First, Cinco is still under water so nothing will happen there for a few days.
As far as safety below is a list. It probably wont cover everything and I will add as I think of other things:
- Before you start tearing anything out, shut off the electricity. It may not be on any way but better to be safe. There will be a master switch in your breaker box. Its sort of fun to bust out dry wall but you don't want to damage electrical at the same time.
- I recommend at a minimum having safety glasses, respiratory protection and gloves. If you have them wear boots.
- I am not an electrical expert but if you have the power off, worry about getting everything else dry. I would think any outlets that were under water would need to be replaced or be 100% sure it is dry. Maybe someone else can chime in.
- If you are sensitive to mold or dust, the dust masks do not really do much to help. I recommend buying a half face respirator from Lowes or Home Depot. It will not be a perfect fit but it will be much better than a dust mask. Get extra cartridges and change them at the recommended level/usage. If all you have is a dust mask, it is better than nothing.
- If you start to feel sick or something just doesn't feel right get outside and get fresh air. If you start feeling better you might want to see what else you can do instead of being inside.
- Open all the windows you can to help with ventilation and drying. The quicker you can get everything dry the better. Check everything possible to see if it is wet.
- Most people tearing stuff out are volunteers or friends and don't have any experience. Make sure you have a first aid kit, water, etc. Give people specific tasks and if they look like they are struggling give them something else to do. It is also still hot so make sure people take breaks, you really don't need medical situations too.
- Use bleach to clean things but have a plan. I don't think trying to bleach drywall will do any good, it needs to be removed. Try to clean stuff outside ( set up a cleaning station) where ventilation is better.
- I recommend going to the auto parts store and buying nitrile gloves. They will fit under work gloves and protect from most chemicals, mold, etc. You really don't know what was in the water. Nitrile gloves are cheap and provide some additional protection especially from using cleaning products, bleach etc. Don't try to reuse the nitrile glove just get a new pair (they come in boxes of 50 or 100 pair)
- If you have any spills (gasoline, cleaning chemical, paints, etc) get those cleaned up as quick as possible. Nitrile gloves are very good for personal protection. If you put something in a bucket or container, label it so you know what it is for later disposal. You can let paint dry and just throw it away. Kitty litter is very good at absorbing stuff and can be shoveled into a bucket.
- I am assuming there will be special chemical pick up or drop off locations before too long.
As I think of more stuff I will add.
