Rainy-day do’s and definite don’ts

As the rain-soaked Los Angeles Basin prepared for more storms last week, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued these precautions:

* Keep drainage areas free of accumulated debris.

* Ensure that draining facilities are functioning properly.

* Landscape slope areas with plants that can help retard fire and control erosion.

* Do not walk through flowing water. Currents in 6 inches of water can knock you off your feet.

* Do not drive through a flooded area or around road barriers.

* Stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. The second-leading killer in floods, after drowning, is electrocution. Electrical currents can travel through water.