The purpose of this web page is to highlight some precautions and recommendations associated with floods and tornadoes. Links and resources listed contain a variety of health and environmental precautions.
For any additional questions contact the Iowa Department of Public Health at 515-281-7689.
Staying Safe
Do I Need New Vaccinations?
- Immunization recommendations
- Recomendaciones de inmunización durante las inundaciones (Immunization Recommendations During Floods - Spanish)
How do My Family and I Stay Safe and Healthy?
- Cleaning and disinfecting
- Frequently asked questions about cleaning flooded basements
- Re-entering your home
- Personal hygiene During and After a Flood
- Preventing Heat-Related Illness
- Questions about mold
- Carbon monoxide poisoning prevention
- Mosquito bite prevention
- Frequently asked questions about mosquito repellent use on children
- Safety information about mosquito repellent use (link)
- Recommendations for water consumption
- Being safe after a flood - activity book for children
- Protecting pets
- Sanitation Recommendations During Floods
- State Hygenic Lab Guidance on Flood Health and Safety
What about Damaged Items?
- Frequently asked questions about cleaning damaged clothing and linens
- What to do with personal items
Are my Food and Water Safe?
- Food salvage
- Food safety during a power outage
- FAQ How to Boil Water
- FAQ About After A Boil Water Advisory
- Private well use after a flood
- Private flooded sewage systems
- Flooded Private Well Recommendations
Information for Businesses
- Link to DIA for sources related to Food Plant Disaster Recovery, Re-opening Requirements for Food Establishments, and Food Safety After a Power Outage
- Guidance for food establishments during a Boil Water Order/Advisory
- Cleaning playground equipment
- Frequently asked questions about flooding and child care
General Information
- 2019 Iowa Flood resources - disaster assistance, ways to assist those affected and more
- CDC Flood Resource Information
- Iowa State University Flood Preparedness and Recovery Resources
- National Weather Service regions
- National Weather Service flood definitions
- Sandbag disposal
- Agricultural Respirator Selection Guide
- CDC Disposable Respirator Instructions
- Mold - Aftermath of Hurricanes and Major Floods
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Disaster Recovery
- Guidance for Transferring Pharmacies
Spanish Documents
- Preguntas frecuentes acerca de los avisosde precaución de hervir el agua (FAQ About Boil Advisories)
- Prevención de picaduras de mosquito (Mosquito Bite Prevention)
- El regreso a su hogar inundado (Reentering Your Flooded Home)
- Preguntas frecuentes sobre el moho (FAQ About Mold)
- Enfermedades causadas por el calor: guía de prevención para promover su salud y seguridad (Preventing Heat Related Illness)
- Limpieza y desinfección después de una inudación (Cleaning and Disinfecting After a Flood)
- Limpieza de ropa y ropa de cama contaminadas por el agua de la inundación (Cleaning Flood Damaged Clothing and Linens)
- Seguridad de los alimentos durante un apagón (Food Safety During a Power Outage)
- Cuando se produce una inundación - Recuperación de alimentos (Food Salvage)
- Preguntas frecuentes acerca de la limpieza de sótanos inundados (FAQ About Cleaning Flooded Basements)
- Higiene personal durante y después de una inundación (Personal Hygiene During and After a Flood)
- Prevención de intoxicación por monóxido de carbono (Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning)
- Uso de su pozo privado después de una inundación (Private Well Use After a Flood)
- Recomendatciones para el consumo de agua (Recommendations for Water Consumption)
- Eliminación de sacos de arena (Sandbag Disposal)
- Recomendaciones de saneamiento durante las inundaciones (Sanitation Recommendations During Floods)
- Después de la inundación: Qué hacer con los objetos personales (What to do About Personal Items After a Flood)
- Orientación para la transferencia de farmacias