Survival After the Flood

"Many of the survivors say they wish they’d been warned about how life would be after the hurricane was over and they were dealing with a lack of utilities, of potable water, of fresh food – and the stench of mildew, of rotting fish, of sewage overflows, of toilets that don’t work, of sludge coating everything, and of the flies and mosquitoes and the heat. They didn’t need to evacuate for the storm; they do need to evacuate for the aftermath." - Gallimaufree Suburban Survival

I'll try to keep this post short and recommend you read, Survival After the Flood Waters Recede, by Gallimaufree. It describes what life is really like recovering from a flood. Some of the items I learned:

• Dry wooden furniture in the shade – direct sunlight can warp it.
• Do not harvest any food from flooded gardens – not even potatoes or carrots. If it’s a fruiting plant that hasn’t set fruit yet, and it survives the flood, you should be able to safely harvest it later.
• Contaminated soil and compost is also a gardening hazard.
• Make sure you are current on your tetanus shots because tetanus is a dreadful way to die. Even minor scratches can lead to tetanus.
• Pathways may be slick with slime. Debris may house snakes and other animals and hide broken glass, nails, and shards. Walk carefully in heavy hiking boots and use a hiker’s walking stick for balance.

Bottom Line

Print out a copy of “Repairing Your Flooded Home”, http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1418, and keep it with your survival supplies. It covers what you need to do to get your property back in shape: recovering books, photos, documents, paintings; removing mold and mildew; drying out your furniture; and more. Your home may look like a total loss but you can recover much more than you thought possible.

Breaking News

Sept 24 (ABC News/AP) [Galveston] is in such bad shape, those hurrying back home were given an ominous warning: Bring tetanus shots, rat poisoning and don't bring children [...] planes are spraying the city with insecticide to prevent a boom in the mosquito population, the water isn't drinkable and people are urged to wear face masks to guard against inhaling toxic mold that is proliferating in the sweltering city.
Nevertheless, highways into Galveston were jammed with cars today, lines as long as 14 miles long, as many of the city's 57,000 citizens hurried back to see what, if anything, was left of their homes.