Flooding: What You May or May Not Already Know
By Madison F.
With the beauty of Springtime, the deadliness of floods come. The snow starts melting, and spring storms start coming.
Many places are already seeing the effects of these deadly floods.
Weather.com gives us nine great examples of the worst things you can do during a flood:
- Drive in flooded waters, you don't know how deep it is, or how little of water it will actually take to sweep your car away. According to ready.gov "just two feet of moving water can sweep an SUV off the road".
- Use electricity in a flooded home
- Get in the flood water, as there could be sewage, disease, and/or dangerous animals
- Play with the wild animals
- Ignore flood warnings
- Not having a flood emergency kit
- Leaving things on and plugged in when you evacuate your home
- Not being properly dressed
- Leaving important belongings on the main floor where the flood will likely get them.
So what should you do during a flood?
- Go to high ground
- Avoid the areas that are currently flooded
- Never drive in the water
After the flood ensure that you:
- Check for any damage
- Get all the wet objects including carpet, as it can mold in 24-48 hours
- Clean and disinfect everything that the flood water touched
- Create a plan before repairing
- File for your flood insurance claim. Remember, only flood insurance will help you when a flood happens.
To make sure you are prepared and ready for flood season, the following are suggested:
- Create an emergency plan, and ensure everyone living in the home knows it
- Create a home inventory list for the insurance companies
- Ensure you have flood insurance, as other insurance types most likely won't cover flood damage
Be prepared with emergency survival kits, as well as food and water storage. You never know how long you will have to go without modern conveniences.
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