Extension for Real Life

Flood Recovery: Safety Equipment

Video by Michaela Parker

You’ve been waiting for months to clean up your flooded home, but before you start this daunting task, you need to purchase the appropriate safety equipment to wear. Mold and other toxins can pose a serious health threat inside a flooded home. By following the manufacturer’s instructions, safety gear can protect you from those dangers.

Equipment needed:

• Closed goggles
• N-95 respirator
• Rubber gloves
• Rubber boots
• Long-sleeved shirt
• Long pants

Make sure the rubber gloves extend to your forearm. Also, consider wearing a hard hat if you are doing any heavy work where something could unexpectedly fall on your head.

Never enter a flooded home without wearing waterproof boots. And remember -- people with asthma should not enter a home or building that has mold damage because it can make asthma symptoms worse. Health experts recommend getting a tetanus shot if you haven’t had one within the past 10 years before beginning your clean-up process.

The Center for Disease Control has some great resources concerning flood recovery. You can visit their site here.