In addition to water, watch out for gasses
With the widespread heavy rains and flooding comes the possibility of oxygen depletion, a problem that has been observed in homes during and after unusually heavy rains, said Curtis Redington, environmental quality specialist with the City of Wichita Environmental Health Office.
Particularly in river basin areas, rapidly rising ground water can displace natural soil gases including carbon dioxide and methane in sufficient volumes to displace normal levels of oxygen in buildings. Note, if methane enters buildings in sufficient concentrations, potentially explosive conditions can develop.
The most significant indicator of dangerously low oxygen levels has been gas pilot lights going out on water heaters and/or furnaces in basements, Redington said. There have also been reports of people and pets experiencing difficulty breathing.
If possible, check buildings for explosive gases and oxygen before attempting to re-light any gas pilots or when responding to medical alarms that may be related to low oxygen. In past experience, normal oxygen levels are quickly restored by opening doors and windows to provide ample ventilation.
When communities are flooded, homeowners’ and businesses’ first response is to ensure the safety of loved ones and staff and then prevent as much damage as possible and in the days following, everyone’s focus turns to the clean-up effort and getting all utilities in working order.
However, said Janel Rose with the Barton County Health Department, residents should also focus on preventing health risks whenever possible.
“Floods create a potential health risks because flood water often contains sewage waste that deposits harmful bacteria and contaminants on surfaces it touches,” she said. These flood risks include tetanus, sewage and chemical contamination, and mold.
Tetanus can be a serious bacterial infection that left untreated can be fatal, Rose said. The bacteria causing tetanus are found in soil, dust and manure that enter the body through breaks in the skin – usually cuts or puncture wounds.
If it has been more than 10 years since a person’s last tetanus shot, they need to have a vaccine booster, she said. If someone doing clean-up experiences an injury such as a cut, a puncture wound, or scrape that breaks the skin and it has been more than five years since their last shot, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that they go to their medical provider and get a vaccine to prevent tetanus.
To prevent illnesses caused by contaminated flood waters, during flood clean up CDC recommends that adults should:
• Keep children and pets out of flood-damaged areas until clean-up has been completed.
• Wear protective equipment such as rubber boots and gloves and eye safety goggles when doing clean-up to prevent personal illness and disease.
• Discard flooded items that can’t be washed or disinfected (mattresses, carpeting & padding, upholstered furniture, drywall & insulation, stuffed animals and toys, pillows, books, and most paper products including wall coverings).
• Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces (wood/metal furniture, countertops, appliances, sinks, flooring, and concrete) with laundry or dish soap and hot water followed by a disinfection solution of 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of unscented chlorine bleach per 1 gallon of clean water and allow surfaces to air dry.
• After clean up, thoroughly wash hands with soap and warm water.
• Wash separately all clothes worn during clean up in hot water and detergent.
• Contaminated clothing should be washed in hot water and detergent. Using a Laundromat may be the fastest and safest if on-site water is possibly contaminated.
• See a medical provider if someone gets sick during or after the clean-up.
The CDC also warns that in the weeks following a flood disaster, everyone should be aware of possibilities of mold in the flooded areas of homes and businesses and check areas on a routine basis to prevent mold induced illnesses. The agency recommends buildings and homes be cleaned out first and then dried out as quickly as possible by opening windows and doors and using fans(within 24-48 hours if possible) to prevent mold.
If mold is discovered later it should be cleaned up and any water problem such as leaky roofs or plumbing should be fixed because moisture control is critical in controlling further mold growth.
For more information on preventing illnesses or injuries due to natural disasters see details at these CDC web pages:
Cleaning & Sanitizing with Bleach www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/bleach.asp
Preventing Mold www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/protect.asp
Protecting from Chemicals Released during …disasters www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/chemicals.asp
Flood Water Disaster Clean Up www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/cleanupwater.asp
For more information on flood health risks contact the Barton County Health Department at 620-793-1902 or see its web page at www.bartoncounty.org/Health.
