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Home My WebLink AboutFlood Recovery Guide.pdfGuideto � � � �-_ _��-� �. _ �� :� �� -i ; :� � ,� � � � ' , r , �! 1 - � �.., , �� - - � - � � k { _�.� 'ti ��' r'��-r � �h } +; , r�i F��` . � y �1 , � � _ �,� �; , �-�� , � �� ; �� 4�� y �� _ . -�� '' ; - x� � � ! ' , � r !t � r . � i . � � CANADIAN RED CROSS CANADIAN GUIDETO RED CROSS FLOOD RECOVERY Floods are the most frequent natural disaster in Canada. Happening at any time of the year, floods are most often caused by heavy rainfall or rapid snow melting. Often times, your community will know about a flood coming, so you will have time to prepare.This guide provides information on what to do after you have experienced a flood in your home. 2 3 Here are some basic steps you may want to take If you cannot stay in your home due to flood damage, you will need to find temporary housingforyourfamily and any pets. For help, contact your local government office. In a disaster, families may become separated or loved ones outside the disaster area may be trying to reach you. If you are looking for a family member, contact your local Red Cross office. Contact your insurance company and let them know what has happened. They will want to know a record of damage to your home and belongings and may request photos orvideo. After a flood, you may be eligible for government disaster financial assistance. Check with your local authorities for more information related to available assistance programs. Before entering your home Listen to public authorities to advise when it is safe to return to your home. Protect yourself by dressing properly, including rubber boots or sturdy boots, safety glasses, hard hat, rubber gloves and a dust mask. Enteringyour home and cleaning up Use extreme caution as you enter your home. Look for buckled walls and floors, and sagging ceilings. If you see any of these, leave the home and contact authorities. Watch out for holes in the floor, broken glass, and other debris. Check with local authorities on how to properly dispose of damaged items from your home. Hazardous materials Contact your municipality or provincial ministryto find out how to dispose of hazardous materials such as solvents, garden chemicals and home cleaning products that have been soaked or that show signs of water damage. GUIDETO CANADIAN FLOOD RECOVERY RED CROSS Tap water Flood water can be heavily contaminated with sewage and other pollutants. Do not use your tap water for drinking, cooking and washing dishes until it has been tested and/or confirmed safe for use by local authorities. Standing water Remove water from your flooded home slowly. Drain it in stages — about one third of the volume daily. If the ground is still saturated and water is removed too quickly, the walls or floors could buckle. Use pumps or pails to remove standing water, then a wet/dry shop vacuum to mop up the rest. CANADIAN GUIDETO RED CROSS FLOOD RECOVERY Do not use flooded appliances, electrical outlets, switch boxes or fuse-breaker panels until they have been checked by a qualified electrician. Have your central heating system checked by a qualified technician before use. Replace any parts that have been damaged or soaked. Replace filters and insulation inside furnaces, water heaters, refrigerators and freezers if they have been wet. You may need to consider replacing the whole appliance, depending on the severity of the damage. Consult with a professional electrician or with the manufacturer. Replace any telephones that have been exposed to floodwaters as they may be a safety hazard. Contact the appropriate utility or service company to have your service restored (i.e. electricity, gas, cable, phone, etc.) when you are ready to return home. (Please check the Yellow Pages or phonebook to find the professionals listed above.) ndation, floors and walls Clean or replace footing drains outside the foundation when clogged Consult a professional plumber for advice. Check the Yellow Pages or phonebook for listings. Flush and disinfect floor drains with an all-purpose cleaner or unscented detergent and water. Rinse and clean all floors after consulting with a professional cleaner. You may need to replace flooring that has been heavily soaked. Dry carpets within the first two days. Hire a qualified professional forlarge carpeted areas. Throw out carpets soaked by sewage, as they are unsalvageable. Clean all affected interior walls with all-purpose cleaner or unscented detergent and water. GUIDETO CANADIAN FLOOD RECOVERY RED CROSS Furniture Remove residual mud and soil from furniture and dry it off. Consult a furniture restoration professional to see if any upholstered furniture can be salvaged. Check the Yellow Pages or phonebook for listings. Remove cushions from covers and dry separately. You may need to replace particleboard furniture entirely if it has been saturated byfloodwater. GUIDETO CANADIAN FLOOD RECOVERY RED CROSS Books, photographs the flood, use your and papers �yer only once they have gooks may be salvaged by slow, by a qualified electrician. careful drying. �vy dirt from clothes, �h several times with � dry immediately to d from forming. Most photographs can be air-dried, face up. If they were frozen, thaw and then air-dry photos. To salvage important documents, put them in the freezer immediately. Later, allow them to thaw and lift off each page as it thaws. Consult your lawyer to determine if the actual documents are important to save, or just the information on the documents. For advice on salvaging books, photographs or paintings damaged by flooding, contact the Canadian Conservation Institute toll free at 1-866-998-3721. Yard Remove any dirt or debris from youryard. Remove any food or garbage that might attract animals or insects. Contact a waste removal company if required. Check the Yellow Pages or phonebook for listings. CANADIAN GUIDETO 10 11 RED CROSS FLOOD RECOVERY ng-term recovery ter a flood isider hiring a contractor or flood toration specialist. Professional npanies can help you with cleaning i repairing your home. If you are king an insurance claim, your urance adjuster may help you find ontractor. ange for necessary inspections i building permits. Contactyour nicipal housing office to find out at steps you need to take to submit ns for rebuilding your home and ;et required building permits. �fore moving back to your home, ensure e following: � water supply has been inspected i officially declared safe for use. �ry room that was affected by the �d has been cleaned, disinfected i dried. affected dishes, utensils and sses have been thoroughly washed i disinfected. �quate toilet facilities are available. GUIDETO CANADIAN FLOOD RECOVERY RED CROSS Nowthatyou are on your way to recovering from this flood, don't forget to start preparing yourself and your family in caseanotherone comesalong. For information on preparing your family and pets for disasters, visit redcross.ca/prepare � more information on cleaning up after a flood, please refer he Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's website �isit one of the links below: After the Flood: A Homeowner's Checklist cm hc.ca/en/co/maho/yohoyohe/momo/momo_007.cfm Water Damage, Mold and House Insurance cm hc.ca/en/co/maho/yohoyohe/momo/momo_005.cfm Fighting Mold —The Homeowner's Guide cm hc.ca/en/co/maho/yohoyohe/momo/momo_005.cfm CANADIAN GUIDETO RED CROSS FLOOD RECOVERY THE CANADIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY Western Canada 100, 1305-11th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T3C 3P6 (403) 541-6100 Ontario 5700 Cancross Court Mississauga, Ontario L5R 3E9 (905) 890-1000 Quebec 6, Place du Commerce Verdun, Quebec H3E 1 P4 (514) 362-2930 Atlantic Canada 133 Troop Avenue Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3B 2A7 (902) 423-3680 National Office 170 Metcalfe Street, Suite 300 Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2P2 (613) 740-1900 Acknowledgements The Canadian Red Cross gratefully acknowledges the following publications: •"After the Flood—A Homeowner's ChecklisY'—Canadian Mortgageand HousingCorporation •"Floods: what to do?" — Public Safety Canada The information in this publication is for reference only. It should not be considered as a substitute for consulting with specialists about particular situations. It should not be assumed that all flood recovery measures are contained in this publication; other or additional measures may be required under particular or exceptional circumstances.The Canadian Red Cross makes no guarantee, warranty or other similar representation as to the quality or completeness of the information contained in this document and under no circumstance shallthe Canadian Red Cross be held liable to any person relying on the information contained herein. The red cross emblem and designation "Red Cross" are reserved in Canada by law forthe exclusive use of the The Canadian Red Cross Society and for the medical units of the armed forces by the Geneva Conventions Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. G-3. OO 2010The Canadian Red Cross Society The Canadian Red Cross Society ISBN 978-1-55104-527-6 REDCROSS.CA