Yingling Urges Flood Safety Precautions, Warns Against Scammers

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. – With heavy downpours causing severe flooding in parts of Lake County on Wednesday, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, is joining emergency personnel from across the state in urging residents to practice safety around recent flood waters.

“The recent storm created a huge surge of rainwater still left in our community,” said Yingling. “Flood water is incredibly dangerous, and I urge residents to avoid driving on flooded streets and avoid any contact with flood water. Please call my office at 847-231-6262 if you need help connecting to local resources. Call 911 for any emergency.”

State officials caution residents to never drive through flooded roads, even with shallow amounts of water, nor attempt to push vehicles from water if stranded. Residents should avoid skin contact with flood water whenever possible as flood water may carry dangerous bacteria originating from sewer water. Anyone who does touch flood water is urged to immediately wash the contacted area.

“Natural disasters are a prime target for ‘storm chaser’ scammers looking to take advantage of people during desperate situations,” Yingling added. “Beware of aggressive salesmen and take the time to thoroughly research any company before signing a contract or paying any money. No reputable company will require a full upfront payment or cash-only payment.”

For more flood safety information, please call Yingling’s constituent service office at 847-231-6262 or repsamyingling@gmail.com. Alternatively, emergency preparedness information can be found at the Ready Illinois website at Ready.Illinois.gov, facebook.com/ReadyIllinois/ and @ReadyIllinois.