Flood Safety Rules
We’ve talked about hurricanes, and fortunately, haven’t had to deal with them much this year. However, flash flooding is a major issue with Hurricanes. Ask the folks up in Western North Carolina how significant flooding can be in the context of a Hurricane. The busiest part of hurricane season is August, which makes now an ideal time to discuss how to prepare for flooding.
Some Critical Flood Safety Rules:
Some of these seem contradictory to Hurricane safety rules. Sometimes it’s a matter of advance preparations, and sometimes it’s a matter of judgement.
Before and after a flood, there are a few critical safety rules to keep in mind.
- Find shelter right away at the first warning. Stay off bridges and avoid fast-moving water.
- Evacuate at the first chance you get. Leave before the roads flood. Water 6” deep will knock you down; it’s especially difficult for children. Water a foot deep is unsafe to drive in. A foot deep pothole can disable your truck.
- If you get trapped in your home, move to the highest floor where you can get out. So a bedroom with windows is good, but an attic without windows is dangerous
- Bring tools like an axe or hatchet, sledgehammer, or chainsaw to break through the roof if water continues rising. Bring some sheets to signal for help from windows or the roof.
- Be sensitive and avoid electrical hazards: Downed power lines can electrically charge the water. Stay out of flooded basements. Water may be in contact with breaker boxes, outlets, or appliances. If you can’t, turn off the electricity to prevent shocks.
- Flood water is almost always polluted and contaminated with sewage, waste, oil, and other bad stuff. Don’t drink it. Don’t let your kiddos play in puddles or standing water. Don’t let your dogs drink it. To the best of your ability, try to stay clear of all flood water. Stay clean and try to avoid any cuts or nicks. Polluted water can cause serious medical issues.
- Be careful with your generator usage. Keep them outside and away from windows. Don’t run your generator in an unvented garage. Generators produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides depending on your fuel type. Never run your generator in the house.
Enough with all “The Don’ts; The Do’s” are:
- Store fresh water, 1 gallon per person per day. I like the idea of filling your bathtub. Don’t wait until the last minute. County and municipal water supplies get polluted fast. Wells may be even worse. Plan on at least a week’s worth.
- Keep your cell phones and flashlights charged. Make sure you have several days worth of medications on hand. The hospitals will likely be swamped. Get a good first aid kit.
- Lay in some food, that doesn’t require a bunch of heating or cooking. Eat out of your fridge and freezer first.
- Weather Radio is worth having. Keep plenty of batteries on hand or get the kind with a generator crank. Make copies of all your important documents and keep them in the cloud somewhere away from home.
- A good dry vac and a couple of fans can be helpful to have.
- Keep several of those cheap tarps with your supplies to put on your roof along with something to attach them with.
Stay safe!
For more severe weather safety tips and advice on ensuring that your policies cover what matters most in case of natural disasters, check out our other posts!
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