Thursday, April 1, 2010

Staying healthy while cleaning up after the flood


01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, April 1, 2010
By Felice J. Freyer

Journal Medical Writer
When water pools, the risk of sickness of grows. But a few precautions can keep people safe as they clean up after the deluge.

The key thing to remember is that floodwaters are likely to contain sewage. If you must wade in, wear long pants, rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles. Always wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning up or coming in contact with floodwaters.

Once the waters recede and the sun comes out, the risks outdoors will start to evaporate. “When it’s dry, it’s no longer germy,” said Annemarie Beardsworth, Rhode Island Health Department spokeswoman.

But inside, it is essential to clean and dry the house and everything in it to kill bacteria and viruses and prevent the growth of mold.

While public water systems are safe, the owners of the roughly 10,000 private wells need to take precautions, Beardsworth said. If you have a private well and standing water has pooled around the well cap, consider the well contaminated and take these steps:

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Minneapolis, MN 55408-1002
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