NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla -- With the rainstorm winding down, the following advice comes from county officials as presented by Shelley Szafraniec, who said: As blue skies try to find their way over Volusia County again, waters recede and residents begin cleaning up their properties, public safety officials are urging residents to follow the safety tips and debris removal guidance below. In addition, due to the large amounts of water pooling throughout the areas, Volusia County Mosquito Control intends to aggressively work to offset the large number of mosquitoes anticipated in the coming weeks. Citizens can play an important role in helping to alleviate the mosquito problem by removing water from containers and following the tips listed below.
STAYING SAFE AFTER A FLOOD
Basic hygiene is critical. Wash your hands with soap and water that has been boiled or disinfected before preparing or eating food, after toilet use, after participating in flood cleanup activities, and after handling articles contaminated with flood water or sewage. Avoid eating or drinking anything that has been contaminated with flood waters.
Do not wade through standing water. If you do, bathe and put on clean clothes as soon as possible afterward.
Avoid contact with flood waters if you have open cuts or sores. If you have any open cuts or sores and cannot avoid contact with flood waters, keep them as clean as possible by washing well with soap to control infection. If a wound develops redness, swelling, or drainage, seek immediate medical attention. Residents who sustain lacerations and/or puncture wounds and have not had a tetanus vaccination within the past 10 years require a tetanus booster.
CLEANING UP AFTER A FLOOD
Volunteers with the American Red Cross are distributing cleanup kits in affected areas of Daytona Beach and Holly Hill. Residents are urged to avoid contact with standing water and prohibit children from playing in flood water. The water is unsafe and unsanitary and can cause illness or injury.
Building leaks and flooding can create moisture that accelerates mold growth. Mold can cause disease, trigger allergic reactions and continue to damage materials long after the rainfall/flooding. Failure to control moisture and mold can present short- and long-term health risks.
Residents should remove standing water from their homes or office and remove wet materials. Residents are encouraged to throw away anything that was wet with flood water and cannot be cleaned. If mold growth already has occurred, carefully remove or clean the moldy material.
Consider using personal protective equipment when cleaning or removing moldy material. Never mix cleaners and disinfectants. Mixing may produce hazardous chemical reactions. Use bleach to clean hard surfaces. Mix no more than one cup of bleach in one gallon of water.
Open windows and doors for proper ventilation when cleaning. If a homeowner smells fuel or oil around the home, they should call the non-emergency number for their local fire department.
DEBRIS
Citizens need to be advised that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does not reimburse local governments for debris removal from damaged homes and businesses. Flood insurance will pay for proper disposal at a permitted landfill. Residents need to make sure contractors remove debris from their property before final payment is made. Commercial dumpsters should be used for properly permitted repairs. Citizens wanting to use curbside pick up need to follow their existing removal guidelines. For additional information, call Volusia County’s Solid Waste Division at (386) 943-7889.
● Residents should always separate vegetative debris from home debris.
● Residents can bring their household hazardous waste to the Tomoka Landfill in Daytona Beach and the West Volusia Transfer Station in DeLand year-round for free disposal. These facilities also provide a paint exchange program and electronic waste recycling for residents without charge. For more information, please call Volusia County Solid Waste at (386) 947-2952.
● Homeowners need to call their waste hauler to schedule an appointment to remove appliances and furniture.
● Businesses generating hazardous waste need to contact their hazardous waste hauler or Volusia County Environmental Management at (386) 736-5927 for assistance or questions.
MOSQUITOES
The Volusia County Health Department advises the public to remain diligent in protecting themselves from mosquito bites by following the “5 D’s,” which include: o Dusk and Dawn - Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are seeking blood. For many species, this is during the dusk and dawn hours. o Dress - Wear clothing that covers most of your skin. o DEET - When the potential exists for exposure to mosquitoes, repellents containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, or N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) are recommended. Picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus are other repellent options. If additional protection is necessary, a permethrin repellent can be applied directly to your clothing. Again, always follow the manufacturer’s directions. o Drainage - Check around your home to rid the area of standing water, which is where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.
Tips on repellent use
o Always read label directions carefully for the approved usage before applying a repellent to skin. Some repellants are not suitable for children.
o Products with concentrations of up to 30 percent DEET are generally recommended. Other potential mosquito repellents, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in April 2005, contain picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. These products are generally available at local pharmacies. Look for active ingredients to be listed on the product label.
o Apply insect repellent to exposed skin, or onto clothing, but not under clothing.
o In protecting children, read label instructions to be sure the repellent is age-appropriate. According to the Centers for Disease Control, mosquito repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under 3 years. DEET is not recommended on children younger than 2 months.
o Infants should be kept indoors or mosquito netting should be used over carriers when mosquitoes are present.
o Avoid applying repellents to the hands of children. Adults should apply repellent first to their own hands and then transfer it to the child’s skin and clothing.
o If additional protection is necessary, apply a permethrin repellent directly to your clothing. Again, always follow the manufacturer’s directions. Tips on eliminating mosquito breeding sites Elimination of breeding sites is one of the keys to prevention.
o Clean out eaves, troughs and gutters. o Remove old tires or drill holes in those used in playgrounds to drain.
o Turn over or remove empty plastic pots. o Pick up all beverage containers and cups.
o Check tarps on boats or other equipment that may collect water. o Pump out bilges on boats.
o Replace water in birdbaths and pet or other animal feeding dishes at least once a week.
o Change water in plant trays, including hanging plants, at least once a week.
o Remove vegetation or obstructions in drainage ditches that prevent the flow of water.
NO WAKE ZONE
Heavy rains in Lake and Volusia counties have caused portions of the St. Johns River in the Astor area to rise above flood stage, and emergency idle-speed/no-wake zones are in effect until levels recede. The emergency zones are effective north of the S.R. 40 Bridge in Astor. All of the waters of the St. Johns River north of the S.R 40 Bridge in Astor, Jungle Den Canal and South Moon Canal are currently idle-speed/no-wake zones.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and sheriff's offices from Lake and Volusia counties are posting signs in the restricted areas. In addition, all normal idle-speed/no-wake zones remain in effect.
FWC officers and county sheriff's deputies will be patrolling and enforcing the zones as long as boating restrictions are in place. These zones are automatically effective and enforceable when the St. Johns River level is 2.8 feet or higher, as indicated by the water level gauge at the S.R. 40 Bridge in Astor.
Individuals can go online for real-time water levels at www.srh.noaa.gov/alr/index.shtml.
Boating-restricted areas are established to regulate speed and operation of vessel traffic on the St. Johns River in Lake, Seminole and Volusia counties, per Florida Administrative Code 68D-24.018.