Maybe you’ve spent the better part of this week ripping out basement carpeting, tossing damaged couches, or even cutting away some drywall following the recent historic flooding in southeast Wisconsin. Well, you might not be done with cleanup.
MILWAUKEE – Maybe you’ve spent the better part of this week ripping out basement carpeting, tossing damaged couches, or even cutting away some drywall following the recent historic flooding in southeast Wisconsin.
Well, you might not be done with cleanup.
There’s now a warning from the Milwaukee Health Department about mold.
The exact numbers are still unknown insofar as to how many people are really were impacted by the floods.
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But what is known: the challenges for the people that just keep piling up.
If you walk down 44th Street, just north of Hampton, you’ll see debris upon debris piling up on sidewalks outside homes.
But inside those homes, that’s where you’ll be hit with the real aftermath of the historic floods.
“So you smell that, right? This is the damage we had got. Because the water was up to the ceiling of course,” said Jeffrey Carroll.
Like many of his neighbors, since the floods, Jeffrey Carroll has just been focused on cleanup.
“It was so much water coming in – we don’t know where the water came from!” added Carroll.
But in his basement, something is growing, and that something, health officials say, can be just as dangerous as the flood water itself.
Prime mold growing conditions
“The most common thing we’re going to see is mold. And that’s going to be a big problem as we’re moving forward,” said Dr. Ben Weston, Chief Health Policy Advisor for Milwaukee County.
County health experts say mold develops quickly in damp homes and can cause major health risks, especially to people who already have weakened immune systems.
“The problem is that that mold continues to grow. And so, over the coming weeks, it starts exacerbating conditions,” added Weston.
Some tips include limiting time indoors and protecting yourself while cleaning.
“Wearing heavy gloves, waterproof boots, a mask if you’re indoors when handling the debris,” said Weston.
“I am very concerned about the health because my family is here. But I am also concerned about everything getting back to where it was,” said Carroll.
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He says it’s simple. His neighbors need help — and they need it now.
“Health is the main issue. But I don’t know when anybody is going to come help us out,” said Carroll.
Other tips to prevent mold exposure include sealing off affected area, using ventilation, and avoiding direct contact.
The Carrolls also created a GoFundMe to help them out.
The Source: FOX6 has extensively covered the historic flooding, and talked to a homeowner dealing with the aftermath. Information was also provided by the City of Milwaukee Health Department.