12/5/2015

Before,DuringandAfteraFlood

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Before,During,andAfterFlooding
Thesafewaytodealwithaflood?Gosomewhereelse.Staysomewhereelse.Andbeabsolutelysafe
whenreturningtoafloodzone.
Here'sourbestadviceonhowtodothat:
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Before,DuringandAfteraFlood

BEFOREAFLOOD(WhenFloodingisForecast)
Bealert.
Monitoryoursurroundings.
MonitorNOAAWeatherRadio,localtelevisionandradiostations,orgotowww.weather.gov.
Ifaflashfloodwarningisissuedforyourarea:Climbtosafetyimmediately.
Flashfloodsdevelopquickly.Donotwaituntilyouseerisingwater.
Getoutoflowareassubjecttoflooding.
Ifdriving,donotdrivethroughfloodedroadways!
Assembledisastersupplies:
DrinkingwaterFillcleancontainers.
Foodthatrequiresnorefrigerationorcooking.
Cash.
Medicationsandfirstaidsupplies.
Clothing,toiletries.
Batterypoweredradio.
Flashlights.
Extrabatteries.
Importantdocuments:insurancepapers,medicalrecords,bankaccountnumbers.
Bepreparedtoevacuate.
Identifyplacestogo.
Identifyalternativetravelroutesthatarenotpronetoflooding.
Planwhattodowithyourpets.
Fillyourcarsgastank.
Iftoldtoleave,dosoquickly.
ReviewyourFamilyDisasterPlan.
Discussfloodplanswithyourfamily.
Decidewhereyouwillmeetifseparated.
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Designateacontactpersonwhocanbereachediffamilymembersgetseparated.Makesureevery
familymemberhasthecontactinformation.
Protectyourproperty.
Movevaluablesandfurnituretohigherlevels.
Movehazardousmaterials(suchaspaint,oil,pesticides,andcleaningsupplies)tohigherlocations.
Disconnectelectricalappliances.Donottouchthemifyouarewetorstandinginwater.
Bringoutsidepossessionsindoorsortiethemdownsecurely.Thisincludeslawnfurniture,garbage
cans,andothermovableobjects.
Sealventstobasementstopreventflooding.

DURINGAFLOOD
Bealert.
Monitoryoursurroundings.
MonitorNOAAWeatherRadio,localtelevisionandradiostations,orgotowww.weather.gov.
Dontdriveunlessyouhaveto.
Ifyoumustdrive,travelwithcare.
Makesureyourvehiclehasenoughfuel.
Followrecommendedroutes.DONOTsightsee.
Avoiddisasterareas.Yourpresencemighthamperrescueorotheremergencyoperationsandput
youatfurtherrisk.
Watchforwashedoutroads,earthslides,anddownedtreesorpowerlines.
Beespeciallycautiousatnight,whenitishardertorecognizeflooddangers.
Ifthevehiclestalls,abandonit.
Ifwaterrisesaroundyourcar,leavethevehicleimmediately.Climbtohighergroundasquicklyas
possible.
NEVERdrivethroughfloodedroadways.STOP!TurnAroundDontDrown.
Theroadbedmaybewashedout.
Youcanlosecontrolofyourvehicleinonlyafewinchesofwater.
Yourcarmayfloat.Vehiclescanbesweptawaybylessthan2feetofwater.
Donotdrivearoundabarricade.Turnaroundandgoanotherway!
GettohighgroundClimbtosafety!
Getoutoflowareasthatmaybesubjecttoflooding.
Avoidalreadyfloodedareasanddonotattempttocrossflowingwater.
Stayawayfrompowerlinesandelectricalwires.
Evacuateimmediately,ifyouthinkyouareatriskorareadvisedtodoso!
Actquickly.Saveyourself,notyourbelongings.
Movetoasafeareabeforeaccessiscutoffbyrisingwater.
Familiesshoulduseonlyonevehicletoavoidgettingseparatedandreducetrafficjams.
Shutoffwater,gas,andelectricalservicesbeforeleaving.
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Before,DuringandAfteraFlood

Secureyourhome:lockalldoorsandwindows.
Ifdirectedtoaspecificlocation,gothere.
Nevertrytowalkorswimthroughflowingwater.
Ifflowingwaterisaboveyourankles,STOP!Turnaroundandgoanotherway.
Ifitismovingswiftly,water6inchesdeepcanknockyouoffyourfeet.
Beawarethatpeoplehavebeensweptawaywadingthroughfloodwaters.
NEVERallowchildrentoplayaroundhighwater,stormdrains,creeks,orrivers.
Shutofftheelectricityatthecircuitbreakers.
Ifsomeonefallsinoristrappedinfloodwater:
Donotgoafterthevictim!
Useafloatationdevice.Ifpossiblethrowthevictimsomethingtohelpthemfloat,suchasaspare
tire,largeball,orfoamicechest.
Call911.Callforassistanceandgivethecorrectlocationinformation.

AFTERAFLOOD
Waituntilitissafetoreturn.
MonitorNOAAWeatherRadioorlocaltelevisionandradiostations.
Donotreturntofloodedareasuntilauthoritiesindicateitissafetodoso.
Donotvisitdisasterareasfollowingaflood.Yourpresencemayhamperurgentemergency
responseandrescueoperations.
Travelwithcare.
Followrecommendedroutes.DONOTsightsee.
Watchforwashedoutroads,earthslides,anddownedtreesorpowerlines.
Stayawayfromdownedpowerlines.
Ifabuildingwasflooded,checkforsafetybeforeentering.
Donotenterabuildingifitisstillfloodedorsurroundedbyfloodwater.
Checkforstructuraldamage.Inspectfoundationsforcracksorotherdamage.
Turnoffanyoutsidegaslinesatthemetertank.
Donotenterabuildingthathasfloodeduntillocalbuildingofficialshaveinspecteditforsafety.
Useextremecautionwhenenteringbuildings.
Wearsturdyshoes.Themostcommoninjuryfollowingadisasteriscutfeet.
UseONLYbatterypoweredlighting.Flammablematerialmaybepresent.
Lookforfirehazards(suchasdamagedgaslines,floodedelectricalcircuits,orsubmerged
furnaces).
Checkforgasleaks.Ifyousmellgasorhearablowingorhissingnoise,openawindowand
quicklyleavethebuilding.Ifpossibleturnoffthegasattheoutsidemainvalve.Callthegas
company.
Reportbrokenutilitylinestoappropriateauthorities.
Checkforelectricalsystemdamage(sparks,brokenorfrayedwires,orthesmellofburning
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Before,DuringandAfteraFlood

insulation).Turnofftheelectricityatthemaincircuitbreakerifyoucanreachitwithoutstepping
inwater.
Examinewalls,floors,doors,windows,andceilingsforriskofcollapsing.
Watchoutforanimalsthatmighthaveenteredwiththefloodwaters.
Letthebuildingairouttoremovefoulodorsorescapinggas.
Takepicturesofthedamage,bothofthebuildinganditscontents,forinsuranceclaims.
Getprofessionalhelp.
Seeknecessarymedicalcare.Donotneglectminorwoundsorillnesses.
Food,clothing,shelter,andfirstaidareavailablefromtheAmericanRedCross.
Ifthegashasbeenturnedoffforanyreason,itmustbeturnedbackonbyaprofessional.
Haveanelectricianchecktheelectricalsystemandappliances.
Wellsshouldbepumpedoutandthewatertestedforpuritybeforedrinking.
Yourhomeisnolongerasafeplace.
Throwawaymedicine,food,orwaterthathadcontactwithfloodwaters(includingcannedgoods).
Ifwaterisofquestionablepurity,boildrinkingwaterfor10minutes.
Restrictchildrenfromplayinginfloodedareas.
Keepwindowsanddoorsopenforventilation.
Pumpoutfloodedbasementsgradually(removingabout1/3ofthewatervolumeeachday)to
avoidstructuraldamage.
Keepthepoweroffuntilanelectricianhasinspectedthesystemforsafety.Allelectricalequipment
shouldbecheckedanddriedbeforebeingreturnedtoservice.
Cleananddisinfecteverythingthatgotwet.
Servicedamagedsewagesystemsassoonaspossible.
Whenmakingrepairs,protectyourpropertyfromfutureflooddamage.
Followlocalbuildingcodes.
Usefloodresistantmaterialsandtechniques.
Elevateelectricalcomponentsabovethepotentialfloodheight.
Elevateutilities(washer,dryer,furnace,andwaterheater)abovethelevelofanticipatedflooding.
Considerelevationoftheentirestructure.
Installabackflowvalveinthesewersystem.

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Before,DuringandAfteraFlood

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