Tips to Live By

10 Tips for Staying Safe Before, During and After Floods

July 24, 2024 - Josh Davis

Water is insanely powerful. The same mechanism responsible for washing our hands and cleaning dirty driveways is also the architect behind many of nature's greatest wonders, such as the Grand Canyon, Old Faithful and Niagara Falls.

No matter the scale or speed, water shouldn't be taken lightly, especially flood water. What look like shallow puddles might be knee- or waist-deep bodies of water that can harbor harmful germs and disease, dangerous debris and deceptively swift currents. It takes just six inches of moving water to knock over an adult, 12 inches to sweep away cars, and two feet to float trucks and SUVs.

Flooding can be scary, but knowing how to prepare and when to act benefits your chances of staying safe. Here are 10 tips to keep in mind.

1. Know the difference between a flood watch, advisory and warning

Storm alert notifications, which range from the possibility of flooding to an imminent event, are key to knowing how to respond.

  • A flood watch means the conditions for flooding are favorable, and it is possible, but it does not necessarily mean it will flood.
  • A flood advisory raises more concern, meaning the weather event could either be very inconvenient or potentially dangerous if caution isn't taken.
  • A flood warning means flooding will soon occur or is already happening in your area, and you should take immediate action to find shelter right away.
  • A flash flood warning requires those in a flood prone area to immediately move to higher ground. Flash floods can happen in minutes or hours and in areas not actively receiving rain.

 

Make sure you're set up to receive important warnings and alerts by reading our storm prep checklist. You'll want to keep these tips at the forefront of your mind when bad weather is threatening.

2. Prepare your emergency kit with at least 4 days of essentials

The duration of flooding's effects can be unpredictable. So having everything you need during a flood will save you a lot of headaches, especially if the roads are unsafe to travel. According to Dr. Chris Ziebell, medical director of the Houston Methodist Emergency Department, you're going to want to have at least four days' worth of essentials — medical and nonmedical — so you can live without power or water.

"In flooding events, you have to assume you're not going to have electricity, or your gas appliances might not work," says Dr. Ziebell. "You want food that you don't have to heat up that can last four days, and you want enough water to last you double that."

"The other piece to an emergency kit is not so much medical but simply survival," he says. "The worst-case scenario we've ever witnessed was in 2005 in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, when residents had to live for a week on whatever they had. So as you're building your kit, think to yourself: If I'm not able to interact with anyone else in society for four days, what do I need to have on hand?"

The absolute essentials Dr. Ziebell recommends:

  • 4 days' worth of food you don't have to heat up (for yourself and pets)
  • 8 days' worth of water, or one gallon per day, per person
  • 2 weeks' worth of any prescription medications
  • Small to large bandages
  • Gauze that wraps
  • Triple antibiotic ointment
  • Optionally, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide

 

A more threatening storm may require a more comprehensive emergency supplies kit. If you need to evacuate your home, according to Dr. Ziebell, that four-day minimum increases to two weeks' worth of essentials.

How to care for cuts and scrapes using your kit

Part of your emergency kit should include supplies to dress cuts or scrapes. If an open wound comes into contact with flood water, you're going to want to dress it at your earliest opportunity, says Dr. Ziebell.

"The solution to pollution is dilution, so if you've got floodwater on your wound, you want to dilute as much of it as you can with clean water," says Dr. Ziebell. "Finish what you're doing, then go into the house and let the shower or other clean water flow over your wound for a period of time."

Following that cleansing, apply triple antibiotic ointment along with a bandage to keep the wound from getting contaminated again, he says.

Alcohol and hydrogen peroxide can reopen scabbed wounds

A lot of people think applying alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to wounds will help, but in fact, both are toxic to healthy tissue. According to Dr. Ziebell, they're optional when it comes to dressing cuts. But apply them just once, not over and over as that can re-expose scabbed wounds, slow healing and create more risk for infection.

Antibiotics: To take or not to take?

Some wounds, such as a deep laceration, animal bite or those already infected, are serious and require medical attention. But for minor cuts and scrapes exposed to floodwater, dressing the wound thoroughly should be sufficient. Taking an oral antibiotic to prevent an infection may actually do more harm than good.

"Prophylactic antibiotics, or antibiotics you take before signs of infection present themselves, rarely work well in these situations," says Dr. Ziebell. "What happens is you may get 10,000 different germs in your wound from floodwater, and then if you take the prophylactic antibiotic, you kill the 8,000 that are easy to kill, and the others left are hard to kill. So now they're growing without any competition."

In these situations where cuts and scrapes are minor, according to Dr. Ziebell, it's better to wait a few days, then respond if signs of infection develop, such as pain, redness and swelling.

3. Avoid wading in floodwater if possible

Dancing in the rain and dancing in floodwater aren't the same. In fact, it's best you avoid touching or wading in floodwater if you can, given the risks found within the "poop soup," says Dr. Ziebell.

"In a flood situation, all the ingredients become part of the soup," says Ziebell. "That includes whatever animal has relieved itself across the street and so on and so forth. The risk of waterborne disease goes way up, especially in hotter, wetter areas, where those kinds of harmful bacteria can multiply. Over time, the water is going to be more and more unfit. It's one thing if you're neighbor doesn't pick up after their pet; it's another thing entirely if you consider that everything existing around you has likely contaminated that water."

4. Add important medical information to your smartphone or wallet

A valuable feature you have on your smartphone (both Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy, for instance) is the ability to add critical medical information for first responders to access, including:

  • Medical conditions
  • Allergies and reactions
  • Medications
  • Blood type
  • Organ donor status
  • Primary language
  • Emergency contacts

 

"Assume during a flood, you were to get washed away, injure yourself, and were brought to see me unconscious," says Dr. Ziebell. "What do you want me to know about you? Whatever that is, I want to find it either in your wallet or on your smartphone."

Learn how to set up your Medical ID for iPhones or how to enter your medical information on Samsung Galaxy phones or tablets.

"Having a list of relevant conditions and medications — such as allergies, prescription medications you take, if you've had an organ transplant or have a pre-existing condition like diabetes — can help inform first responders and ER doctors on how we move forward with your care," says Dr. Ziebell. "As an emergency doctor, I don't necessarily need to know you've had a bunion removed 10 years ago, but if you were under general anesthesia and tolerated it well, that helps doctors better know which medicines for anesthesia we might use if you're unable to tell us. It's the big stuff like that."

5. Do not drive into floodwater — no matter the depth

Most of us have driven through shallow standing water, maybe even lightly hydroplaned a time or two. Floodwaters are different. You might tell yourself, "It doesn't look that deep. I can make it." You probably won't, and you'll need rescuing, according to Dr. Ziebell.

"Tires are full of air, and air floats on water. That's the reason why you can go tubing down rivers," says Dr. Ziebell. "Your car tires will do the exact same thing. You want to be very careful not to put yourself in that circumstance."

"We see a lot of water rescues in Texas every year as people try to drive across low water crossings," he adds. "If there's water going across the road, just assume that the water is going to wash you away."

If you're unsure — even if other vehicles are crossing — turn around. It's not worth the risk.

6. Always keep a running generator outside (and away from the garage)

Generators that run on fuel emit carbon monoxide (CO) — an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that you might not know you're inhaling until it's too late — can be dangerous. Regardless of the weather, you must always keep your generator outside, and away from the house. According to Dr. Ziebell, that includes away from the garage — even if the garage door is open.

"I think where people have gotten into trouble is they don't want to get their generator ruined in the rain, so they run it in the garage," says Dr. Ziebell. "Garages are not ventilated enough to run generators, which makes carbon monoxide poisoning a very real and potentially lethal threat."

If you notice symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning — including headache, dizziness, confusion and shortness of breath — get to fresh air and seek medical attention immediately or call 911.

7. Know when electrocution needs medical attention

Water and electricity do not mix well — and flooding is often a situation where the two unfortunately meet, such as a result of downed power lines or flooded homes with the power still on. Electric shock and burns can be serious, so whether it's a tingly sensation or a noticeable burn or blister, you're going to want to seek medical attention, says Dr. Ziebell.

"Electric shock may not look bad on the outside, but the tissues under the skin where electricity can flow through can get significantly damaged," he says. "All you may see is a little burn on the tip of your finger, for instance, but you may have completely fried all the muscles in your arm. Electric injuries are worth having us take a look at in the emergency department."

8. If your home floods, get everything wet out to avoid mold growth

Our noses are trained to sniff out mold and mildew — a musty smell is all it takes for us to know there is fungi growth. In the unfortunate event your house floods, if you don't dry it quickly enough or fail to remove the soiled drywall and carpet, mold will set in and can cause a variety of symptoms, including eye, throat and skin irritation, coughing, sneezing and headaches.

"Mold grows on wet surfaces as they stay moist for a while, so you want to get your house as dried out as quickly as possible," says Dr. Ziebell. "The carpet, padding, and drywall are going to be soaked with that poop soup, so you're going to want to remove those and get them out of the house."

As for taking care of yourself while it's wet and moldy, Dr. Ziebell says a proper-fitting N95 mask will block the mold spores that make you sick. You might still be able to smell that funky mildew, but that poses no danger because the spores can't pass through the mask.

9. Consider urgent care if you run out of medication

What happens if you run out of important medications while you're flooded or can't get to your primary care provider? In official disaster declarations like flooding, Virtual Urgent Care or Same Day Clinics can be a good option, says Dr. Ziebell, if your primary care physician doesn't have availability within the next couple of days and you're in need of important medications.

"In declared emergencies, there are some flexibilities in state law in terms of what doctors can do, including what your primary doctor can do to help you get the medicines that you need if you end up running out," says Dr. Ziebell. "If your primary care doctor is unavailable, it's possible these practitioners can help fill your meds if you run out."

10. Know where your closest emergency room is

When the roads are flooding, your morning commute can quickly turn into an emergency situation if you're not careful. Knowing where to get emergency care is always important, but especially so during severe weather events and times of flooding.

Whether treating minor emergencies or life-threatening ones, Houston Methodist Emergency Care Centers and Emergency Departments are open 24/7 year-round to provide the full spectrum of medical services to all patients who need emergency assistance.

At our emergency care locations, we offer:

  • Board-certified emergency physicians and nurses
  • On-site laboratory
  • Full-service X-ray, CT and ultrasound
  • Private treatment rooms
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Categories: Tips to Live By