EDMONTON – The Canadian Red Cross has a Flood Recovery Guide that contains information and safety tips for those affected by the recent floods in southern Alberta.
The organization recommends the following items will help in the recovery process:
- Camera or video camera, notebook and pen to record damage,
- Buckets, mops and sponges,
- All-purpose cleaner or unscented detergent,
- Large containers for soaking bedding and clothing, and lines to hang them to dry,
- Flashlight,
- First aid kit,
- Tools (hammer, pliers),
- Trash bags.
The Red Cross also suggests:
Remember to dress properly during clean up by wearing rubber boots or sturdy boots, safety glasses, hard hat, rubber gloves and a dust mask.
Check the outside of the house for any signs of damage or danger. Do not enter the home if there is:
- Standing water around the house.
- Loose power lines.
- Natural gas or propane leaks, or gasoline spills.
- Check the foundation, roof and steps for damage.
- Contact a building inspector or structural engineer for advice.
- Check with your municipal government for a listing of building inspectors.
Use extreme caution entering the home. Remember to look for buckled walls and floors, and sagging ceilings. If you see any of these, leave the home and contact authorities. Watch out for holes in the floor, broken glass, and other debris. Check with local authorities on how to properly dispose of damaged items from your home.
Contact your municipality or provincial ministry to find out how to dispose of hazardous materials such as solvents, garden chemicals and home cleaning products that have been soaked or that show signs of water damage.
Flood water can be heavily contaminated with sewage and other pollutants.
Remove water from your flooded home slowly. Drain it in stages – about one third of the volume daily. If the ground is still saturated and water is removed too quickly, the walls or floors could buckle. Use pumps or pails to remove standing water, then a wet/dry shop vacuum to mop up the rest.
Do not use flooded appliances, electrical outlets, switch boxes or fuse-breaker panels until they have been checked by a qualified electrician. Have your central heating system checked by a qualified technician before use. Replace filters and insulation inside furnaces, water heaters, refrigerators and freezers if they have been wet. You may need to consider replacing the whole appliance, depending on the severity of the damage. Consult with a professional electrician or with the manufacturer. Replace any telephones that have been exposed to floodwaters as they may be a safety hazard.
Scrape all heavy dirt from clothes, rinse and wash several times with detergent and dry immediately to prevent mould from forming.
Books may be salvaged by slow, careful drying. Most photographs can be air-dried, face up. To salvage important documents, put them in the freezer immediately. Later, allow them to thaw and lift off each page as it thaws.
More information and contacts are available on the Red Cross website.
A complete Canadian Red Cross Flood Recovery Guide:
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