Natural Disasters Are on the Rise

And so are hidden dangers to your health

Hurricane season has just started, and with it overlapping is tornado season. The United States has experienced a trend towards record numbers of natural disasters over the past decades. Mold can grow from stormwater entering homes, cars, and other buildings. All it needs to flourish is a warm, dark, and damp environment.

5 Reasons You Need the Mold and Allergy Emergency Kit Before it’s too late

1. Tornadoes have already surpassed last year: Tornadoes, like hurricanes, can lead to flooding, creating ideal conditions for mold to grow. ⁽¹⁾
2. It only takes 24 hours: Mold growth after a flood or weather event can spread rapidly, sometimes in as little as 24 hours.
3. Mold spores can float through the air: Causing allergies, asthma, infections, and other respiratory issues.
4. Post-disaster moisture: After hurricanes or floods, water damage can promote mold growth in homes. Mold may be present and pose a health risk.
5. Acute exposure to mold: Sudden or short-term contact with high mold levels can trigger symptoms, especially in sensitive individuals.

Possible Health Symptoms from Mold Exposure:

• Respiratory: Stuffy nose, coughing, wheezing, sore throat, difficulty breathing
• Allergic reactions: Sneezing, runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, skin rash, congestion
• Asthma attacks or worsening asthma: Particularly in people with pre-existing asthma or mold allergies
• Headache and fatigue: General tiredness or headaches
• Irritation: Eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs for both mold-allergic and non-allergic individuals
• Sinusitis or infection: Sinus inflammation or upper respiratory infections
• Severe reactions: Fever, shortness of breath, hypersensitivity pneumonitis in large exposures

Be Prepared – You Only Have 24 Hours

The mold and Allergy Emergency Kit includes:

• Albuterol inhaler: Helps with asthma flare-ups and sudden breathing problems caused by mold exposure
• Cholestyramine: Traditionally a cholesterol-lowering drug; off-label use binds mold toxins in the gut to relieve systemic symptoms
• Fluticasone nasal spray: Corticosteroid; off-label use reduces fungal load in lungs or sinuses and severe mold-related infections
• Itraconazole: Treats fungal infections in the mouth, throat, toenails, or fingernails
• Montelukast: Treats allergic rhinitis, bronchospasms, and mold allergies
• Methylprednisolone: Systemic corticosteroid to relieve skin rashes and other mold exposure symptoms
• Optional Epinephrine Injection: For severe, life-threatening reactions due to mold exposure

Weather events are increasing. Having a Mold and Allergy Emergency Kit is more important than ever. Be prepared — order your kit NOW before it’s too late.

References

1. National Centers for Environmental Information. (2025). Tornadoes - Year-to-date time series with fatalities. NOAA. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/tornadoes/time-series/ytd/5?fatalities=true
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Mold – Possible health effects. https://www.cdc.gov/mold-health/about/index.html
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2024). Can mold cause health problems? https://www.epa.gov/mold/can-mold-cause-health-problems

Written by Brooke Lounsbury