Category: Flood Preparedness

We wish we had a crystal ball and could have posted this article weeks ago before the rains came.  But, if we knew when emergencies were to hit, they’d be called “annoyances” because we’d be ready.

Though we can’t predict every subtle nuance of every disaster, we do know 2 absolute facts:  One, if you were in a flooded area, you’ll want to be ready in case there’s a repeat.  Two, you’ll be telling friends in other areas how important it is to be prepared, and you’ll want some suggestions to pass along.

Let’s look at 4 areas:

Situational Awareness

1. You need to know if you’re in a flood zone.  You can get flood maps now from http://www.floodsmart.gov.
2. Get an NOAA approved Weather Alert Radio.  Not only can they keep you up to speed on the weather, the Emergency Alert System uses weather alert radios to broadcast other emergency info.
3. Though you might not live in a flood plain or near a waterway, individual neighborhoods can flood when storm drains are blocked.
4. Get a “basement flood monitor.”  They’re little gizmos that sit on the floor and alarm when water is present on the floor.  You can get them at most any hardware store.  This will tell you if water is creeping into the house, or if your water heater has ruptured, etc.

Know What to Protect

1. People and pets come before property, but as a flood develops, you’ll want to protect certain possessions, assuming you have time (time is the number one asset in any emergency).  So, look around now and determine what’s worth protecting.  Next, figure out how you might accomplish the task.  Do you load things in your evacuation vehicle?  Do you move things upstairs?  One suggestion is to put expensive furniture on top of the cheap stuff.  Put your ingenuity to work here.
2. Inventory your property.  Take photos of everything you own and save receipts.  Regardless of what kind of insurance you have, you’ll need to prove loss.
3. Vehicles are important, and today, most families have more than one.  You can save time if you park one vehicle on higher ground when flooding is predicted.  People in regular flood areas call this “docking.”

Prepare to Evacuate

1. We’re assuming that if you’ve already made the decision to stay, it’s because you, your neighbors, and local emergency management have already taken steps to start sandbagging certain areas and have already started protective procedures.
2. Just because water might be only a trickle now, don’t assume a flood will develop with uniform slowness.  The term “flash flood” was coined for a reason.  Make sure you have a way to get out of your home and out of the area.
3. In a flood you’d naturally head for higher ground, which could be just a few houses away.  One of the things you could do in advance (if flooding is predicted) is to tie a rope “railing” from your exit door to a neighbor’s tree so you can have something to hang on to if water levels rise faster than you thought.   As a helpful hint, knots are useful in any number of scenarios.  Go to www.youtube.com and learn how to tie the following knots:  bowline, taught line hitch, and Siberian hitch.
4. When leaving your house, turn off the power at your breaker box, but ONLY if you’re standing on a dry floor to do it.  You want the power off so rising water will not short out your wiring and burn your house down.
5. If water is already over the roadway, don’t drive.  Find a high and dry spot where you are and try to stay put.  Six inches or rushing water can push a car off the roadway.

Financial Protection

1. It’s good to have flood insurance if you live in an area with even a slight potential for flooding.  However, do 2 things.  One, have an inspector verify your property now to make sure the policy is valid even if you’ve been making steady payments.  Two, be sure to document all your belongings now, and your losses when incurred.  When cleaning up damaged property try not to throw anything away until an insurance adjuster has inspected.  At the very least, photo and/or video all the items you have to discard, and save every repair receipt to verify loss.
2. Flood damage also means you’ll have to deal with service companies.  Make a list now of the companies you may need in the wake of a flood and keep their contact information with your emergency documents.  If none are available, be sure to check out any new companies before authorizing them to work on your property.  Consumer reports has a good “honest contractor” checklist at:  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/resources/images/PDFs/HowtoHireaContractorChecklist.pdf
3. For emergency grant information, visit www.fema.gov.

Special note:  Send us an email at disasterprep101@aol.com and we’ll send you a copy of the 23-page report “Your Flooded Home” which details the steps you need to take when cleaning and repairing a flooded house.

About the author:  Paul Purcell is a security analyst and preparedness consultant with over 20 years risk management experience.  He is also the author of “Disaster Prep 101,” and a partner / adviser to 1-800-Prepare.