• Be Aware
    • Hazards
      • Earthquake
      • Extreme Cold
      • Extreme Heat
      • Household Fire Dangers
      • Flooding
        • Turn Around – Don’t Drown
      • Hazardous Spills
      • High Winds
      • Ice Storm
      • Lightning
      • Power Outages
        • Generator Safety
        • Carbon Monoxide Dangers
      • Severe Storms & Thunderstorms
      • Tornado
    • Radio Lexington
    • Get Involved
      • CERT
    • CSEPP
      • History of CSEPP
      • CSEPP in Kentucky
      • Blue Grass Army Depot
      • Chemical Agent Disposal
      • CSEPP in Fayette County
      • Zones
    • Get the BeReady Phone App
    • NOAA Weather Radio
    • Outdoor Warning Sirens
      • Siren FAQ
    • How to Be Prepared for Emergencies – American Sign Language
  • Make a Plan
    • Planning for AFN/Disability Groups
    • Equine Preparedness Plans
    • Farm Preparedness
    • Pet Preparedness Plans
    • Senior Preparedness Plans
    • Hazard Mitigation Plan
    • Shelter in Place Plans
    • Special Events-How to get a permit
    • Travel Plans
    • Utility Shutoff Plans
    • Ready Kat
  • Build a Kit
    • Your financial emergency kit
    • Vehicle Emergency Kits
    • Emergency Kits
    • Home Emergency Kits
    • Pet Emergency Kits
  • About Us
    • What We Do
    • Who We Are
    • Forms
    • Newsletters
    • Emergency Operations Center
    • Contact Us
    • Training
    • Library
  • en English
    en Englishes Spanishar Arabicfr Frenchhi Hindija Japanesekm Khmerko Koreanne Nepalipt Portugueseru Russiansw Swahili
en English
en Englishes Spanishar Arabicfr Frenchhi Hindija Japanesekm Khmerko Koreanne Nepalipt Portugueseru Russiansw Swahili
Be Ready Lexington
  • Be Aware
    • Hazards
      • Earthquake
      • Extreme Cold
      • Extreme Heat
      • Household Fire Dangers
      • Flooding
        • Turn Around – Don’t Drown
      • Hazardous Spills
      • High Winds
      • Ice Storm
      • Lightning
      • Power Outages
        • Generator Safety
        • Carbon Monoxide Dangers
      • Severe Storms & Thunderstorms
      • Tornado
    • Radio Lexington
    • Get Involved
      • CERT
    • CSEPP
      • History of CSEPP
      • CSEPP in Kentucky
      • Blue Grass Army Depot
      • Chemical Agent Disposal
      • CSEPP in Fayette County
      • Zones
    • Get the BeReady Phone App
    • NOAA Weather Radio
    • Outdoor Warning Sirens
      • Siren FAQ
    • How to Be Prepared for Emergencies – American Sign Language
  • Make a Plan
    • Planning for AFN/Disability Groups
    • Equine Preparedness Plans
    • Farm Preparedness
    • Pet Preparedness Plans
    • Senior Preparedness Plans
    • Hazard Mitigation Plan
    • Shelter in Place Plans
    • Special Events-How to get a permit
    • Travel Plans
    • Utility Shutoff Plans
    • Ready Kat
  • Build a Kit
    • Your financial emergency kit
    • Vehicle Emergency Kits
    • Emergency Kits
    • Home Emergency Kits
    • Pet Emergency Kits
  • About Us
    • What We Do
    • Who We Are
    • Forms
    • Newsletters
    • Emergency Operations Center
    • Contact Us
    • Training
    • Library
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Flood

Use care when cleaning up flood damage

Use care when cleaning up flood damage
DEM Blogger
July 13, 2015

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department reminds people to proceed with caution when dealing with floodwater in their homes.

Floodwater can affect homes by damaging materials, introducing unknown contaminants including sewage and creating dampness throughout the home. Please take the following steps during flooding:

  • Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup is completed.
  • Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles during cleanup of affected area. Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces with hot water and laundry or dish detergent. After completing cleanup, wash your hands with soap and water.
  • Wash clothes worn during cleanup in hot water and detergent, separately from uncontaminated clothes and linens.
  • Remove and discard any item that cannot be washed and disinfected. Also, remove items that have been wet for more than 48 hours and cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried (these items can remain a source of mold growth and should be removed from the home).
  • Prevent water outdoors from reentering your home. Water from gutters or the roof should drain away from the house; the ground around the house should slope away from the house to keep basements and crawl spaces dry. Ensure that crawl spaces in basements have proper draining to limit water seepage; ventilate to allow area to dry out.
  • Floodwater often contains infectious organisms, including intestinal bacteria. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, muscle aches and fever. Most cases of sickness from flood conditions are caused by ingesting contaminated food or water. Tetanus, however, can be acquired from contaminated soil or water entering broken areas of the skin, such as cuts, abrasions or puncture wounds. Tetanus is an infectious disease that affects the nervous system and causes severe muscle spasms, known as lockjaw. The symptoms may appear weeks after exposure and may begin as a headache but later develop into difficulty swallowing or opening the jaw.
  • Seek immediate medical attention if you become injured or ill during cleanup.

For additional information, please contact the health department at (859) 231-9791.

Related Items
Flood
July 13, 2015
DEM Blogger

Related Items

More in Flood

stormy weather

Get Ready for Rain and Some Wind

John BobelMarch 5, 2022
Read More
Kentucky River Flooding

Flood advisory issued for Kentucky River area of central Kentucky

John BobelJanuary 3, 2022
Read More
Kentucky River Flooding

Flood Damage Loan Deadline is January 24, 2022

John BobelDecember 28, 2021
Read More

Flash Flood Watch Issued for Lexington

John BobelSeptember 15, 2021
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Copyright © 2018.

Severe Weather Probable for Fayette County
Ten ways to stay safe during the holidays