City of Peoria offers up monsoon safety tips

The summer monsoon has arrived in Arizona.

From now until September, residents should prepare for the potential of more rainfall, lightning, dust and sudden storms. The increase in storm activity can create unsafe situations.

Here are tips to follow if you are caught in a monsoon storm.

• If you are outdoors and safe shelter is not available, find a low spot away from trees, fences, and poles. Avoid high ground, water, trees and metal objects.

• Secure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage. This includes garbage cans, umbrellas, patio furniture and unsecure items in your yard.

• If you encounter a dust storm, pull off the road immediately. Turn off the headlights and taillights, put the vehicle in “PARK,” and take your foot off the brake. Other motorists tend to follow taillights to get through the dust storm, and may hit your parked vehicle.

• Turn Around, Don’t Drown - Vehicles can be swept away in as little as 6 inches of water. It is very difficult, especially at night, to know the depth or force of flowing water. What looks like a shallow stream flowing over a road may have very fast moving water under the surface.

For more safety tips, visit https://www.peoriaaz.gov/government/departments/fire-medical/community-outreach/safety-tips .