OKLAHOMA – Following a deadly tornado in El Reno, health officials are urging residents to take a few precautions.
According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, those who sustained injuries from the tornado and storms are encouraged to get tetanus shots.
Victims can go to any local hospital to receive tetanus shots Sunday and Monday. Tuesday morning, the Canadian County Health Department sites in El Reno and Yukon will have tetanus shots available at their locations. Clinic hours are 8 a.m.–11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. A strike team will also be out on Tuesday to provide tetanus shots to those in the field.
The Canadian County Health Department sites are:
- 100 S. Rock Island Ave.
El Reno, OK 73036
Phone: (405) 262-0042 - 1023 E Vandament Ave.
Yukon, OK 73099
Phone: (405) 354-4872
According to health officials, those who receive a puncture wound or a wound contaminated with dirt, feces, or saliva, should have a medical provider or health department determine whether a tetanus booster is necessary based on individual records.
Food Safety
If you have been without power for more than four hours, the OSDH recommends following these guidelines for refrigerated and frozen foods.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
- Discard any potentially hazardous foods such as meats, eggs, dairy products and leftovers when the power has been off for more than four hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
- Frozen foods in a freezer can normally be kept up to 48 hours without power. A frozen product that has thawed should not be refrozen—it should be used immediately or thrown away.
- Throw away food that has come in contact with flood or storm water.
- Throw away canned foods that are bulging, opened or damaged.
- Food containers with screw-caps, snap-lids, crimped caps (soda pop bottles), twist caps, flip tops, snap-open, and home canned foods should be discarded if they have come into contact with water or soot because they cannot be disinfected.
- Do not use contaminated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, wash your hands, make ice, or make baby formula.
- Breastfed infants should continue breastfeeding. For formula-fed infants, use ready-to-feed formula if possible. If using ready-to-feed formula is not possible, it is best to use bottled water to prepare powdered or concentrated formula. If bottled water is not available, use boiled water. Use treated water to prepare formula only if you do not have bottled or boiled water.
- Clean feeding bottles and nipples with bottled, boiled, or treated water before each use.
- Contact your doctor if you’re concerned about medications having spoiled.
Water Safety
If the safety of the water is not known, it is recommended to vigorously boil the water for at least one minute to prevent potential waterborne illnesses. Safe water would include store-bought bottled water, or uninterrupted city water. Untreated water should not be used to prepare foods, wash hands or brush teeth.
Home Safety
Never use generators, grills, camp stoves, or similar devices inside the house, in basements, in garages or near windows. Improper use of such devices can lead to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.