting from storms and natural disasters, a certain number of practices and automatisms must be adopted " to limit the consequences ", reveals Dr Gérald Kierzek.
" Indeed, winds and heavy rainfall can clearly affect daily life for several days," he recalls.
Here is what to do in the event of a storm to protect yourself and your loved ones:
Stay indoors and limit your movements.
Stay tuned to local radio stations that can broadcast important information about your department.
Also provide emergency lighting and a supply of drinking water at home.
Remember to contact your loved ones, neighbors or authorities to report and organize yourself to face a storm.
Finally, if you use a medical assistance device (respiratory or other) powered by electricity, take precautions by contacting the organization that manages it. The SAMU-Centre 15 can also assist you.