Four Tips For Staying Safe In A Flood

Floods can be extremely dangerous. Along with the danger the water alone poses, other hazards like contaminants in the water and electrocution make flooding even more dangerous. 

North Charleston Water Damage

At Clean Masters, our number one priority is ensuring our client’s safety before and after a flood. Here are four essential tips on how you can do so. 

Avoid Contact With The Floodwater

It’s recommended that you always wear protective gear when in the vicinity of floodwater. Floodwater often contains harmful bacteria and microorganisms that can lead to serious illness. Floodwater may also contain debris under the surface that could cause serious injury. Thus, a good rule of thumb is to avoid all contact with floodwater to the extent possible. This is one reason why hiring a professional water damage restoration company is so important. They have the experience and equipment necessary to safely and effectively deal with a flooding disaster. However, if you must come into contact with the water, protective gear is a must. You should even consider including a face mask as part of your protective gear since contaminated water can contaminate the air around it.

Be Wary Of Electrical Currents In The Water

Downed power cables are still potentially live. Do not touch any that are within reach, and report all outages and fallen lines to your local power company. These can cause nasty electric shocks and potentially burns. Water is also a conductor of electricity. If you see a power line in the water, avoid that water at all costs. The same goes for floodwater inside your home. The flooding may have damaged your electrical systems and caused the water to become electrified. Never touch the floodwater inside your home until the electricity has been shut off.

Avoid Driving Through Floodwater

In the event of a flood, you may need to get across town to get to someone safe or help someone in need. However, the last thing you should ever do is drive through floodwater. No matter how badly you need to get from point A to point B, driving through floodwater is never the solution. This is because it’s impossible to tell how high the water is. If it’s high enough the water could flood your engine and stop your car leaving you stranded in a flood zone. People die from trying to drive through a flood zone every year. It’s just not worth the risk.

Rely On The Pros To Keep You Safe

When all is said and done, the best way to guarantee your safety after a flood is to rely on trained professionals to handle the dangerous parts of the cleanup so you don’t have to put yourself at risk. At Clean Masters, our restoration technicians are trained to handle all types of dangerous flood scenarios with caution and precision. All in all, flood safety is nothing to take lightly. If you ever find yourself affected by a flood, make sure you follow the advice above to avoid subjecting yourself to any unnecessary danger.