Dr. Christopher Langan said residents of affected areas should follow state and local government directions when returning to their normal lives.

HOUSTON, TX – Texas residents dealing with the aftermath of hurricane Beryl, a category one hurricane that ravaged Houston and other nearby areas recently, have been advised to listen to directions from state and local authorities as they gradually return to their daily lives. 

Board-certified emergency room physician, Dr. Christopher Langan, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Houston, TX-based SignatureCare Emergency Center said this week that failure to follow directions from state and local authorities could result in serious illnesses, injuries, and even death.

He said that residents who evacuated their residences and those whose homes are flooded should heed warnings from state and local authorities before returning home.

“It is important that those who had to evacuate their homes and those whose properties are flooded should be wary of stepping into standing water or flooded areas. There may be downed electrical wires, snakes or other dangers lurking in those flooded areas,” Langan said.

Dr. Langan said some localities may be under boil water notices and it is important that these notices are heeded to avoid drinking or cooking with contaminated water.

“Boil drinking water for at least one minute before drinking them or using them to cook. This will ensure that any contamination is taken care of, and could prevent families from getting sick as a result of these water-borne contaminants."

“Follow “boil water” alerts that may be issued by local water utilities or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Do not drink water from unknown sources. People under boil water alerts and those with private wells that may have been contaminated by flood water should use only bottled, boiled or treated water until water has been tested and found safe.

“Boil drinking water for at least one minute before drinking them or using them to cook. This will ensure that any contamination is taken care of, and could prevent families from getting sick as a result of these water-borne contaminants,” Langan added.

Dr. Langan advised Texas residents in affected areas to discard any foods that has been in room temperature for longer than two hours or if the food has unusual odor or color.

“Wash hands with soap and disinfected water before eating or handling food, after clean-up work and after handling flood water-contaminated items.

“Discard any food that has been at room temperature for more than two hours or if it has an unusual odor or color. Thawed food from freezers may be safe for consumption or refreezing if it is still partially frozen. Do not eat food that has been in contact with flood water. Babies on formula should be given ready-to-feed formula or powdered formula prepared with bottled drinking water,” he added.

Dr. Langan also highlighted the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from generators, adding that generators should only be operated under dry conditions and never operated in the rain or under wet conditions.

“Generators should only be placed outdoors at least 20 feet away from buildings. They should never be operated in garages, even with the doors open. Also, they can pose an electrocution hazard and should be kept dry and not operated in rain or under wet conditions. They should be turned off and left to cool down before refueling. Gasoline-powered tools, camp stoves and charcoal grills also produce carbon monoxide and should never be used indoors,” he said.

About SignatureCare Emergency Center

Houston, TX-based SignatureCare Emergency Center owns and manages neighborhood 24-hour emergency centers throughout Texas, including emergency room (ER) locations in Austin, Killeen, College Station/Bryan, Paris, Midland, Odessa, Texarkana, Pflugerville and Lewisville, TX.