Post-evacuation advice: When to return home and how to stay safe

If you evacuated ahead of Hurricane Ian, how do you know when you can return home?

Be smart: Just because it looks like the worst of the storm has passed doesn't mean it's over. Check with emergency service officials where you're staying and back at home before heading out to make sure storm debris is clear.

Threat level: Flash floods are the No. 1 cause of weather-related deaths in the country, according to the National Weather Service.

• Don't walk or drive through flood waters, even if they look manageable. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and a foot of water can wash your car away.

While driving: If stoplights are out, treat each intersection as a four-way stop, with the driver on the right having the right-of-way.

• Fill up your gas tank and consider downloading a fuel app to check for outages along your route.
• Bring water and non-perishable food for the car ride.

More post-evacuation tips, per ready.gov:

• Let friends and family know before you leave and when you arrive at your destination.
• Charge devices and consider getting back-up batteries in case power-outages continue.
• Avoid downed power or utility lines, they may be live with deadly voltage. Stay away and report them immediately to your power or utility company.
• Only use generators outside and away from your home. Never run a generator inside a home or garage or connect it to your home's electrical system.

Here's even more helpful information on returning home post-evacuation.