Returning to Flood Damaged Homes or Buildings

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Published on Wednesday, 03 May 2017 11:12

Returning to Flood Damaged Homes and Buildings

Dangers are not over after the water goes down. Flood hazards, such as a weakened foundation, exposed electrical wires or contaminated floodwater are not always visible. Keep the following safety tips in mind.

Before entering a building

• Check the outside of the building. Call the electric/gas company immediately if you find downed power lines or suspect a gas leak.
• Look for outside damage. Examine the foundation for cracks or other damage. Look at porch roofs and overhangs. look for gaps between the steps and the house. If you see damage, have a building inspector check the house before you enter.
• If the door sticks at the top it could mean the ceiling is ready to fall. Enter the building carefully. If you force the door open, stand outside the doorway clear of possible falling debris.

After entering a buildings

• Look before you step. 1.) Floors and stairs can be very slippery. 2.) Be alert for gas leaks; do not strike a match or use an open flame. 3.) Use a flashlight to inspect for damage. 4.) Turn off the electricity. Even if the power company has turned off electricity to the area, be sure to shut the power off in your home. 5.) Do not use appliances or motors that were wet, unless they have been taken apart, cleaned and dried. 6.) Look for exposed wires. 7.) Watch for small animals that have been flooded out of their homes. 8.) Watch for snakes. use a stick to carefully move or turn items over and scare them away.
• Drain the basement gradually to minimize further structural damage.
• Before beginning cleaning, shovel out as much mud as possible and hose the house down inside and out. Flood waters may have picked up sewage chemicals from roads, farms, factories, and storage buildings.
• Spoiled food, cosmetics and medicine that have bee in flood waters are also health hazards. When in doubt, throw them out.

Learn more at www.health.mo.gov

Safe Drinking Water After a Flood

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Published on Wednesday, 03 May 2017 10:55

Safe Drinking Water After a Flood

How does water become contaminated in a flood?

• After a flood, assume that all water sources are contaminated until proven safe.

• Contaminated water can cause people to become sick.

How will I know if my water has been contaminated?

• Do not use water that has a dark color, has a smell, is cloudy, or contains floating material.

• There will be a public announcement over radio or television to boil the water. This is known as a "boil order."

How do I purify my water?

• Water can be purified at home or safe water can be purchased.
• Water may either be boiled or regular household bleach may be added, such as Clorox or Purex brands or any store brand.
• To boil, bring water to a rolling boil and keep it boiling for approximately 3 minutes. Pour water into disinfected drinking container (instructions for disinfecting containers provided below). Store in refrigerator if possible.
• To use household bleach, strain the water through a coffee filter or cheese cloth to remove dirt and other particles. Use 1/8 teaspoon (or 6-8 drops from a dropper) of regular household bleach per gallon and let the water stand another 30 minutes.
• Do not use more than the recommended amount of bleach. Large amounts can be poisonous.

What are the best types of containers to use to store water?

• Use clean plastic or glass containers such as clean soft drink bottles or clean canning jars that have tight-fitting screw caps. Do not use plastic milk jugs because they do not seal well.
• Use clean disinfected containers only. Remember to disinfect them again each time they are refilled.

How do I disinfect containers to use for storing drinking water?

• Fill container with one gallon of clean water.
• Add one tablespoon of regular household bleach to the water in the container. (Let stand for 10 minutes, then pour out). Rinse the container with clean water.
• Fill the container again with clean water, then cap the container for later use.

Playgrounds Shouldn't Hurt

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Published on Friday, 28 April 2017 10:51

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Seesaws, swings and slides! Now that springtime is here, playground season is in full swing. CPSC believes playgrounds should be safe! Far too often however, fun and games at the community playground or on the backyard play set can lead to injuries—and even death. 

A new playground equipment report (pdf) was just issued by CPSC and it found that from 2009 to 2014, 19 of the 34 fatal playground incidents that we investigated were the result of hanging or asphyxiation. During that same time period, nearly 1.5 million injuries associated with playground equipment were treated nationally in emergency departments. Annually, that breaks down to about 243,000 ER treated injuries.

The report also finds:

• The two most common hazard patterns are falls and dangers posed by the equipment, which together account for 81 percent of the reported incidents.
• The most common diagnoses are fractures and contusions/abrasions.
• Monkey bars and swings account for the majority of the total injuries, although slides account for one-fifth of the injuries.
• More than half of the victims seen in ER’s were between ages five and nine.

As we observe National Playground Safety Week, we want to encourage everyone to follow some golden playground safety rules:

• Always supervise kids and make sure kids use playground equipment appropriate for their age.
• Never attach ropes, jump ropes, pet leashes or strings to playground equipment; children can strangle on these.
• Make sure children’s clothing does not have any drawstrings as they can catch on slides and other equipment.
• Make sure surfaces around playgrounds have 9-12 inches of wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber.
• Check that protective surfacing extends at least 6 feet in all directions from play equipment. For swings, be sure surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar.Look out for tripping hazards, like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps, and rocks.
• Don’t let kids play on slides/surfaces that are burning hot. The weather does not have be 1000 in order for equipment to heat up and cause burns. If it feels hot to your hand, it may be too hot for a child’s bare skin!

If you believe your child's playground is not safe, report your concerns to the appropriate owner, park district or school. Kids just want to have fun and they should. CPSC wants to make sure they do it safely.

Playgrounds shouldn't hurt.

For more information about playground safety (pdf) visit our website at CPSC.gov.

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Published on Tuesday, 25 April 2017 11:42

May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

With Spring upon us and summer just around the corner, the Andrew County Health Department would like to remind you skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. UV damage can also cause wrinkles and blotches or spots on your skin. The good news is that skin cancer can be prevented, and it can almost always be cured when it's found and treated early.

Take simple steps today to protect your skin:

• Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. Put on sunscreen every 2 hours and after you swim or sweat.
• Cover up with long sleeves and a hat.
• Check you skin regularly for changes.

This project is/was funded in part by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Maternal and Child Health Services Contract #DH150006012 and is/was supported by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant #B04MC28109, Maternal and Child Health Services for $9,095,311, of which $0 is from non-governmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.