A wise tip for a household, especially a household containing a family with children and/or pets, is to be fully educated and prepared on any potential household disasters.
These disasters could be anything from a fire to a break-in (or burglar) to a flooded basement. While it seems that these are all different levels of severity… they can all be equally dangerous situations.
Preparing for such situations requires many of the same things, so it’s not really an extra hassle to be ready for an individual emergency household disaster situation.
However, it is well worth the extra hassle to know beforehand and be prepared for the individual requirements of each unique potential household disaster possibility.
In general, keeping a phone equipped with specific emergency phone numbers is a good idea. Although 9-1-1 is an easy to remember number… it is not always the right number.
Having the following numbers stored and easily accessible in at least one household phone is a good example of disaster preparedness:
• Family Doctor and / or Pediatrician
• Poison Control Center
• Local Fire Department
• Close Friend or Family Member (Part of Your Emergency Evacuation Plan)
• Local Water Damage Cleanup Company
• Local Police Station
Many of these numbers may be ‘common sense’. The ‘oddball’ emergency contact number is equally important, because if you have a flooded basement you should immediately contact a professional to inspect the damage and to perform the clean up.
Attempting to tackle a flooded basement on your own may sound like a simple job but it can actually be a dangerous task if you are not a properly trained technician. In fact, by neglecting to treat certain aspects of a flooded basement and the damage it can cause can have severe consequences.
An evacuation plan is important to have for any potential household disaster, even a flooded basement. The water intrusion from a flooded basement can cause a mold that is fatally damaging to under developed lungs, such as those of a small child or an animal. If you have a flooded basement, you should follow your family’s evacuation plan and go somewhere safe.
Equally important to evacuating, a priority related to a flooded basement is contacting a local water damage technician. These certified professionals are regularly updated on all of the potential risks of a flooded basement and other forms of water intrusion, so they have the experienced training needed to restore your household to a household that is safe to be in.
A flooded basement can include other risks, such as electrical damage, so you really don’t want to try to tackle a flooded basement yourself no matter how limited the damage appears to be.
A finished basement, once flooded, may need to be completely stripped of all furniture and carpeting. Avoid storing valuable items or items of sentimental value, in a basement because they may be destroyed in the case of a flooded basement.
The clean up and restoration process, in the case of a flooded basement, could last up to several weeks to be done properly and effectively.
