During many types of emergencies, the normal services available to you may be disrupted. You may not have power, phone or internet services. You may not be able to buy food, access clean water from your taps or obtain money from the bank. The region's roads may be affected, making movement difficult or impossible.
To keep your family healthy and safe, it is a good idea to plan for emergencies. Having planned, one of the best things you can do is prepare an emergency kit containing all your basic needs for a minimum of 72 hours. For more information, see the links below:
Once you have a plan and an emergency kit, it is a good idea to know if emergencies are likely to occur. As Grey Bruce is affected by several extreme weather events, it is useful to be aware of weather watches and warnings, which can be found at: https://weather.gc.ca/mainmenu/alert_menu_e.htmlanada (weather.gc.ca)
If your home is supplied by a well or sand-point impacted by flooding, it is possible (or even likely) that your water has been contaminated by floodwater. Floodwater may contain bacteria such as E. Coli. And this can enter your well if it is not perfectly sealed, or even through the air vent. Surface water intakes, by their nature, will be impacted.
It is strongly recommended that an alternative water supply be used for any activity that is likely to result in water consumption. If well water is going to be used, the following procedures are advised.
Water should be brought to a rolling boil for 1 minute to kill all disease-causing organisms. You should boil all water used for drinking, preparing food, beverages, ice cubes, washing fruits and vegetables, or brushing teeth. Infant formulas should always be prepared using boiled tap water.
It is not necessary to boil tap water used for other household purposes, such as showering, laundry, bathing, or washing dishes. Adults, teens, and older children can wash, bathe, or shower; however, they should avoid swallowing the water. Toddlers and infants should be sponge bathed.
In an emergency, if boiling the water is not possible, it can be disinfected using chlorine (bleach). Add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops; about 0.625 millilitres) of unscented liquid household chlorine (5-6%) bleach for each gallon of clear water (or 2 drops of bleach for each litre or each quart of water), stir the mixture well. Let it stand for 30 minutes or longer before you use it.
Refrigerate boiled or treated water until it is used.
In short, yes. If the device is designed to improve the taste and odour or chemical quality of the water, such as activated carbon filters, it will not protect against bacteria that can make you sick. Although water treatment systems such as UV lights with bacteria, or Reverse Osmosis systems are designed to destroy or trap bacteria, they may not be designed to cope with the very cloudy water often associated with flooding. Pre-filters or RO membranes can become overwhelmed and may become blocked. Cloudy water passing through the UV chamber will not be adequately treated. In any case, filters may have to be washed and disinfected or replaced.
Yes, it will still remove visible dirt and other contaminants from your hands but be aware that your hands could still be contaminated with flood water. Before preparing food or carrying out other tasks such as wound control, it is recommended to use additional hand sanitizing with an alcohol-based hand rub containing between 60-90% alcohol (e.g., ethanol, isopropanol).
Your domestic dishwasher may not adequately disinfect the dishes. If dishes are washed by hand, they should be washed and rinsed in hot tap water, then soaked in a dilute solution of household bleach (20 millilitres of bleach in 10 litres of water) for 1 minute, and air dried.
If the toys are visibly soiled, wash them first with soap and potable water and then disinfect with a freshly prepared bleach solution of 20 ml of regular unscented bleach to 2 litres of water for 2 minutes. Cloth and plush toys can be washed by hand, in a washing machine or dry-cleaned.
Generally, a Municipal water supply will still be safe, and no additional precautions are required. The distribution system is designed to maintain pressure and ensure that outside contaminants can not enter the drinking water. Do listen to any communication from your Municipality, though. If the flood is very serious, particularly if combined with other issues such as power outages, your Municipality may enact a precautionary Boil Water Advisory to ensure your safety.
If your well was under water, do not drink well water until you know it is safe. Continue to use a safe water supply like bottled or boiled water. Have your well water tested. Grey Bruce Public Health, in conjunction with Public Health Ontario, offers a free private well water testing service. See our website for more details.
Note: Disinfection recipes are based on a 5.25% sodium hypochlorite; check the bottle of bleach to find out the concentration.
During heavy rains and floods, the ground can become saturated, preventing proper operation of the septic system.
Signs that a septic system is not working properly include the following:
During a flood, reduce the amount of water used by limiting toilet flushing, dishwashing, washing clothes, and showering until floodwater has disappeared over the sewage bed.
Floodwaters may create several other risks. Many electrical devices are not intended to be operated in wet conditions and could pose a risk of injury or death. Keep extension cords and other electrical devices out of the water. If floodwaters are entering your home, shut the power off to the flooded area at the breaker box. Ask your local electrical utility for help if needed.
Cloudy floodwater may obscure hazards such as open drains, covers, etc., and increase your risk of falling or entrapment. Higher floodwater, particularly near streams and rivers, may have sufficient current to knock even adults over, creating a significant risk of drowning. It is hard to judge the depth of floodwater; driving through it can be very risky.
Pay attention to instructions and advice from first responders, Municipal officials and other agencies such as Hydro One and the Conservation Authority.
After the flood has receded:
If you are insured, contact your insurer and follow their instructions.
Put your own safety first. Avoid electrical shock. Don’t stand in water unless it is unavoidable. Always wear rubber boots while standing in water. Shut the power off to the flooded area at the breaker box if that has not already been done. Ask your local electrical utility for help if needed.
Inspect the access covers to the septic tank to make sure they are not loose or damaged. Have your septic tank professionally inspected and serviced if you suspect damage. Signs of damage include settling or an inability to accept water. More information can be found by contacting your local municipal building official or a septic system installer.
Keep yourself safe while doing any cleanup. Floodwater should be assumed to contain potentially harmful pathogens, like E. Coli and other bacteria, which can cause infection if ingested or exposed to open skin.
Disposable gloves, N95 mask and even eye protection may be required depending on the extent of the cleanup. Where possible, open windows and doors to provide fresh air. After removing any standing water, remove all soaked and dirty materials, debris, residual mud and soil. Clean any dirt on walls and furnishings with an unscented soap solution, removing the remaining water with a wet/dry shop vacuum, then disinfect using a chemical product with disinfecting claims suitable for that item or area, such as a household bleach solution of about 1 tablespoon of bleach per 1 litre of water.
Items that can be laundered should be thoroughly washed and dried. Upholstery and hard-to-clean surfaces cannot be disinfected adequately and should be discarded or disinfected by a professional. Always wash your hands well after handling flood materials.
If the flooding was extensive, finished walls may need to be removed, disposing of all insulation materials and drywall. It is recommended that you contact a contractor experienced in flood remediation for further advice.
Mould growth can be a problem after flooding has affected your home. Mould is the common name for a wide variety of fungi that can grow on most porous surfaces, such as drywall, wood, furniture and other furnishings. The key to preventing mould growth is reducing the moisture content in any item that may sustain mould growth. After a flood, many of these items may be saturated and require drying out as soon as possible and as quickly as possible. If outside weather permits (low humidity and moderate temperature), open doors and windows and speed up the drying process with fans. If the outside weather is not suitable or the drying is slow, use a dehumidifier.