2012 Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
ISU Extension experts have compiled this list of resources to help you prepare for and recover from floods and other natural disasters. Remember to take care of yourself and your family first, then deal with the things you may have lost to the disaster. You will find more up-to-date information on disaster recovery under the tabs below. Just click on each tab to uncover these resources.
Also see these Disaster Preparedness Fact Sheets from the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) and ISU Extension and Outreach:
Tornado
Flooding
Child Emergency Preparedness
Pet Preparedness
First Aid Supplies
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Dealing with Stress
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Clean Up
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Financial Concerns
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Tips for Businesses
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Crops
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Livestock
Dealing with Stress
Everyone is susceptible to the stress caused by natural disasters. The following resources provide information to help you deal with stress.
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Managing and Coping with Stress across the Lifespan
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Stress in Children
Clean up
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Recovery for Home Landscaping —(09/2011) outlines what to consider when beginning the process of recovering trees, shrubs, perennials, lawns and vegetable gardens.
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Storm Recovery Guide — information on safety and household cleanup after tornadoes, floods and other disasters. This guide was created by LSU AgCenter and edited by Iowa State University Extension experts for use in Iowa.
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Resources for Your Flooded Home — information to help you get your life back to normal after a flood. The guide was compiled by University of Missouri Extension.
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DNR fact sheets — outline correct disposal of flood damaged items - sandbag disposal, building materials, wet grains, appliances, hazardous materials, etc.
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Hiring Contractors After a Disaster — outlines what to look for in a reliable contractor and offers a worksheet for selecting and hiring contractors.
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Testing Water from Private Wells — information from the State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa.
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Creating a Healthy Home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes — tells how to clean up after flooding, but does not describe how to rebuild. By Enterprise Community Partners Inc. and the National Center for Healthy Housing, this guide is meant for do-it-yourselfers and contractors who need to clean up mold in flooded homes before starting to rebuild or renovate.
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Repairing Your Flooded Home — gives step-by-step advice for clean up, rebuilding and getting help after a flood; by the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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Rehabbing Flooded Houses: A Guide for Builders and Contractors — for professional builders and contractors rehabbing flooded single-family houses.
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Assessing, Repairing and Rebuilding Basements — a series of ISU Extension publications available to download in PDF format.
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Flood Cleanup: Avoiding Indoor Air Quality Problems — discusses problems caused by microbial growth, as well as other potential effects of flooding, on long-term indoor air quality and the steps you can take to lessen these effects with emphasis on residential flood cleanup
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A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home — provides information and guidance for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth; from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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Resolving Mold Problems—(10/2010 webinar) presented by Kenneth Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension.
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Restoring Flooded Buildings: A Homeowner's Next Steps — (10/2011 webinar) presented by Kenneth Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension.
Financial Concerns
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Recovery after Disaster: The Family Financial Toolkit — strategies and tools that can help you move along the road toward financial recovery. The toolkit was created by University of Minnesota Extension, North Dakota State University Extension Service and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.
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Storm Recovery Guide — information on documenting losses and claims, insurance and credit. This guide was created by LSU AgCenter and edited by Iowa State University Extension experts in 2008 for use in Iowa.
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Disaster Recovery: A Guide to Financial Issues — helps you regain a sense of financial balance following a disaster. This guide is a joint effort of the National Endowment for Financial Education, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Red Cross.
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Price Gouging Rule Takes Effect in Six Counties — (6/2/11) from the Office of the Attorney General, Iowa Department of Justice
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Iowa Individual Disaster Assistance Grant Program -- offers grants to families with incomes at or below twice the federal poverty index.
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Disaster Recovery Journal app -- This smart phone app from North Dakota State University Extension helps you record information about damages to your home and property using text, images and audio.
Tips for businesses threatened by floods
Crops
Topic-specific resources for ag-related issues following a flood are available for Iowa crop concerns from Iowa State University Extension and agricultural issues compiled by the Extension Disaster Education Network.
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Soil
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Forages
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Related Topics
Livestock Concerns
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The Iowa Beef Center has a flood resources page for cattle producers.
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Forage Crops
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Carcass Disposal
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Other topics
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These Iowa State University-based organizations also offer resources to the Iowa livestock industry.