Inform your insurance company

The flood waters may be gone but the water-borne dangers remain. This is the basic thing you should remember if your house has been flooded and you face the taxing and dangerous task of cleaning up.

It is best to assume that floodwater is contaminated water. The clean water from the rain or the lake could have mixed with all kinds of overflow, including water from sewage systems.

To be safe everyone in the family must be reminded not to eat any food that has touched floodwater. Canned food should also be disinfected before opening the can; do this by dipping it for 5 minutes or more in a solution of 2 tablespoons of bleach in one gallon of water.

It is best to keep children and pets away from floodwater or anything that has been under it. Open cuts and wounds may be vulnerable to all kinds of bacteria. You may need to have booster tetanus shots if you haven’t had one in the last ten years. Get the shots before you begin cleaning up in case you get cut while you’re working. Remember, there may be nails and sharp things in the mud, so make certain you are covered.

Your local health department may have more safety tips, but think at least of the following:

* Remember to inform your insurance company.

* Wash your hands frequently during the clean-up.

* Before going into a flooded house or basement, make sure electrical power is turned off and there is no leaking gas. Check for sparks, or frayed wires. Also smell the air for gas or listen for a hissing noise; to be sure, you may want to turn off gas at the main (and ask the utility company to turn it back on later).

* Use high-top rubber boots and eye protection while working. Before you touch anything, take photographs of the basement or the house, which may be useful to support your insurance claims.

* Remove furnishings and appliances if you can do so safely. The lesser time they remain submerged the more chances you have of restoring them to original use.

* Don’t be in a hurry to dry out wood flooring and other materials – they may split and crack if dried too fast. The better way is to have a large dehumidifier remove the moisture. Do not ever turn up the heat or heaters for drying because these may provide the environment for molds and mildew to propagate.

* Always see a doctor if you experience symptoms of fever, diarrhea and nausea. Always check yourself for cuts and wounds that become inflamed.