HOUSTON (AP) – Bound for their Harvey-soaked home east of Houston, Lakeithia Bankhead and her four children left the mass shelter at the city’s convention center Friday after five nights sleeping on cots among thousands of other evacuees. They filled a relative’s sport-utility vehicle with trash bags full of donated clothes, food and a baby bed.
But Bankhead felt ill-equipped to confront health hazards in the form of mold, spoiled food, gas leaks and downed power lines. The 38-year-old knows she’ll have to pull out the wet carpet of her rented home, but she doesn’t know what to do with other potential problems like mold, which can cause respiratory problems if inhaled.
The danger isn’t over yet for Harvey evacuees who are returning to flood-ravaged homes and dragging sodden debris to the curbside. Sharing advice on recommended mold-cleaning strategies and other safety tips is now one of the biggest challenges for public health officials in Harvey’s aftermath.
While some who escaped the flooding lost internet access when they abandoned or lost mobile devices, many others held onto their phones. Public health officials hope to reach evacuees through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with safety messages, and hope those who see the tips posted online will spread the word to others.
Avoiding health threats during flood cleanup requires forethought. Here are some health precautions: