Are You Prepared For The Coming Season? How To Recover From A Flood
Posted on: 6 October 2017
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With the storm season just getting underway in a lot of the country, it's time to make sure you're prepared. Floods can happen at any time. When they do, you need to know how to react, and how to recover from them. The best way to ensure a safe recovery is to plan in advance. By familiarizing yourself with the steps you'll need to take, you'll be better prepared to take action once you're faced with a disaster. If your home is flooded this year, here are four suggestions that will help you recover safely:
Don't Return Home Until It's Clear
After a disaster, it's normal to want to get home as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, trying to return home too quickly could put you in harm's way. Not only that, but it could interfere with the work that the emergency crews are trying to take care of. If your home has been flooded, don't return home until you've been given the go-ahead by local emergency personnel. They're the ones who've been on the front lines. They know what dangers are out there and whether your home is safe to go into. Wait it out until you're given the all-clear.
Protect Yourself
Depending on how long your home has been exposed to the flood waters, you could be walking into a dangerous situation, even after you've been given the all-clear. There could be wild animals hiding in your home, or sharp objects under the water. There could even be live electrical wires under the water. Before you enter your home, make sure you're prepared to protect yourself. Wear heavy-duty rubber-soled shoes to protect your feet from electrical hazards and sharp objects. It's also a good idea to carry a large wooden stick. You can use the stick to carefully open doors, giving you enough time to check for animals that might be hiding in your home.
Don't Eat the Food
When you're going through your home, avoid eating any of the food that might still be in your cabinets or refrigerator, even if it still looks safe. The food in the cabinets has been exposed to water-borne contaminants. The food in your freezer may have thawed, and then refrozen when the power came back on. Don't take chances. Take pictures of the food for insurance purposes, and then toss it in the trash.
Take Care With Your Generator
If you're going to be using a generator during your cleanup, be sure to take care with it. Only use it in well-ventilated areas, to prevent harmful fumes from building up in your home. When you refuel it, always turn it off and wait for it to cool down first. Fuel is extremely flammable. If even a small amount of fuel were to accidentally spill onto a hot engine, it could ignite and burst into flames.
Contact a company like Affordable Tree Care for more information and assistance.