The horror is great, as is the danger. A fire that gets out of control is always a disaster. There are many causes for a fire at home or in public buildings: faulty electricity, work that is dangerous to fire, carelessness in the home, negligence when barbecuing or overheating electrical appliances. Regardless of whether this results in an open fire or a smoldering fire, the consequences are often catastrophic. You can effectively prevent and protect yourself. Read here what you should do.
Outside
- Avoid unprotected places where you could be hit by hail or objects carried away by the storm.
- Seek shelter in a building and avoid halls with large ceiling spans during strong storms.
- If there is still enough time, secure movable objects such as garden furniture, bicycles, etc. outside.
- In the event of hail, if there is nowhere to shelter, lie face down on the ground and protect your head and neck with your hands!
Thunderstorm
- During thunderstorms, seek shelter in a building or squat on the balls of your feet with your feet close together, preferably in a hollow.
- Avoid open terrain, mountain peaks, trees, towers, masts, aerials and do not lean against fences.
- Keep a minimum distance of 50 meters from overhead power lines.
- Avoid all objects with metal parts such as umbrellas and bicycles.
In the car
- You are safe in the car during thunderstorms. So stay in the vehicle and do not touch any bare metal parts.
At home
- In the event of hail and hurricanes, close the windows, shutters or blinds and keep away from unprotected openings.
- Find a low-lying room, e.g. a cellar or an interior room. Cars, caravans and light buildings are not necessarily safe during storms.
- Avoid rooms with large ceiling spans such as halls.
- Disconnect sensitive devices from the mains or use a surge protector. Suitable devices are available in stores.
Protection for animals
- Pets and farm animals are very frightened by storms. Try to reassure your animals and make sure that they cannot leave the protected area.
Behavior after the storm
- Before cleaning up, you should carefully check and document what has been damaged or destroyed, e.g. by water ingress or broken glass.
- If someone is injured, administer first aid and call the emergency services on 112 if necessary.
- Attention! If heating oil or other hazardous substances have been released due to flooding, e.g. in the cellar, call the fire department on 112. Be careful when entering flooded cellars, there is a risk of electric shock if the house connection box is located in the cellar.
- Only operate electrical appliances if they have not become damp.
- If the building is badly damaged, stay outside and do not re-enter until it has been cleared by experts.
- If the roof is badly damaged, stay far enough away from the house. Call the fire department on 112.
Further offers
- Disaster control Aachen city region
- Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance
- German Weather Service
- Flood control centers of the federal states
- NINA App
- Common contact point
- Explosive ordnance disposal