Flood Barrier USA

Flood Preparedness: What Every Property Owner Should Do To Be Ready

Author: Donna Conneely

Although some businesses and homes have a flood disaster plan in place, most do not. Many people think that because they do not live near a body of water, their business or home will be safe from flooding, and no plan is needed. Does it rain where you live? If the answer is “yes”, then most likely your home is at risk of flooding. Therefore, it is much better to be prepared for a flood than to be very unpleasantly surprised by one.

To get started, the prudent owner should inspect the property and determine what steps may be taken to prevent flooding. Is the structure on low ground, or on a promontory? Obviously, a low building site can add greatly to the vulnerability of the structure. There are steps that can be taken to alleviate this hazard: commercial flood barriers, earthen berms, even strategic planting of thirsty trees can help prevent floods from occurring.

During the next rainstorm, take some time to look at how water is behaving as it runs off your property. Does the water have a place to go, or does it form great pools around the foundation of the building? If the water does not have an organized and orderly route from the sky to the storm drain, the danger of flooding is greatly increased.

Now take a look in your basement, if your property has one. Any damp or puddles? If yes, this must be corrected before the structure is permanently damaged. Even if the water does not destroy the building, a subsequent invasion of mold can effectively claim the structure. Of course, money is an issue for most people, but leaving flooding hazards to be sorted out  on “another day” can cost you a property.

FEMA offers a downloadable flood preparedness guide and other resources. Please click on image to download this safety guide in PDF format from the FEMA.gov server.

As far as family flood protection there are some things that can be done before a flood that can literally save lives. At least one person in the family, for example, should make a habit of staying current with local weather predictions. A crank radio is invaluable for staying informed during power outages. Every family should also identify a safe meeting place in the event that the house has to be abandoned for some reason — for example a lightning strike or fallen tree hitting the house.

In the house, an emergency kit should be stored and periodically checked. It might contain the following items: First aid supplies, emergency food and water, survival blankets, candles, whistles, flashlights, batteries, medications, ID for each family member, toiletries, emergency phone numbers, and any other items that you will need to get through a few days with no power. Don’t forget about the pets! Be sure to have food and water for them as well.

Any family member old enough to take responsibility should be aware of the location of utility shut-off valves and how to operate them. All should know where the emergency kit is stored, and it is a good idea to have an extra, full gas-can so that the car will be ready to perform at the crucial moment.

No one can predict where a flood will occur, but it is certain that they WILL occur, and regularly. Floods kill more people than any other natural disaster, and as those dreaded 100-year floods become 50-year floods, or even annual events, household preparedness can make the difference between life and death. Similarly, advance flood protection can make the difference between saving or losing a house or business.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 10th, 2012 at 12:14 pm and is filed under Flood Protection. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.