Gustav & Ike Recovery Tips

Lafourche Parish shows signs of slow return to normalcy
September 16, 2008
Southdown Plantation House/The Terrebonne Museum (Houma)
September 18, 2008
Lafourche Parish shows signs of slow return to normalcy
September 16, 2008
Southdown Plantation House/The Terrebonne Museum (Houma)
September 18, 2008

Hurricanes can leave behind debris-strewn areas, contaminated water, spoiled food, displaced wildlife and conditions which, if not treated properly, may lead to health problems. This information will help you avoid and recover from some of the hazards created by wind and water. Remember to take care of yourself and your family first, then deal with the things you may have lost to the disaster.

Safety in a Disaster Area

• Keep a radio on so you can hear bulletins and other announcements.

• Avoid riding, driving or walking through a flooded area. Flooded roads are weakened, ditches are hard to distinguish from roads and bridges may be washed out. Never go around a police barricade.

• Walk or drive cautiously. Debris-filled streets are dangerous. In flooded areas, washouts may have weakened roads and bridges, and they could collapse under the weight of your vehicle.

• Don’t touch any building, car or other structure that has a fallen power line touching it. Call a professional electrician or power company representative to remove the line.

• Don’t use flames or sparking devices until you’re sure there is no natural gas leaking in the area.

• Be careful around damaged buildings and trees. These may fall if damaged severely.

• Wear protective clothing, sturdy shoes and gloves.

• Assume that water supplies are contaminated.

• Consider all foods that have been in contact with floodwater to be contaminated.

• Be aware that snakes, rodents and other animals may have taken refuge in storm debris or even in your home. Use a poking stick to announce your approach and allow animals to flee.

• If you are bitten by a poisonous snake, don’t try to treat the bite yourself. Go to the nearest hospital for treatment immediately. Make a mental note of the appearance of the snake for identification and treatment purposes.

• Keep small children, pregnant women and people with health problems away from the flooded areas until cleanup is complete.

• If children are in the area, be sure they are safe and being cared for at all times. Never leave young children alone or allow them to play in damaged buildings or areas strewn with debris.

• Learn to recognize and deal with stress.

• If you get a scratch, cut or brush burn from flood debris and have not had a tetanus booster in the last few years, consult your doctor immediately.

Dangers of Debris

Debris is hazardous. It often has sharp or rough edges; it may cause falls; it may contain hazardous material such as asbestos, lead or fiberglass; and it may have been contaminated with chemicals or germs by the flood or storm.

Contamination

Floodwater may have flowed through the local sewerage system before reaching your property. If it has come from upriver, it may contain contaminated runoff. Such water may have elevated levels of fecal coliform and chemicals. Floodwaters may have picked up pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, gasoline and other chemicals commonly held in household storage areas. The bacteria which cause tetanus, or lockjaw, may lie dormant in soil. This is why cuts from tools or other objects that have been on the ground are particularly hazardous. Once the dormant forms (spores) of tetanus enter the body, they begin to multiply and form a powerful toxin that affects muscles. The most common symptoms are a stiffness of the neck muscles and painful spasms of the jaw muscles. Other muscle spasms may occur later. Tetanus

frequently causes death. Symptoms of tetanus may appear from four days to three weeks after the wound is infected. About half the tetanus cases in the United States result from injuries considered trivial at the time they happen. If you have not had immunization against tetanus and receive a scratch, cut or brush burn, consult a physician immediately. An immediate injection of tetanus antitoxin will last long enough to prevent infection from developing, if given in time.

Hazardous Materials

Some of the debris on your property may contain asbestos (roofing, siding, flooring tiles) or be painted with lead-based paint (pre-1978 paint). Airborne asbestos and lead dust are dangerous to inhale or ingest (eat), but they are generally harmless when wet. They should be handled with gloves and bagged while wet. Fiberglass fibers from insulation will irritate skin and lungs after contact or if inhaled; collect carefully and bag.

Burning

In areas where burning is permitted, be particularly careful not to burn asphalt roofing, vinyl siding or any

form of treated lumber. The smoke can cause eye and lung irritation or other problems. Don’t burn wood with lead-based paint since the lead fumes are poisonous.

Infestation

Proper cleanup and disposal of debris will reduce the potential for nesting by rodents, snakes and insects. If your debris will not be disposed of quickly, be sure to pile it as far from the building as possible to keep infestations in a concentrated area away from the home. Don’t let children play on or around debris.

Approaching and Entering a Damaged Building

Before entering a damaged building, be sure to check for structural damage. Make sure the building is not in danger of collapsing. Look for leaning walls, sagging roofs and ceilings, and weakened support columns.

• Turn off any outside gas lines, and let the house ventilate for several minutes to remove escaping gas.

• Be sure all electric service is turned off before entering for the first time. If the main disconnect is inside the house, it would be wise to call your utility company for assistance. Even if power is out in your neighborhood, disconnect the main switch, fuse or circuit breaker at your home, and disconnect all circuits.

• When entering the building, don’t use an open flame as a light source; use a battery-operated flashlight. DO NOT SMOKE.

• Enter carefully. Walking surfaces may be slippery or uneven. Check for a sagging ceiling; wet insulation or pocketed water can cause ceilings to fall. Once in, unplug all appliances that have been flooded. Remember that some appliances can shock you even after the power is turned off.

Food and Water Safety

Water

After a major storm or flood, you must assume all water sources are contaminated until they are proved safe. Purify all water used for drinking, cooking and for washing eating and cooking utensils. Also purify the water used for washing hands, body and kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Do NOT try to use or purify water that has a dark color, an odor or contains floating material. Note that the purification procedures outlined here reduce biological contamination only; if you suspect chemical contamination, do not use the water. Choose ONE of these methods to purify water that has biological contamination. Boiling is the most effective method of disinfecting of water, particularly for people who have severely weakened immune systems (infected with HIV/AIDS, cancer and transplant patients taking immunosuppressive drugs, or people born with a weakened immune system) and for infants and elderly who wish to take extra precautions.

• Boil water for one full minute in a clean container. The one-minute boil time begins after the water has been brought to a rolling boil. (The flat taste can be eliminated by shaking the water in a bottle or pouring it from one container to another.)

• If the water is clear, mix 1/8 teaspoon or 16 drops of unscented, liquid chlorine laundry bleach with one gallon of water and let it stand for at least 30 minutes prior to consumption. If the water is cloudy or colored, use 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water. Be sure to mix thoroughly. If the treated water has a chlorine taste, pour it from one clean container to another several times.

References: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, 2005 and Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, News Release, Drinking Water Warning Issued to Southeast LA Residents, August 31, 2005

• Other treatments such as iodine or purification tablets are not recommended.

Water Well Purification

How do I clean and disinfect my well after a flood?

After a flood, it is important to take every precaution to ensure the safety of your well water. First, it is necessary to inspect and clean the well and pump before using them. You may want to have your water well driller or contractor check out the well before using it.

• Do not turn on the pump until an electrician or well contractor has checked the wiring. There is a risk of

electrical shock! After the proper inspections have taken place, run the pump and discard the water until the well water runs clear.

• Most important, after a flood, you should disinfect the well. This can be accomplished by following the procedures outlined below; however, it is advisable to hire a well contractor to disinfect the well for you.

• Pump the well for several hours to reduce the cloudiness and contaminant levels in the water.

• Pour 4 gallons of a chlorine bleach solution into the well. Chlorine bleach solution consists of 1 gallon of bleach with 3 gallons of clean water. Open every faucet and pump the water until the water coming out of the faucet smells like chlorine, and then turn off each faucet. If you do not smell chlorine at the faucet, add a little more chlorine solution until the smell is detected.

• Let the system sit for 24 hours.

• Open the faucets and run the water until the chlorine smell disappears.

• Have the water sampled and tested. The water IS NOT safe for drinking until lab results show no indication of total coliform bacteria. You can discuss the final lab results with the lab or local parish health unit. It is important to remember that disinfection will not remove chemicals which may have contaminated your well during a flood.

Foods and Food Preparation Items Contaminated by Flood Water

• Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with floodwater.

• Discard all food that came in contact with floodwaters including canned goods. It is impossible to know if the containers were damaged and the seal compromised.

• Discard wooden cutting boards, wooden spoons, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers. There is no way to safely clean them if they have come in contact with contaminated flood waters.

• Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes and utensils with hot soapy water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach per quart of water.

• Clean and sanitize all kitchen surfaces, especially those that may have been contaminated by floodwaters.

• Wash and sanitize your dishes, utensils and kitchen appliances before using them

Foods Flooded While “on the vine”

Discard any fruits and vegetables you did not harvest before a flood. This applies to any food product which was maturing or mature at the time of the flood, both above and below ground. Examples include squash, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, potatoes and carrots. Most home garden plants will die from the flood. In the absence of specific research on the safety of produce from a plant which was exposed to flood water before fruit set, and given the uncertainty of what may have been in the floodwater, the

LSU AgCenter recommends pulling up and discarding a flooded garden and replanting it.

You May Run into Critters in Unusual Places

Many animals in the path of a major storm are displaced and left homeless. It’s common to find these animals seeking shelter and food in areas close to people – in houses, storage sheds, barns and other buildings – and under debris. Structures damaged in a storm are particularly attractive and provide easy access for wildlife.

Outdoors

• Watch where you place your hands and feet when removing or cleaning debris. If possible, don’t place your fingers under debris you intend to move.

• Wear snake-proof boots at least 10 inches high or snake leggings in heavy debris areas where snakes are likely to be found.

• Never step over logs or other obstacles unless you can see the other side.

As soon as possible after a storm, remove from around houses and buildings all debris that provides protective cover for displaced animals. Keep the lawn and field vegetation mowed at a low level to eliminate protective cover. Remove any potential food source. Rats, mice and squirrels are unwelcome post-storm guests. They can damage property and, in extreme cases, pose a potential health problem. It’s a good idea to get rid of them. Seal all openings around the house a quarter-inch and larger to exclude snakes and other animals.

Tips on Rodent Traps and Baits

• Poison baits registered for rat and mouse control contain anticoagulant and non-anticoagulant toxicants. All rodent baits are effective in controlling these pests.

• Snap traps are effective in capturing nuisance rats and mice. Successful trap baits for the trigger mechanism include bacon skin, peanut butter, oatmeal and cotton balls. Check traps each day.

• Box traps and cage traps, will catch squirrels. Good baits are apple, cracked corn and pecans removed from the shell, peanut butter and sunflower seeds.

Snakes

In the South, there are many more species of nonpoisonous snakes than poisonous snakes. It’s important to realize both poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes are beneficial to people by keeping rodent populations down. Since rodents are also displaced by storms, this is especially important. Learn to identify non-poisonous and poisonous snakes. Information on snake identification can be obtained from books such as field guides on amphibians and reptiles from the state wildlife department or from your local LSU AgCenter Office. If you encounter a snake outdoors, step back and allow it to proceed on its way. Snakes usually move slowly, and a person can easily retreat from a snake’s path. If you find a snake in your house, try to isolate the snake within a small area of the house. Nonpoisonous snakes can be captured by pinning them down with a long stick or pole, preferably forked at one end, and then scooping them up with a flat-blade shovel. If you are uncomfortable removing the snake yourself, seek someone within the community who has experience handling snakes to do it for you. A good starting point is your local animal control shelter or sheriff’s department. As a last resort, you may need to kill a poisonous snake. Club it with a long stick, rod or other tool such as a garden hoe. Never try to kill a poisonous snake with an instrument that brings you within the snake’s striking range (usually estimated at less than one-half the total length of the snake). No legal toxicants or fumigants are registered to kill snakes. Repellents are available, but they have limited success.

Source: www.lsuagcenter.com Storm Recovery Guide