While during a hurricane the focus is on wind and water damage that is more obvious, there are some things you really need to be aware of in terms of wellness.
First of all, even mild flooding, a few inches high, can contain hundreds of toxic chemicals that are not only in the water itself but depositing in areas (including drinking water supplies) that you may not be aware of. This is one reason bottled water is important and also why it's never good to go wading through flood zones. In addition, if you can't see where you are walking, it can be ridiculously dangerous. Let's add to the fact that flood waters can suddenly surge, so you could be swept down or into an even more dangerous situation.
Obvious other dangers are trying to drive in a flood, handling animals that can be injured and risking them lashing out and biting you, being near animals that are out of their element and anxious, or even worse, in their element like water, i.e., snakes, snapping turtles.
My focus though is on stressing the importance of mold reactions and responses. Mold flourishes in humidity and after rain. Hurricanes often enter with humidity and bring rainfall. They hit during warm months so after the rain and storm, there is often no electricity thus no forced dry air like air conditioning and only humid hot days. Even with air conditioning, mold can grow easily in the filters of air conditioners without proper cleaning.
Mold grows not only in filters, on furniture and on items such as food and ceilings, but did you realize mold can grow in your lungs? This is dangerous stuff.
Everything from coughing to rashes can be a sign of mold poisoning; and can be chronic or deadly.
Outdoor molds thrive in gutters of homes, on and under leaves outside, in soil, in wood and just about anywhere that is moist and has some level of shade throughout the day even if only partially shaded for limited time. Mold is quite hardy with misfortune.
Indoor molds can be plentiful; living on and in cabinets, ceilings, rugs, floors, furniture and on everyday items. Often you can't see it. If you can see it, then it's obviously an out of control problem.
Mold isn't singular; if you see mold, you are looking at hundreds of spores, otherwise known as a colony. When you see mold on a piece of fruit or on bread? You are looking at a colony.
Mold also comes in over fifty known problem causing varieties and it's not always visible, but always dangerous, barring mold as a medicine such as penicillin, which is a mold that stops some other molds and bacteria from growing. Another common medicine is those that help lower cholesterol; many of which are derived from molds, as well as some medicines for immunity depressants (for people with organ replacement surgeries usually) also are derived from molds.
This is why some people can't take penicillin or 'their cholesterol medicines don't agree with them" because, they are sensitive or allergic to even small doses of mold.
*sidebar, I have my own issues with cholesterol meds because cholesterol is a response from the body that there is inflammation not that you are eating too many eggs.. oy vey, just get my Fattitude: Lose your F in Attitude book!*
To give you an idea of how common it is, assume almost every home, hospital and office has some level of mold; and that only mold that is out of control is the mold you are noticing.
People who are allergic to mold (mold is a living thing with proteins so you can be allergic) will have more obvious symptoms right away; a sneeze perhaps when looking through an old library book even though the mold isn't visible to the naked eye, is one example.
However, allergy or not, all humans and even animals are in danger when it comes to mold.
Mold can cause everything from asthma to skin issues and be mild or cause death.
Legionairre's disease, which received media attention in the late 1970's was a mold-airborne when over 200 people fell ill at an event, and over 30 died from what we know now, was due to mold.
Legionairre's disease was not a one-time occurrence; through the past decades, thousands of people have been ill and even died from this deadly mold infestation, the most recent was in 2011 at the Playboy Mansion with the mold in the hot tub, leaving over 500 ill and with fever; luckily no deaths.
Some molds need only air to grow, some need moisture; so as you can see, an aftermath situation can cause havoc with lot of air and moisture. The problem with molds are that though they may not grow in certain environments, they can remain dormant but still alive, and start growing again at the drop of a hat.
So what to do after a hurricane?
1. if you are sensitive to mold or allergic, COVER UP. Not just nose and mouth but eyes.
2. If you think you are getting a summer cold or allergies, it is probably a mold issue, so get medical attention. Taking an anti-fungal is sometimes all you will need.
3. If you see it and it's moldy, when in doubt, throw it out.
4. Being outside after a hurricane in a clean up zones call for protective eye and face masks.
5. Realize that barns, being near recently or freshly mowed grass or other activities like raking leaves pretty much is a mold fest and you should protect yourself (even days or weeks after a hurricane)
6. If you are going to be in an after- hurricane area remember that ingesting anything like aged cheese, beer or canned tomatoes may heighten your mold reaction; thus make you more immunity-lacking, thus give you a higher stake at getting ill from the mold.
7. Clean filters and blades and get air circulating; remember you may need a mask still but the more the air circulates the more you are fighting mold from growing or thriving.
8. Ascertain if you need professional help to get rid of mold; the cost of removing mold can be as little as $3,000 but over $100,000 with the averages being $35,000. Check with your insurance company. Better to pay now in money than later in health AND money.
9. Get masks now or prepare an area that is being cleaned often so there is less chance of mold growth. Have place that is mold free or low mold.
10. Realize that many people staying in basements or lower levels will already be exposed to mold before the hurricane hits full force; after the hurricane mold can grow in colonies very quickly.
Be safe, be healthy, be prepared.
We know the hurricane is coming; we know regardless of how "hit" we are with the hurricane it will induce mold growth; an announced war is never won. Fight mold and start now.
Here is an article about Hurricane Katrina and a snapshot of the mold issues there; that was one town. We are talking a coast and eastern seaboard with Irene.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,170602,00.html
First of all, even mild flooding, a few inches high, can contain hundreds of toxic chemicals that are not only in the water itself but depositing in areas (including drinking water supplies) that you may not be aware of. This is one reason bottled water is important and also why it's never good to go wading through flood zones. In addition, if you can't see where you are walking, it can be ridiculously dangerous. Let's add to the fact that flood waters can suddenly surge, so you could be swept down or into an even more dangerous situation.
Obvious other dangers are trying to drive in a flood, handling animals that can be injured and risking them lashing out and biting you, being near animals that are out of their element and anxious, or even worse, in their element like water, i.e., snakes, snapping turtles.
My focus though is on stressing the importance of mold reactions and responses. Mold flourishes in humidity and after rain. Hurricanes often enter with humidity and bring rainfall. They hit during warm months so after the rain and storm, there is often no electricity thus no forced dry air like air conditioning and only humid hot days. Even with air conditioning, mold can grow easily in the filters of air conditioners without proper cleaning.
Mold grows not only in filters, on furniture and on items such as food and ceilings, but did you realize mold can grow in your lungs? This is dangerous stuff.
Everything from coughing to rashes can be a sign of mold poisoning; and can be chronic or deadly.
Outdoor molds thrive in gutters of homes, on and under leaves outside, in soil, in wood and just about anywhere that is moist and has some level of shade throughout the day even if only partially shaded for limited time. Mold is quite hardy with misfortune.
Indoor molds can be plentiful; living on and in cabinets, ceilings, rugs, floors, furniture and on everyday items. Often you can't see it. If you can see it, then it's obviously an out of control problem.
Mold isn't singular; if you see mold, you are looking at hundreds of spores, otherwise known as a colony. When you see mold on a piece of fruit or on bread? You are looking at a colony.
Mold also comes in over fifty known problem causing varieties and it's not always visible, but always dangerous, barring mold as a medicine such as penicillin, which is a mold that stops some other molds and bacteria from growing. Another common medicine is those that help lower cholesterol; many of which are derived from molds, as well as some medicines for immunity depressants (for people with organ replacement surgeries usually) also are derived from molds.
This is why some people can't take penicillin or 'their cholesterol medicines don't agree with them" because, they are sensitive or allergic to even small doses of mold.
*sidebar, I have my own issues with cholesterol meds because cholesterol is a response from the body that there is inflammation not that you are eating too many eggs.. oy vey, just get my Fattitude: Lose your F in Attitude book!*
To give you an idea of how common it is, assume almost every home, hospital and office has some level of mold; and that only mold that is out of control is the mold you are noticing.
People who are allergic to mold (mold is a living thing with proteins so you can be allergic) will have more obvious symptoms right away; a sneeze perhaps when looking through an old library book even though the mold isn't visible to the naked eye, is one example.
However, allergy or not, all humans and even animals are in danger when it comes to mold.
Mold can cause everything from asthma to skin issues and be mild or cause death.
Legionairre's disease, which received media attention in the late 1970's was a mold-airborne when over 200 people fell ill at an event, and over 30 died from what we know now, was due to mold.
Legionairre's disease was not a one-time occurrence; through the past decades, thousands of people have been ill and even died from this deadly mold infestation, the most recent was in 2011 at the Playboy Mansion with the mold in the hot tub, leaving over 500 ill and with fever; luckily no deaths.
Some molds need only air to grow, some need moisture; so as you can see, an aftermath situation can cause havoc with lot of air and moisture. The problem with molds are that though they may not grow in certain environments, they can remain dormant but still alive, and start growing again at the drop of a hat.
So what to do after a hurricane?
1. if you are sensitive to mold or allergic, COVER UP. Not just nose and mouth but eyes.
2. If you think you are getting a summer cold or allergies, it is probably a mold issue, so get medical attention. Taking an anti-fungal is sometimes all you will need.
3. If you see it and it's moldy, when in doubt, throw it out.
4. Being outside after a hurricane in a clean up zones call for protective eye and face masks.
5. Realize that barns, being near recently or freshly mowed grass or other activities like raking leaves pretty much is a mold fest and you should protect yourself (even days or weeks after a hurricane)
6. If you are going to be in an after- hurricane area remember that ingesting anything like aged cheese, beer or canned tomatoes may heighten your mold reaction; thus make you more immunity-lacking, thus give you a higher stake at getting ill from the mold.
7. Clean filters and blades and get air circulating; remember you may need a mask still but the more the air circulates the more you are fighting mold from growing or thriving.
8. Ascertain if you need professional help to get rid of mold; the cost of removing mold can be as little as $3,000 but over $100,000 with the averages being $35,000. Check with your insurance company. Better to pay now in money than later in health AND money.
9. Get masks now or prepare an area that is being cleaned often so there is less chance of mold growth. Have place that is mold free or low mold.
10. Realize that many people staying in basements or lower levels will already be exposed to mold before the hurricane hits full force; after the hurricane mold can grow in colonies very quickly.
Be safe, be healthy, be prepared.
We know the hurricane is coming; we know regardless of how "hit" we are with the hurricane it will induce mold growth; an announced war is never won. Fight mold and start now.
Here is an article about Hurricane Katrina and a snapshot of the mold issues there; that was one town. We are talking a coast and eastern seaboard with Irene.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,170602,00.html
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