Severe Weather Guide: After the Storm

It’s essential to work safely when cleaning up wind and rain damage. One study showed that 50% of tornado-related injuries happened after the storm.

• Tetanus. If your last tetanus shot is more than 10 years old, get an updated vaccination.
•  Glass, fiberglass insulation and other particulates can injure unprotected eyes, lungs and hands. Wear eyewear, sturdy boots, a dust mask, long sleeves and pants, and leather gloves during clean-up efforts.
• Soft items, such as upholstered furniture, mattresses, pillows, blankets, carpeting and draperies may contain dangerous slivers of glass. Inspect carefully and consider professional cleaning or replacement of these items.
• Food stored in cupboards may also be embedded with glass splinters. Check flour, sugar, boxed mixes and cereal thoroughly. When in doubt, replace it.

• The sooner the cleanup can begin, the better. The first 24 hours after the flood are vital for preventing mold from forming in water-damaged homes.
• Floodwater in your home may contain sewage, E. coli, salmonella and household chemicals. Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles.
• Electrocution is a major cause of death in flood zones. Do not enter a flooded home where outlets and appliances have been submerged without verifying the power is turned off, not just knocked out and likely to come on unexpectedly.
• Do not attempt to clean a wet basement with a vacuum that is not meant to handle water. You could be electrocuted.
• Open every door, drawer, cupboard and window to maintain air circulation. If your air conditioner is working, set it on low to draw the humidity out of your house.
• Test for water trapped in walls by removing the baseboard and poking small holes in the drywall or plaster about two inches above the floor.
• Remove and discard all water-soaked, porous items such as upholstered furniture, carpets, soft toys, drywall and insulation. Label this garbage as “contaminated.”
• After washing with water, disinfect the floors and flooded portions of the walls using a chlorine bleach solution (1/2 cup laundry bleach to 1 gallon water) treating 2 feet above the flood line.
• Have flood-affected appliances and heating and cooling units checked out and repaired by a qualified service technician before operating them.
• Stay away from wet, damp or flood-affected outlets, circuit breaker boxes and switches, and have them replaced by a licensed electrician, as needed.

Tools & Recovery Supplies

If you can, the time to purchase tools and supplies for cleanup is before the storm hits.