If you have flooding, please call ITS Environmental Services for immediate assistance. We offer free inspections and estimates. We are leading experts in flood & storm damage mitigation and restoration. Let us restore your home or business with our expert care.
At ITS Environmental Services, the safety of our customers is our number one priority. Information is crucial when it comes to protecting your family, loved ones and your employees. We have included several resource pages on our website to provide information concerning various natural and environmental disasters.
There are safety hazards & health risks during and after a flood. Learn what to do and how to protect yourself.
Floodwater and standing waters can be dangerous and can make you vulnerable to infectious diseases, chemical hazards, and other injuries.
Protect yourself and your loved ones from the risks brought by floodwater by following the following CDC recommendations:
Don’t drive in flooded areas — turn around, don’t drown!
Floodwater can pose a drowning risk for everyone regardless of their ability to swim. Swiftly moving shallow water can be deadly, and even shallow standing water can be dangerous for small children.
Always follow warnings about flooded roads.
Don’t drive in flooded areas. Cars or other vehicles won’t protect you from floodwaters. They can be swept away or may stall in moving water.
Floodwaters contain many things that may harm health:
Downed power lines
Human and animal waste
Household, medical, and industrial hazardous waste (chemical, biological, and radiological)
Coal ash waste that can contain carcinogenic compounds such as arsenic, chromium, and mercury
Other contaminants that can lead to illness
Physical objects such as lumber, vehicles, and debris
Wild or stray animals such as rodents and snakes
Exposure to contaminated floodwater can cause:
Wound infections
Skin rash
Gastrointestinal illness
Tetanus
Leptospirosis (not common)
It is important to protect yourself from exposure to floodwater regardless of the source of contamination. The best way to protect yourself is to stay out of the water.
If you come in contact with floodwater:
Wash the area with soap and clean water as soon as possible. If you don’t have soap or water, use alcohol-based wipes or sanitizer.
Take care of wounds and seek medical attention if necessary.
Wash clothes contaminated with flood or sewage water in hot water and detergent before reusing them.
If you must enter floodwater, wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles.
Prevent injuries:
Floodwater may contain sharp objects, such as glass or metal fragments, that can cause injury and lead to infection. Prompt first aid can help heal small wounds and prevent infection.
If you receive a puncture wound or a wound contaminated with feces, soil, or saliva, have a health care professional determine whether a tetanus booster is necessary based on individual records.
Prevent infection of open wounds and rashes:
Open wounds and rashes exposed to floodwater can become infected. Vibrios, for example, are naturally occurring bacteria that live in certain coastal waters and can cause skin infections when an open wound is exposed to them. This can happen during floods. To protect yourself and your family:
Avoid exposure to floodwater if you have an open wound.
Cover clean, open wounds with a waterproof bandage to reduce chance of infection.
Keep open wounds as clean as possible by washing well with soap and clean water.
If a wound develops redness, swelling, or oozing, seek immediate medical attention.
Seek medical attention as soon as possible if:
There is a foreign object (soil, wood, metal, or other objects) embedded in the wound;
The wound is at special risk of infection (such as a dog bite or a puncture by a dirty object);
An old wound shows signs of becoming infected (increased pain and soreness, swelling, redness, draining, or you develop a fever).
Be aware that floodwater may contain sewage, and eating or drinking anything contaminated by floodwater can cause diarrheal disease (such as E. coli or Salmonella infection). To protect yourself and your family:
Wash your hands after contact with floodwater. Also be sure to wash children’s hands with soap and water often and always before meals.
Do not allow children to play in floodwater areas.
Do not allow children to play with toys that have been contaminated by floodwater and have not been disinfected.
Do not bathe in water that may be contaminated with sewage or toxic chemicals. This includes rivers, streams, or lakes that are contaminated by floodwater.
Protect yourself from animal and insect bites:
Floodwater can displace animals, insects, and reptiles. To protect yourself and your family, be alert and avoid contact.
Be aware of possible chemicals in floodwater:
Floods can cause containers of chemicals to move from their normal storage spots.
Don’t attempt to move propane tanks you might find— they’re dangerous and can cause a fire or explosion. If you find any, contact the police, fire department, or your State Fire Marshal’s office immediately.
Be extremely careful when removing car batteries. Even if they are in floodwater, car batteries may still have an electrical charge. Use insulated gloves and avoid coming in contact with any acid that may have spilled from the damaged car battery.
Avoid electrical hazards inside or outside your home:
After a hurricane, flood or other natural disaster you need to be careful to avoid electrical hazards both in your home and elsewhere.
Shut off electrical power and natural gas or propane tanks in your home to avoid fire, electrocution, or explosions.
NEVER touch a fallen power line. Call the power company to report fallen power lines. Avoid contact with overhead power lines during cleanup and other activities.
Do not drive through standing water if downed power lines are in the water.
If you believe someone has been electrocuted, call or have someone else call 911 or emergency medical help.
Safety Tips When Returning Home After a Flood:
Try to return to your home during the daytime so that you do not have to use any lights. Use battery-powered flashlights and lanterns, rather than candles, gas lanterns, or torches.
Do not re-enter the home unless it is safe. Your local police or fire department should evaluate whether your home is safe to re-enter following a flood.
When returning to a home that’s been flooded after natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods, be aware that your house may be contaminated with mold or sewage, which can cause health risks for your family.
In addition, there may be other risks to your health and safety such as exposed wires, structural damage and other potentially harmful hazards. Strong winds and flood waters can down power lines. Rushing water can erode the ground around buried utilities, potentially causing breaks in gas mains. It’s important to check for the smell of gas outside your home, as well as any dangling electrical wires, and call the gas or electric company, or the police or fire department if you find evidence of either, or if you’re uncertain.
Once you are able to safely enter your home, you’ll need to begin taking steps to restore your home. If you have flood insurance, contact your insurance carrier to file a claim. In addition to the emotional toll, there can be significant health & safety hazards when trying to cleanup your home after a flood. You may want to call a professional environmental mitigation company to assist you in the cleanup and restoration. At minimum, it’s a good idea to obtain advice from experts with the experience and knowledge on how to safely begin the cleanup process.
When re-entering your home, wear protective clothing such as a N95 respirator, protective gloves, boots, and long pants and shirts.
Be aware of any potential hazards from wires, sharp objects, falling debris, etc.
Do not turn on any electrical devices until you know it is safe to do so.
If you have a flood in your home or office, call ITS Environmental Services for emergency flood mitigation. We are IICRC Certified professionals and have the knowledge, experience and equipment to locate water wherever it goes, remove the excess, and dry your structure to industry standards. Taking action quickly is the best way to reduce additional damage such as mold growth, which can be a health risk. If mold growth has started, we provide full service mold remediation. We will perform a thorough inspection and provide a free no-obligation estimate.