5 Steps to Prepare for a Flood

As you are likely aware, there has been major flooding across the United States during this first month of the year. News headlines like “Deadly Flooding in Louisiana,” “Louisiana Flooding Disaster Grows, Millions in Texas Under Flood Watch,” and “Flood Warnings as California Deluge Intensifies,” show us that disastrous situations are actively happening in our neighboring states.

Known for their unpredictability, floods can cause major damage to city infrastructure and even deaths. Though floods are among the most dangerous of natural disasters, there is one thing to always keep in mind: tragedies caused by floods can be prevented through taking proper precautions. Just a few hours invested into making your home secure, and getting fully prepared, can set your family up for survival. 

Here are 5 key steps you can take to prepare yourself and your family for a flood emergency. 

Get informed, stay informed

One of the best ways to prepare yourself and your loved ones for a flood is to be aware of weather conditions. Pay close attention to the status and progression of current storms in an effort to increase

If your city has had past history of flooding, do your part to investigate where damage was caused to help you better plan your family safety protocols.

Update your preparedness kits 

Next, you will want to be sure your preparedness kits are all up-to-date. Ensure they have the proper supplies needed to protect multiple family members, including small children, elderly, and pets.

In your prep kits, you should have 72 hours-worth of food and water along with other essential supplies (pick up a 4-person prep kit here). Take an extra flood precaution by adding flotation devices and life vests along with other waterproof survival items.

It is important that your preparedness kits are always updated immediately after they are utilized making sure you have the same resources available should another emergency situation occur.

Secure your home 

Next, be sure that your home’s furniture is secure. Flooding can cause unprecedented amounts of damage to your home, so making sure loose items are secure can help to prevent both property damage to your home and bodily injury.

Furniture items aren’t the only things that should be secured around your home. Also, take the time to secure hazardous electrical items to prevent them from falling into water during a flood.

If you haven’t already, invest in sandbags and keep them inside your home should a flood become an imminent. Having sandbags immediately available can buy you and your family much-needed time when preparing to evacuate your home.

Practice your emergency plan

In preparing for a flood, a staple step is to make sure your family has an emergency action plan ready to implement at any moment. 

Then, practice your emergency action plan with your entire family so all members can get a feel for how the plan will work during a real emergency situation. This will help each member to directly understand their roles in the plan and gives an opportunity to answer any questions that may arise.

During this practice, have each family member (including yourself) memorize importance emergency phone numbers and addresses should electronic devices become damaged.

Keep all family members (pets too!) accounted for

Of course, natural disasters occur in an instant. Therefore, keep your entire family and all pet family members close and within sight at all times during an emergency situation.

 

Now that we’re in flood season, it’s vital that we take a few moments to prepare ourselves for a flood disaster. By following the 5 steps outlined above, you can increase your family’s safety- stay safe!

 

 

 

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