Those who at least once had a deal with standing and floodwater, understand how dangerous and risky it can be for yourself, your family members, and your property. Water damaged property is not the worst thing that can happen is such a situation because there are a lot of injury risks for yourself and your family members’ health caused by chemical hazards, infectious diseases, and other contaminations that contain in standing and floodwater.
If possible, try to stay inside of your residential house and do not try to inspect the damage done to your neighborhood by high water because the roads may still be not safe enough. If roads are still flooded, do not try to drive on them because it can be dangerous. While it rains floodwater may stay in the neighborhood for a long period until maintenance crews can do their job and make roads safe again.
Why It Is Better to Stay Out of Floodwater?
As you already read above, it is dangerous for your health and even lives to go outside while flooding and drive on flooded roads, and here a list of major reasons:
- It is impossible to predict the deep of water that remained on the road, so the risk of being trapped in your car or even being sucked by a strong current is very high;
- In some cases, even more, dangerous may become from contaminations contains in standing and floodwater, such as:
- Human and livestock waste;
- Industrial, medical, or household waste and chemicals;
- Physical dangerous sharp debris from vehicles, buildings, and other constructions damaged by the storm;
- Power lines damaged because of the storm;
- Stray or wild animals may panic and attack you or your family members.
Diseases That You May Get Infected because of Floodwater
Floodwater contains many infections, so people who were in contact with it may easily be infected by some of the infectious diseases. Such disease as Tetanus is more than common for people affected by flooding. Such disease as Leptospirosis happily is relatively rare. So let’s see what types of infectious diseases are the most common after flooding:
- Probably you have heard about this disease but in the context of the most common diseases for drug addicts. Unfortunately, hepatitis as easily may be transmitted via contaminated floodwater;
- Gastrointestinal Illness. The most common type of disease caused by contamination on floodwaters, such as parasites and bacteria. Such diseases lead to abdominal troubles and discomfort;
- Legionnaires’ Disease. Such type of bacteria as Legionella is a common contaminant of floodwater. People who swallow water contaminated by such bacteria will complain of fever, chill, coughing, and shortness of breath. In case you noticed such symptoms at one of your family members or yourself, you need to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Without proper treatment with using antibiotics, this disease can be fatal.
Below you will be able to find a list of base precautions for the case if you had a contact with floodwater:
- Wash or clean thoroughly the place of contact. The best will be to use clean water and soap for it, but if you cannot access them, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer od disinfection wipes;
- Wash all of the clothing that was in contact with floodwater before wearing it again. Wash it with using detergent and hot water.
- Make sure that all of your wounds got first aid to remove or reduce the risk of infection and go to the hospital as soon as it will be possible.
In case your residential or commercial property in Illinois faced such a disaster as flooding and got damaged by standing or floodwater, call Signature Water and Fire Restoration, and our specialists will help you to handle it and bring your life back to normal as soon as possible. Here is our 24/7 phone number: 1-224-515-0100.