Recover from an Emergency

Recover from an Emergency

Recovery starts when the immediate danger has passed — and it’s usually a gradual process. Take it one step at a time, starting with your family’s safety. This page covers how to return home safely, clean up without getting hurt, handle debris and hazardous waste the right way, and find help. We’re a volunteer council, not a government agency — where official programs exist, we link you to them.

1. Returning home after an evacuation

Don’t go back until local officials say it’s safe. They know which areas still have hazards — damaged roads, gas leaks, downed lines, unstable buildings.

  • Walk the outside of your home first. Look for structural damage, downed power lines, and damaged gas lines before entering (FEMA: returning home safely).
  • If you smell gas, leave immediately. Don’t flip switches, use phones, or start vehicles near the leak — sparks can ignite gas. From a safe distance, call Enbridge Gas’s 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-767-1689, or 911.
  • Never touch or approach a downed power line. Report it to Rocky Mountain Power.
  • If the house was closed up for more than 48 hours, open doors and windows and let it air out before staying inside.

2. Document the damage before you clean

Before you move or throw anything away, photograph the damage — every room, plus roof, yard, and vehicles. Contact your insurance company early. Good photos and a simple list of damaged items make claims and assistance applications much easier.

3. Clean up safely

Cleanup injuries send a lot of people to the ER after a disaster. Slow down and protect yourself (CDC disaster safety).

  • Wear protection: sturdy shoes, work gloves, and eye protection for debris; rubber gloves and rubber boots for anything wet or contaminated.
  • Throw out what soaked and can’t be disinfected — mattresses, carpet, stuffed toys, cosmetics.
  • Mold: if your home got wet, assume mold will grow. Dry everything as fast as you can — within 24–48 hours if possible. For cleanup, wear an N95 mask, and use no more than 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water. Never mix bleach with ammonia — the fumes are toxic (CDC mold cleanup guide).
  • Pace yourself. Work in pairs, take breaks, drink water, and don’t lift more than you should.

4. Power tools, ladders, and generators

Most recovery work happens around your own house. A few rules prevent the worst injuries:

  • Generators: outside only. Never run a generator, pressure washer, or charcoal grill inside your home, basement, or garage — or outside near an open window, door, or vent. Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and can kill in minutes (CDC generator safety).
  • Chainsaws: don’t run chainsaws or power tools in wet areas, and don’t use them alone or when tired.
  • Roofs and ladders: falls are a leading cleanup injury. Set ladders on firm, level ground, keep three points of contact, and hire out steep or high roof work.
  • Electricity: if your home flooded or wiring may be damaged, have an electrician check it before you re-energize circuits.

5. Food and water after an outage

  • A closed refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours; after that, throw out perishables — meat, dairy, eggs, leftovers (foodsafety.gov power-outage chart).
  • A full freezer holds safe temperature about 48 hours (24 hours if half full), door closed.
  • Never taste food to check it. When in doubt, throw it out.
  • If officials issue a boil order or your water source may be contaminated, follow their instructions before drinking or cooking with tap water.

6. Debris and waste — keep hazardous waste OUT of the regular pile

This is the one waste rule that matters most: keep hazardous materials separate from ordinary debris. When hazardous waste gets mixed into a regular debris pile, it can cause the whole load to be treated as hazardous — far more expensive and harder for everyone to manage (EPA disaster-debris guidance). Never mix hazardous products with each other, either — incompatible chemicals can react, ignite, or explode.

What counts as household hazardous waste (HHW): paint, motor oil, batteries, pesticides, cleaning chemicals, propane cylinders, and similar products (EPA on HHW).

Where it goes — Bountiful residents:

  • The Bountiful City Landfill (1300 West 1600 North, West Bountiful, 801-298-6169) takes household garbage and clean green waste — but does NOT accept hazardous waste, liquids, propane tanks, or tires (bountifulutah.gov/Landfill).
  • Bountiful sponsors a Household Hazardous Waste collection one Saturday each October — watch your utility bill and this site for details. For HHW disposal the rest of the year, the City directs residents to Veolia at 801-294-7111 (fees apply).
  • Note: the Wasatch Integrated HHW facility at the Davis Landfill in Layton is free for Davis and Morgan County residents except Bountiful City. If you live outside Bountiful City limits, check with Wasatch Integrated.

After a major disaster, the city or county may set up special debris drop-off sites or curbside separation rules — sorting debris into separate streams (green waste, construction debris, appliances, HHW) lets each be handled properly. Follow the instructions officials publish at the time.

7. Getting official help

  • disasterassistance.gov is the front door for federal disaster assistance after a Presidential disaster declaration. FEMA Helpline: 1-800-621-3362.
  • Be Ready Utah, run by the Utah Division of Emergency Management, posts state-level preparedness and recovery information.
  • Your insurance company is usually the first and largest source of recovery funds — start the claim early.

8. Watch out for contractor fraud

After a disaster, out-of-town “storm chasers” canvass damaged neighborhoods. The Utah Insurance Department warns about contractors who pressure homeowners to sign immediately, demand cash or full payment up front, or push “Assignment of Benefits” forms that hand your insurance claim to the contractor.

  • Verify the contractor’s Utah license and insurance, and check references.
  • Get written estimates. Don’t sign anything before your insurance adjuster has seen the damage.
  • Never pay in full up front, and never sign over your insurance settlement.
  • Be wary of door-to-door offers, “leftover materials” discounts, and pressure to sign electronic documents on the spot.

9. Take care of yourself — and your neighbors

Disasters are hard on people, not just houses. Strong feelings — stress, trouble sleeping, worry — are normal and usually ease with time. Check on elderly neighbors and anyone living alone; a lot of Bountiful’s recovery will happen neighbor-to-neighbor. If distress persists, the national Disaster Distress Helpline — call or text 1-800-985-5990 — offers free, confidential crisis counseling 24/7 (SAMHSA).

This page is maintained by volunteers of the Bountiful Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Council. In an emergency, always follow instructions from Bountiful City, Davis County, and state officials.