-Examine walls, floors, doors, and windows to make sure that the building is not in danger of  collapsing.

-Watch out for animals, especially poisonous snakes, that may have come into your home with  the flood waters. Use a stick to poke through debris. Larger animals may have been displaced by rising waters, and are now disoriented. Be aware of the threat of rabies. You may also see an increased number of rats in the area.

-Be aware of the possibility of an increased number of insects, especially mosquitoes, due to standing water, and protect yourself and your family with insect repellents containing DEET.

-Watch for loose plaster and ceilings that could fall.

-Look for:
  -Fire hazards
  -Broken or leaking gas lines
  -Flooded electrical circuits
  -Submerged furnaces or electrical appliances
  -Flammable or explosive materials coming from upstream

-Pump out flooded basements gradually (about one-third of the water per day) to avoid  structural damage.

-Service damaged septic tanks, cesspools, pits, and leaching systems as soon as possible.  Damaged sewage systems are health hazards.


-Do not allow children to play in flooded areas. These areas are unsafe due to strong water currents and bacteria contamination.


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INSPECTING UTILITIES IN A HOME DAMAGED BY A FLOOD
   
POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL DAMAGE--If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician for advice.
    
POSSIBLE NATURAL GAS LEAKS--If you smell gas or hear blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.

DAMAGE TO SEWAGE AND WATER LINES--If you suspect sewage lines are damaged avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid the water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.

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FLOODED HOMES: CLEAN UP SAFETY TIPS

1. Make sure all gas and electric is turned off.

2. Use only battery operated lighting (no matches, candles, lighters, or lanterns)

3. Allow for adequate ventilation by opening windows and doors, to let any gas fumes escape.

4. Protect yourself from possible sewage in the water, which can be very harmful. Always use rubber gloves and water resistant clothing, such as high boots or fishing waders. You should also wear goggles or a face mask to protect you eyes from any splashing water.

5. Keep children and pets out of flooded areas.

6. Make sure any open wounds are thoroughly covered.

7. Be aware that floors will be slippery, even after water has receded.

8. Take pictures or video of the damage--both to the house and its contents for insurance claims.

9. Remove all damaged furniture, draperies, appliances, dishes, etc., from the house.

10. Replace water damaged walls or support structures one foot beyond water line.

11. Remove any types of toxic substances, such as cleaning supplies and insecticides.

12. Follow the following rules regarding disposing of flood damaged material:
     -Porous materials (soak up water readily) such as cardboard,fabric, drywall, and clothing should be bagged up and thrown away.
     -Semi-porous materials (soak up water after prolonged exposure), such as wood and particle board, need to be examined
for dry rot and water damage. Those pieces that look to be salvageable need to be cleaned and dried.
     -Non-porous materials (do not soak up water), such as plastics, metal, or concrete, need to be properly cleaned and dried.

WHEN CLEANING MATERIALS, MAKE SURE THERE IS ADEQUATE VENTILATION. USE FANS AND DEHUMIDIFIERS TO REMOVE MOISTURE AND FUMES FROM CLEANING SUPPLIES, AND AID IN DRYING. MAKE SURE THAT ALL MATERIALS ARE SCRUBBED THOROUGHLY WITH DETERGENT, AND SANITIZED WITH ONE CUP OF CHLORINE BLEACH PER GALLON OF WATER (AT A TEMERATURE OF 70 DEGREES F). NEVER MIX AMMONIA WITH BLEACH. THIS COMBINATION IS TOXIC.

BE SURE TO GET A FLOODED AREA CLEANED UP AND DRIED TO AVOID THE FORMATION OF MOLD. tO READ READ MORE ABOUT MOLD, CLICK HERE, OR ON THE LINK IN THE MENU TO THE LEFT.

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FOOD AND WATER SAFETY TIPS AFTER FLOODING
Flooding poses another problem to food. Flood water is often contaminated with various unknown wastes and chemicals. Because its contents are unknown, all flood water is considered contaminated. Please take the following actions should your food supplies be exposed to flood waters.

Destroy the following foods if they have been covered by flood waters: fresh fruits and vegetables; foods in cardboard or paper cartons; foods in bags, such as rice and flour; foods, liquids or beverages in crown-capped bottles or containers with pull-tops, corks or screw caps. This includes canned foods in glass jars, whether you bought them or canned them yourself.

Destroy all foods that were covered by water which may have been contaminated with industrial waste. This includes those foods sealed in unopened cans.

Foods in sealed cans not fouled by industrial waste may be safe to eat if the cans don't have bulges or leaks, but you must first disinfect the cans before you open them.

To disinfect cans, remove labels and wash the containers with soap or detergent. Rinse in a chlorine bleach solution using two tablespoons of household laundry bleach to each gallon of water. Rinse containers in clean water, dry and re-label them. The cans can also be sterilized by covering with water and boiling for at least 10 minutes.

Get you water from a well, cistern, pond, or hauled storage, DO NOT DRINK, BATHE, OR USE THE WATER UNTIL THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN PROPERLY DECONTAMINATED AND FLUSHED TO AVOID HARMFUL BACTERIA. It is highly recommended that you have your water tested after decontamination to be sure all harmful bacteria has been killed. For more information on well decontamination please view below or select the link at the top of the page. For more information on getting your well tested for bacteria, please contact your local health department.

Until your well can be decontaminated and tested, use bottled water or boil water (see procedure below).

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WATER TREATMENT
1. Filter the water using a piece of cloth or coffee filter to remove solid particles.

2. Bring it to a rolling boil for about one full minute.

3. Let it cool at least 30 minutes. Water must be cool or the chlorine treatment described below will be useless.

4. Add 16 drop of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water, or 8 drops per 2-liter bottle of water. Stir to mix. Sodium hypochlorite of the concentration of 5.25% to 6% should be the only active ingredient in the bleach. There should not be any added soap or fragrances. A major bleach manufacturer has also added Sodium Hydroxide as an active ingredient, which they state does not pose a health risk for water treatment.

5. Let stand 30 minutes.

6. If it smells of chlorine. You can use it. If it does not smell of chlorine, add 16 more drop of chlorine bleach per gallon of water (or 8 drops per 2-liter bottle of water), let stand 30 minutes, and smell it again. If it smells of chlorine, you can use it. If it does not smell of chlorine, discard it and find another source of water.

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WELL DISINFECTION
It is important for wells to be properly disinfected after flooding situations to kill any possible harmful microorganisms that may seep into the well from contaminated water. Below, are the instructions that need to be followed to properly disinfect your well. Please note that after this process has been performed, it is highly recommended that you have your well professionally tested for bacteria by either your local Health Department or Environmental Protection Agency. This will ensure that your well is safe and also indicate a need for a second disinfection.

1. Turn on as many faucets as possible and let them run for several hours. This will remove all contaminated water from the ground supply.

2. Mix 2 gallons of fresh unscented laundry bleach (5.25% chlorine) with 5 gallons of fresh water.

3. Take the cap off of the well, and pour solution directly into the well.

4. Mix 1 quart of white vinegar to another 5 gallon bucket of water and then pour it into the well.

5. Using a garden hose, circulate this solution throughout the well. This will wash down the sides of the casing. Do this for about ten minutes. You will see debris, washing down the sides of the casing for about 10 minutes. Debris may begin to slough off and iron in the water may begin to turn solid as the chlorine reacts with it.

6. Turn on all faucets (including running the washer and flushing all toilets), both hot and cold, and run then until the odor of chlorine is detected.

  -Do not bypass the water heater or softener. These also need to be disinfected. Bacteria tend to find the resign bed in the water softener to be an optimal place to glow.
  -Remove and discard any carbon filters or cartridge filter elements.
  -Thoroughly clean the inside of the filter housing.

7. When the smell of chloride is detected, turn off all faucets, and let water set in pipes for 24 hours.

8. After allowing the water to sit for 24 hours, it is time to flush the system out.

  -Run an outside spigot for several hours until chlorine odor is no longer detected.
  -Do not flush the solution through the septic tank. It could cause damage to the tank.
  -Flush chlorine solution from each faucet in the house. Run each faucet until the scent of chlorine is no longer detected. This should only take a few minutes.

9. Wait 48 hours before testing for coliform bacteria. Make sure to test water for chlorine first before the bacteria test is performed. If the tester finds chlorine in the water, the test will not be run. Do not replace carbon filters or filter elements until the coliform sample is negative.

10. If the test comes back negative, your water will be released to be used. If it comes back positive, the well will need to be re-disinfected.

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SOURCES: AMERICAN RED CROSS AND TRUMBULL COUNTY, OHIO HEALTH DEPARTMENT