Hurricane season safety tips for St. Tammany families really come down to preparing before a storm is on the radar, protecting your health during a power outage, and knowing where to get care for cuts, infections, and injuries once cleanup starts. Covington sits inland in St. Tammany Parish, but wind, flooding, and long power outages still reach the Northshore, and many storm injuries happen in the days after landfall, not during the storm itself.
When is hurricane season in Louisiana?
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and the statistical peak is September 10, according to the National Hurricane Center. In NOAA’s updated August 2026 outlook, forecasters predicted a below-normal season of 7 to 13 named storms, with 2 to 6 becoming hurricanes and 0 to 2 major hurricanes. Early September is the highest-risk stretch for the parish, so your kit, your plan, and your health prep should already be in place.
Living in Covington, Mandeville, or Madisonville does not put Northshore families out of reach, either. Inland flooding, downed trees, and multi-day outages are common here even when the coast takes the direct hit.
What should go in a hurricane emergency kit?
A hurricane emergency kit should hold at least three days of supplies per person, and FEMA and Ready.gov recommend one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation. Build it now while stores are stocked, and keep it somewhere everyone in the house can reach.
If anyone in your family takes daily prescriptions, refill early. Ask your pharmacy about an emergency supply before a storm forms, because a long outage or a closed pharmacy can leave you short at the worst time.
Is it safe to run a generator after a power outage?
A generator is safe only outdoors and far from any opening into the house. The CDC says to run a portable generator outdoors and keep it at least 20 feet from every door, window, and vent. Never run one inside a garage, carport, or enclosed porch, even with the door open.
Generators are one of the deadliest hidden dangers after a storm because they produce carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless gas. Early carbon monoxide poisoning feels like headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion, per the CDC. If you or anyone in the home feels those symptoms, get to fresh air right away and call 911. Put a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector in your kit and test it before the season peaks.
Is my food safe after the power goes out?
When the power fails, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors shut. The CDC and FoodSafety.gov say food stays safe about 4 hours in an unopened refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer, and 24 hours in a half-full freezer. Throw out refrigerated perishables like meat, dairy, and leftovers after 4 hours without power, and never taste food to decide if it is safe.
The simple rule that prevents foodborne illness after a storm: when in doubt, throw it out. A frozen meal is cheaper than a stomach infection during a week when clinics and roads may be hard to reach.
Do I need a tetanus shot after storm cleanup?
You may need a tetanus booster if you get a dirty or deep wound during cleanup and it has been more than 5 years since your last shot. The CDC’s routine schedule is a tetanus booster every 10 years, but for a wound contaminated with soil, floodwater, or debris, the window drops to 5 years. Storm cleanup is full of exactly those risks: nails, sheet metal, chainsaw cuts, and standing water.
At our urgent care in Covington, our team can clean and close cuts, provide tetanus shots, and check wounds for infection, with on-site X-ray if we need to look for a fracture or debris. If you cannot remember your last tetanus shot and you have a puncture or a wound that touched floodwater, do not wait it out. A quick visit is far easier than treating an infection later.
How do you stay safe during storm cleanup?
Many hurricane injuries happen during cleanup, not during the storm, so slow down and protect yourself. Wear sturdy gloves, closed shoes or boots, and eye protection to guard against nails, sheet metal, and downed limbs. Beyond those physical hazards, Louisiana heat and humidity linger well into fall, so take breaks in the shade, since heat illness sends people to urgent care every summer and early fall.
- Watch for heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea. Move to a cool spot and drink water.
- Never touch downed power lines or step into flooded areas where lines may be live.
- Use chainsaws and ladders carefully; falls and deep cuts are the most common cleanup injuries.
- Wash any cut right away with clean water and soap, then cover it.
Keep small children well away from debris, standing water, and power tools. If someone has a life-threatening problem such as severe bleeding, chest pain, trouble breathing, or a head injury, call 911 right away.
Where can St. Tammany families get care after a storm?
For non-emergency storm injuries and illnesses, an urgent care clinic is often the fastest option, and Total Health Urgent Care in Covington is open 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. We handle cuts and lacerations, minor fractures, infections, tetanus shots, and the coughs and stomach bugs that spread after a storm. We have on-site X-ray and lab, accept most major insurance, and post transparent self-pay pricing, with an office visit of $130 and an X-ray of $75 for those without coverage.
After severe weather, please call ahead to confirm we are open, since power and road conditions can change fast. For an urgent but non-life-threatening problem during hurricane season, walk in, phone (985) 400-5370, or browse our list of services to see what we treat. You can also find directions and hours on our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
The Atlantic hurricane season peaks around September 10, according to the National Hurricane Center, though the full season runs June 1 through November 30. Early September is the highest-risk stretch for St. Tammany Parish.
Keep it at least 20 feet from every door, window, and vent, per the CDC. Never run a generator indoors, in a garage, or on an enclosed porch.
About 4 hours in an unopened refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer, and 24 hours in a half-full freezer, according to the CDC. Throw out refrigerated perishables after 4 hours without power, and never taste food to check it.
If a wound is dirty or deep and it has been more than 5 years since your last tetanus shot, the CDC recommends a booster. Total Health Urgent Care in Covington provides tetanus shots and wound care 7 days a week.
Headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion, per the CDC. Get to fresh air immediately and call 911. Carbon monoxide is odorless, so a battery-powered detector is essential when using a generator.
Total Health Urgent Care in Covington is open 7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call (985) 400-5370 to confirm hours after severe weather, as conditions can affect availability.
This guide was prepared by the Total Health Urgent Care team in Covington, a clinic founded by Jennifer Duncan, APRN, MSN, FNP-C. It is general health information, not medical advice. For a medical emergency, call 911. See the CDC and the National Hurricane Center for official hurricane preparedness guidance.