Mold, Restaurant Inspections Top Post-Irene Health Concerns

After Hurricane Irene flooded parts of town, the Westfield Regional Health Department began inspecting local restaurants to ensure residents' health would not be compromised from area eateries.

“No one failed,” Health Officer Megan Avallone said. “All of the restaurants were very cooperative," and all passed the inspections.

There really are not many health concerns due to the hurricane, Avallone said. The health department encourages anyone with a well on their premises to disinfect the well. But, the most important thing for all restaurant owners that lost power was to throw away their food, she said. It is also imperative to sanitize everything in the kitchen if it was flooded, she said.  

“When in doubt, throw it out,” Avallone said.

The majority of the calls to the health department have been about how to remove mold from flooded rooms. Avallone said they are telling residents it is important not to mix chemicals and to get rid of mold mix one cup of bleach with one gallon of water.

“The biggest health concern is people calling about mold,” she said.