{"id":2994,"date":"2015-03-04T20:13:07","date_gmt":"2015-03-04T20:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/?p=2994"},"modified":"2025-06-13T21:05:39","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T21:05:39","slug":"flood-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-articles\/flood-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Flood Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Flood safety isn\u2019t just about preparing before a flood hits, it\u2019s about knowing what to do during and after.\u00a0 This article will help you prepare for before, during, and after a flood event.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Before a Flood<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Know Your Risk:<\/strong>\u00a0Is your home, business or school in a floodplain? Where is water likely to collect on the roadways you most often travel? What is the fastest way to get to higher ground? Knowing the answers to these questions ahead of time can save your life.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Assemble and Emergency Kit:<\/strong>\u00a0It is good practice to have enough food, water and medicine on hand at all times to last at least 3 days in a emergency. Water service may be interrupted or unsafe to drink and food requiring little cooking and no refrigeration may be needed if electric power is interrupted. You should also have batteries, blankets, flashlights, first aid kit, rubber boots, rubber gloves, and a battery operated radio easily available.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Find alternate routes to important locations:<\/strong> \u00a0Don&#8217;t wait for flooding to know your way to safety<\/li>\n<li><strong>Make a family communications plan<\/strong>: It is important to be able to communicate with your family and friends in the event of a disaster. Whether it is having a specific person identified to contact for status updates or a safe location to meet up with family members, having a plan in place will give you peace of mind if disaster does strike.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a title=\"weather text and email notifications\" href=\"http:\/\/iAlert.com\/services\">Sign-up for Email\/Text Notifications<\/a>:<\/strong> \u00a0Your phone is always with you have critical weather information sent directly to it. \u00a0No &#8220;app&#8221; required<\/li>\n<li><strong>Charge Essential Electronics<\/strong>:\u00a0Make sure your cell phone and portable radios are all charged in case you lose power or need to evacuate. Also make sure you have back-up batteries on hand.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Prepare Family\/Pets<\/strong>:\u00a0You may be evacuated, so pack in advance. Don&#8217;t wait until the last moment to gather the essentials for yourself, your family and\/or your pets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Prepare Your Home:<\/strong> Homeowners insurance doesn&#8217;t cover flooding, ensure coverage by contacting your insurance company or agent to purchase flood insurance. This must be done before there is a threat of flooding as insurance companies stop issuing policies in advance of a flooding event. (i.e. an approaching hurricane). Flood insurance policies take at least 30 days to go into effect.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If evacuation orders come:<\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">follow them!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Durring\u00a0a Flood<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Stay Informed<\/strong>:\u00a0Monitor local radio and television <a title=\"weather text and email notifications\" href=\"http:\/\/iAlert.com\/services\">Sign-up for email or text alerts of active critical weather<\/a>, internet and social media for information and updates.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Get to Higher Ground:<\/strong>\u00a0Get out of areas subject to flooding and get to higher ground immediately.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Obey Evacuation Orders:<\/strong>\u00a0If told to evacuate, do so immediately. Be sure to lock your home as you leave. If you have time, disconnect utilities and appliances.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Practice Electrical Safety:<\/strong>\u00a0Don&#8217;t go into a basement, or any room, if water covers the electrical outlets or if cords are submerged. If you see sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping or popping noises &#8211;get out! Stay out of water that may have electricity in it!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Avoid Flood Waters:<\/strong>\u00a0Do not walk through flood waters. It takes only six inches of moving water to knock you off your feet. If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point and call 911 for help.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">After\u00a0a Flood<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Stay Informed:<\/strong>\u00a0Stay tuned to your local news for updated information on road conditions. Ensure water is safe to drink, cook or clean with after a flood. Oftentimes a boil water order is put in place following a flood. Check with utility companies to find out when electricity or gas services may be restored. Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of death after storms when areas are dealing with power outages. Never use a portable generator inside your home or garage. <a title=\"Generator Safety\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/emergency-and-homeland-security\/emergency-prepardness-products\/generator-safety\/\">Review generator safety<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Avoid Flood Waters:<\/strong>\u00a0Standing water hides many dangers including toxins and chemicals. There may be debris under the water and the road surface may have been compromised.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Avoid Disaster Areas:<\/strong>\u00a0Do not visit disaster areas! Your presence may hamper rescue and other emergency operations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Heed Road Closed and Cautionary Signs:<\/strong>\u00a0Road closure and other cautionary signs are put in place for your safety. Pay attention to them!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wait for the &#8220;All Clear&#8221;:<\/strong> \u00a0Do not enter a flood damaged home or building until you&#8217;re given the all clear by authorities. Water can compromise the structural integrity and its foundation and active electrical systems in contact with water is deadly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Contact Family and Friends:<\/strong>\u00a0Let your family and close friends know that you\u2019re okay so they can help spread the word. Register with or search the <a href=\"https:\/\/safeandwell.communityos.org\/cms\/index.php\">American Red Cross\u2019s Safe and Well<\/a>\u00a0listings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Related Articles:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"How tornadoes form\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/basic-meteorology\/how-tornadoes-form\">How tornadoes form<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Facts about tornadoes\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/basic-meteorology\/tornado-facts\">Tornado facts<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"tornado safety\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-articles\/tornado-safety\/\">Tornado Safety<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Lightning Safety\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-articles\/lightning-safety\/\">Lightning Safety<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Flood Safety\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-articles\/flood-safety\/\">Flood Safety<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"tornado myths\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-articles\/tornado-myths\">Tornado Myths<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Lightning Myths\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-articles\/lightning-myths\/\">Lightning Myths<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"The life cycle of a thunderstorm\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/basic-meteorology\/the-life-cycle-of-thunderstorms\">Life cycle of thunderstorms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Criteria for a tornado warning\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-glossary\/criteria-for-a-tornado-warning\">Criteria for a tornado warning<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Criteria for a severe thunderstorm warning\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-glossary\/criteria-for-a-severe-thunderstorm-warning\">Criteria for a severe thunderstorm<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Difference between a flood and flash flood\" href=\"http:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/basic-meteorology\/what-is-the-difference-between-a-flash-flood-and-a-flood\/\">Difference between &#8220;flood&#8221; and &#8220;flash flood&#8221;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Get severe weather alerts by email and text message\" href=\"http:\/\/iAlert.com\/services\">Sign-up For Severe Weather Email\/Text Alert Notification Services<\/a><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Flood safety isn\u2019t just about preparing before a flood hits, it\u2019s about knowing what to do during and after.\u00a0 This article will help you prepare for before, during, and after a flood event. Before a Flood Know Your Risk:\u00a0Is your home, business or &hellip;<span class=\"more\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/weather-articles\/flood-safety\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[278,116,81,127,253,254,119],"class_list":["post-2994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weather-articles","tag-disaster-preparedness","tag-emergency-preparedness","tag-flash-flood","tag-flooding","tag-prepare","tag-preparedness","tag-severe-weather"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2994"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2994"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4777,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2994\/revisions\/4777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}