Re: Mold Can Be A Danger When Evacuees Return Home

[Guest guest]

So, gee. So I guess the hazmat suits are...what? Decorative?

Or...you only get get a special outfit if you know the secret handshake?

Or...if you're doing remediation on...ahem...federal property?

Butttt - lessee. Skin contact can cause rashes. So...let's cover our hands and

wade on in there in our cargo shorts and wifebeaters. You can boil up enough

water to take a shower later, right?

And they completely forgot to tell the returning people not to eat that stuff

again. Sheesh!

snk1955@... wrote:

Mold Can Be A Danger When Evacuees Return Home

Release Date: September 30, 2005

Release Number: 1603-049

(http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease_print.fema?id=19302)

_» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Katrina_

(http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=4808)

_» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Rita_

(http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=5025)

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warns residents returning to their homes

after

the hurricanes that mold in their damaged houses can create a health problem.

Water-damaged homes provide a moist environment for mold to flourish. It is

often visible as a fuzzy growth or a discoloration of surfaces. It may be

accompanied by a musty, earthy odor or a foul stench. Residents are advised to

use care when cleaning up the mold. People with respiratory problems should

not spend time in houses with mold. Those who are sensitive to mold spores may

experience wheezing, difficulty breathing, nasal and sinus congestion,

burning and watering eyes, dry cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or skin

irritation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that anyone

going into a mold-ridden house to clean up should wear a mask rated n95,

available at hardware or building supplies stores. They should also wear rubber

gloves.

If mold is on hard, non-porous materials like tile or floors, the surface

can be washed with a household detergent or disinfectant and dried thoroughly.

A mix of one-half to one cup of chlorine bleach to one gallon of water can be

used for disinfecting. This should only be used in well-ventilated areas.

One should never mix bleach with ammonia; it produces toxic fumes.

Fans at open windows or doors can be used to help with the drying out

process, but they should blow outward, rather than in, to avoid spreading the

mold.

Do not use your air conditioning system until it has been checked out by a

professional. If the system has mold inside, using it will spread the mold

throughout the house.

Porous materials such as carpet, mattresses, upholstered furniture,

insulation and ceiling tiles with mold should be discarded. Workers should wear

the

masks and rubber gloves while handling anything that is suspected to have

mold. Wallboard, drywall and particle board are also porous and should be

discarded. Water can travel up inside these materials two feet or higher than

the

visible water. Therefore, care should be taken to cut sufficiently above what

appears to be the limits of water damage.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and

recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates

mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local

emergency

managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire

Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

on March 1, 2003.