Categories: uncategorized
Date: 23 September 2008 13:43:12
Here is my sister's report from the recent Hurricane Ike flooding:
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"Our house was not threatened by flooding, but my son's was. Reports from their neighbors told us to expect 3-4 feet of water in the house.
"We were finally able to get inside Bob and Suzie's house yesterday evening. On our first attempt just after lunch, she and I walked as far as we could in knee boots, but they wouldn't take us any closer than 15 feet of the house. The flood water is smelly and looks toxic with ooze and slime and an oil layer on top in places, so walking in without boots is to be avoided!
"We borrowed her neighbor's pirogue (a first motorless boat experience for either of us) and made it to the door, only to realize the tools we brought were not what we needed to take the board off the door. After paddling around to a front window that was not boarded, we realized the windows were too high to reach from the pirogue. Even with no personal experience, we've heard enough stories to know that the one thing you should never do in a pirogue is stand up! So we parked the boat and left in search of better tools and hip boots or waders.
"We returned better prepared after 4pm and Bob joined us. I'm sure we were a hilarious sight! I was wearing waders big enough for an average man. Bob, who is 5'8" with a 29 pant size, was wearing waders big enough for a pro linebacker. Suzie, about 35 weeks pregnant, sat in the pirogue as we escorted her gently past obstacles. That's determination!
"I was reassured that contact with the water didn't mean sudden death or injury when I noticed life in the water. There were lively, healthy looking blue crabs swimming gleefully all around us!
"Finally inside, the odor was almost sickening. Amazingly, the water had not risen more than 10 inches above the floor! Almost equally amazing was the rate at which a sofa can mold under these conditions! That was the source of the odor. The 2 year old brown microfiber sofa and love seat were covered with a layer of fuzzy light gray mold! Yuck!
"We carried out lots of clothes and small valuables that we could dry out and clean and save. We could not remove the furniture, so we filled a spray bottle with bleach and water and sprayed every bit of mold or mildew we could find. Instantly the house smelled better--almost pleasant!
"Today's adventure will begin in a few minutes. First I have to drop off rescued dress clothes and a prized leather jacket at the cleaners. Then I will head down to Montegut and see what I can get done, depending on the water level. Removing molding furniture is the #1 priority, but it requires water lower than wader level and 3 or 4 able-bodied men.
"Second is to take boards off windows so we can get air and light. This might also require people bigger than me, but I'm bringing a ladder and I'll give it my best shot. I'm the only one available. Everyone else I've contacted is working until at least 4pm. If it has to wait, so be it. But the sooner these things are done, the sooner we can avoid further loss.
"Even if I can't get the furniture moved this morning, I can at least make a pass through the house and remove obvious trash. The less there is in the house, the less opportunity for mold and the easier it will be to clean up.
"Their losses so far are a sofa and love seat set, several mattress sets, an entertainment center, some vinyl flooring, and smaller miscellaneous items that just happened to be low or on the floor. I expect the appliances to be fine after a few days of drying out, but we may not know until Friday or so, when we will attempt to run them.
"That's our flood report for now. More soon."