Flooding Preparedness Tips From FEMA

With spring on the horizon and the winter thaw beginning, the threat of flooding becomes more prevalent with changing temperatures.

©iStockphoto.com/Andrii Gatash

“With the change of seasons comes the risk of snow melt, heavy rains, and rising waters—we’re all at some level of flood risk,” says Andrew Velasquez III, FEMA Region V administrator. “It is important we prepare now for the impact floods could have on our homes, our businesses and in our communities.”

Here are some  steps FEMA recommends to prepare for and protect against flooding:

• Consider purchasing flood insurance to protect your home against the damage floodwaters can cause. Homeowners’ insurance policies do not typically cover flood losses, and most policies take 30 days to become effective. Visit FloodSmart.gov for more information. 

• Store important papers in a safe place. Make copies of critical documents (such as mortgage papers, deed, passport and bank information). Keep copies in your home and store originals in a secure place outside the home, such as a bank safe deposit box. 

• Elevate mechanicals such as the water heater, washer, dryer and furnace off the basement floor to avoid potential damage.

• Shovel snow away from your home and clean your gutters to keep your home free from potential water damage.

• Build and maintain an emergency supply kit. Include drinking water, a first-aid kit, canned food, a radio, flashlight and blankets. Ready.gov has a disaster supply checklist for flood safety tips and information. Remember to store additional supply kits in your car and at the office, too. 

• Have a family emergency plan in place. Plan and practice flood evacuation routes. Plan in advance how you will get to a safe place, how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in different situations. 

Individuals can always find valuable preparedness information at www.Ready.gov or download the free FEMA app, available for Android, Apple or Blackberry devices. To learn more about preparing for floods, how to purchase a flood insurance policy and the benefits of protecting your home or property investment against flooding visit FloodSmart.gov or call (800) 427-2419.