FRANKFORT, Ky. — Businesses and residents along the Kentucky River are mucking out their properties as the river has fallen out of flood stage. Businesses in Frankfort had restoration crews on-hand hoping to reopen as soon as possible.
Restoration experts say a prompt mucking out of flooded properties is crucial because when muddy, wet debris sits for too long, it creates a breeding ground for mold which leads to bigger issues. Jeremy Davis, general manager of Paul Davis Restoration in Lexington said it’s best to act once the property is accessible.
“The longer it sits, the worse it gets,” Bailey said.
Crews with Paul Davis Restoration have been in the Frankfort area since Saturday. On Thursday, their work continued mucking out flooded businesses along Main Street, including Goodwood Brewing.
“First step is getting the mud out so we can start getting the building materials out; we want to be a safe environment; if you’re walking through mud and carrying heavy objects, pool tables, TVs; the cleaner the surface area, the easier it is to work,” Bailey said.
All of this debris and belongings covered in mud and once underwater are now a total loss. The team of cleaners taking it all to the garbage so drying out efforts can begin.
“We’re going to be removing and setting all dehumidifiers; we’ll be setting air movers to get air movement to control it and from there we’ll do daily monitoring to make sure we’re getting the dry standards that’s needed,” Bailey said.
Kentucky’s top health official, Dr. Steven Stack, said flood conditions like Kentucky is seeing is a breeding ground for mold, bacteria and other pathogens. Acting swiftly is best for your health.
“Once mold sets up, it can spread fast, particularly as we get warmer days now and entering into the spring and we’ll have some days in the 70s and 80s,” Stack said.
Stack said anyone mucking out properties should wear protective gloves, boots and a facemask for prolonged exposure.
“The mask is because you don’t want to breathe in a bunch of mold and you don’t want to breathe in other pathogens, dust or debris,” Stack said.
Stack also heightened the importance of having an updated tetanus shot.
Paul Davis offers services for businesses or homeowners.
“Right now, it is pure mitigation, emergency services that we’re providing to help restore the property. We want to get it dry, prevent further contamination, decontaminate the structure and make it habitable again for the property owners and business owners,” Bailey said.
He expects crews to be in Frankfort for at least a couple more weeks.
