The Coastal Health District of Georgia serves the counties of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long & McIntosh
The Coastal Health District of Georgia serves the counties of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long & McIntosh
BOIL WATER ADVISORY IN CHATHAM COUNTY: Coastal Water Utilities will turn water back on in Argyle Village on Wednesday night, August 28, and a boil water advisory has been issued. The water in this part of Chatham County was turned off earlier this month due to flooding from Tropical Strom Debby. Click here for details.
As our communities recover from Tropical Storm Debby, there are important health reminders for anyone dealing with floodwater or prolonged power outages. Please review the information below and share with others in our area. Additional resources are available at the CDC website and Ready.gov.
Keep in mind that floodwater often carries germs. If you touch it, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water. If you don’t have soap or water, use alcohol-based wipes or sanitizer.
Do not allow children to play in any free-flowing, run-off, or floodwater. This water can be contaminated with bacteria or chemicals. Floodwater often carries organisms that can cause infections if they get into cuts or scrapes.
Floodwater can also displace insects and reptiles which can be dangerous to people.
If you’re cleaning up after floodwater or assisting with the recovery, it’s important to be up-to-date on your tetanus vaccine. Tetanus bacteria is found naturally in soil. If you wade through flood water, you could encounter sharp objects and sustain an injury that allows the tetanus bacteria to enter your body. Although tetanus infection is rare, it can be very serious or even fatal.
The best way to prevent infection is to be vaccinated prior to exposure, which is why all adults should receive tetanus booster shots every 10 years. However, tetanus vaccination is still effective if given within 48 hours after an injury.
Avoid contact with flood waters if you have an open wound. Keep open wounds as clean as possible by washing well with soap and clean water and covering with a waterproof bandage to reduce chance of infection.
You may need a tetanus vaccine if:
If you’re not sure if you need a tetanus vaccine, contact your local county health department or your regular healthcare provider.
The cost of tetanus vaccination is covered by most health insurance plans. If you do not have insurance coverage for this vaccine, no-cost options may be available at the health departments of the Coastal Health District.
Flood waters and standing waters pose various risks, including infectious diseases, chemical hazards and injuries. Prompt first aid can help heal small wounds and prevent infection.
Click here for information about emergency wound care after a disaster.
The Coastal Health District urges private well owners to take precautions and disinfect any well that flooded during recent severe weather.
When a well is flooded, the water can become contaminated with bacteria that could cause waterborne illness. Disinfection of a flooded private well cannot begin until the water covering the affected well has receded.
Click here for steps to decontaminate your private well.
Standing water can bring mosquitoes that carry disease. To avoid mosquito bites when outdoors, use insect repellent with DEET or Picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Follow label directions.
Wear long sleeves, pants and socks when you’re outside.
Be sure to drain water from any containers in your yard to eliminate breeding locations for mosquitoes and prevent the spread of illness. Tip out standing water in flowerpots, planters, children’s toys, wading pools and buckets.
Mold will grow where there is moisture, so if your home flooded, you may begin to find mold in your house. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that you clean up and dry out your home fully and quickly (within 24–48 hours) after a flood to reduce the growth of mold. Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried right away.
If you see or smell mold, you should remove it. Click here for more detailed information about mold removal from the CDC.
Once power is off, the refrigerator keeps food at safely cold temperatures for 4 hours, while food in a freezer remains safe for approximately 8 hours. If your power is off longer, your food is not safe to eat and should be discarded.
Do not consume anything that floodwater may have touched. Floodwater can carry disease-causing organisms.
For more information on food safety after a storm, please visit Food and Water Safety During Power Outages and Floods | FDA and Keep Food Safe After a Disaster or Emergency | CDC.
If you own or operate a food service establishment and your facility experienced flooding or an extended power outage, you must close the facility and contact your local Environmental Health office prior to reopening.
Additional Resources:
Never use a generator inside your home or garage, even if doors and windows are open. Only use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors and windows.
Install battery-operated or battery backup carbon monoxide detectors near every sleeping area in your home.
