Flooding

Turn Around, Don't Drown!

It can be tempting to try to make it through a flooded road, but it's extremely dangerous. Flood waters can destroy roads, especially those already built over waterways. Just looking, it can be impossible to tell how deep the water is and what condition the road is in underneath. Most flooding fatalities in America are from people driving in flood waters. This unsafe behavior puts drivers, passengers, and rescue personnel in danger. Turn around, don't drown!  

Flooding terms
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Flood Preparedness

Flooding can be devastating to homes and businesses. Find out if you are in a flood zone and how to get flood insurance by visiting FEMA's FloodSmart one-stop site.  

When considering how to prepare for flooding, make sure that copies of important documents such as contact lists, medicine lists, and birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates are in waterproof containers and your emergency preparedness kit is stored off of the ground. For more information on what to put in your emergency preparedness kit, check out our Get a Kit page.

Other tips:

- Store HVAC systems and generators off of the ground, or build a flood-resistant wall around them to reduce damage from flooding.

- Securely anchor propane tanks and grills. If outdoor furniture cannot be anchored, try to bring it indoors or temporarily secure it before times of heavy rain.  

- Check outside of buildings and home for cracks that may let water inside. 

More ideas:

 Ready.gov, FEMA FloodSmart, the CDC, or OSHA's flood recommendations for businesses. A more detailed guide from FEMA can be found here. 

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