Homes and workplaces were built to stay dry. Significant water intrusion can impact the building’s structural integrity and ruin its contents. There’s not a lot you can do when a natural disaster floods an entire area, but you can limit the degree of water intrusion by building flood walls, sealing cracks in your walls, making sure your roofs don’t have holes and getting your water lines checked for rusting and chinks.

Local TV and radio stations deliver constant advisories before, during and after flooding happens. Stay tuned so you know when it’s safe to stay home, when to evacuate and where you can go to for safety and assistance.

If flooding gets really bad in an area, expect food, water and electric supplies to be very limited. If your place is at risk of being heavily flooded, stock up on food, water and batteries for radio and lighting. Store all of these in a dry place and use them up conservatively until conditions go back to safe levels.

Local or State government units will do everything they can to let you know when it’s time to evacuate due to severe flooding. Don’t be stubborn and try to stay behind. Follow the instructions and hold your personal safety at the highest priority.

Some areas flood a lot faster than others. If your place of residence is at risk from flash floods, move to higher ground immediately. Flash floods not only damage property; they also put human lives at grave danger.

If water gets indoors, the last thing you’ll want to have is furniture, appliances and other debris floating around. These things can obstruct your movement and injure you if you get hit. If your place is being threatened by water intrusion, try and get as much of the structure’s contents to the building’s higher floors.

Floodwater is unsanitary and it’s usually a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and fungi. These microbes can irritate your skin and infect open wounds. To minimize the possibility of being infected, avoid floodwater as much as you possibly can. Even if you feel the floodwater is “clean” enough, stepping into it without a good reason is also a risky proposition. Less than a foot of flooding can cause you to lose your balance and fall. Being injured is, of course, not the position you want to be in during the middle of a flood.

If moving in the water is a must, put on protective clothing like boots and gloves. Direct skin contact with floodwater is an invitation for disease, so don’t give microbes the opening they need to inflict serious harm on you.

If the power in your area hasn’t been cut, but your house is flooded, turn off the general switch to eliminate electrocution and fire hazards. Floodwater getting in contact with exposed wires and live power outlets is a dangerous combination.

In the aftermath of a flood, the water can stay behind indoors and cause on-going flood damage to your property. This water needs to be extracted fast so that cleanup, disinfection and repairs can be made. Professional water damage restoration companies can do this for you. There’s no need to hire a plumber, carpenters and professional cleaners separately. Kennedy Restoration Services in Boston, Massachusetts is your one-stop, full-service provider.