How to Make a Flood Plan for Your Home
Are you a homeowner with flooding issues looking into flood management? If you live in a flood-prone area, flood management is not something you can skip. As a homeowner, making a flood plan should be one of your first priorities if you’d like to stay safe during a flood.
Did you know that there were over 193 major flood disasters in the year 2020 alone? Flooding accounts for 60% of disasters every year, affecting millions. Protect yourself from water damage by making a food plan for your house.
Knowing how to prepare for flooding will help you avoid water damage and a flooded house. Taking the necessary steps will help you feel better prepared and recover from it faster. Find out more on how to make a good flood plan using these tips below.
Find Out if Your Property is in a Flood Prone Area
Before creating a flood plan for your home, it is important to check if it’s located in a flood-prone area. The Department of Land and Natural Resources has a free flood hazard assessment tool. This flood assessment tool can help you check if your area is flood-prone.
Before buying property, you should always check hazards and risks within the area. These hazards can be natural, like fault lines, volcanoes, sinkholes, or flooding. A good way to do this is to ask a trusted or known person in the neighborhood if the area has suffered from flooding.
Having bad home design can also lead to your house flooding, despite not living in a flood-prone area. A great way to avoid flooding in your house is by raising your home using stilts or piers. You can also have a flooded house inside if you don’t have water-proof coats or sealants in your roofing or walls.
Doing due diligence by checking if your house is in a flood-prone area can help you plan ahead. If you live in a flood-prone area, you should consider investing in flood insurance. Find more info on betterflood.com.
Create a Flood Plan
A flood plan is one of the best ways to ensure you and the people in your household know what to do in case of a flood. Having a flood plan can help prevent water damage and even save your lives during flooding. There are many tips on how to make a flood plan out there, but here are some basic things you should know.
Always be in the Know
Once you’ve confirmed that you live in a flood-prone area, you can sign up for flood warning services in your area. The National Weather Service has active watches, warnings, and advisories for flooding. Make sure to follow them on social media and enroll in their messaging services.
There are also radio stations that announce flooding, which can be helpful. During emergency situations such as flooding, power often gets cut off. Having a battery-operated radio can help you get announcements for announcements during flooding.
It is important to be aware of any flood alerts in your area so you can prepare for flooding. You can also contact your local government and ask them what the flooding protocols are in your area. Be sure to keep a copy of emergency numbers and know where the nearest flood shelters are.
Have a Flood Kit on Ready
Once you know all the emergency numbers and shelters to go to, you should start making your flood kit. Your flood kit should contain necessities such as food, medicine, and extra clothing.
The first thing you need to pack in your flood kit is food and water. Make sure you and your family have enough food and water for at least three days but feel free to pack more. Remember that it is always better to become overprepared than underprepared.
When it comes to packing food, make sure to pack only nonperishable goods. Pack food that is easy to prepare and eat; it’s recommended that you pack food that doesn’t need much cooking or prep. Each person would need at least one gallon of water per day, both for drinking and sanitation.
Your flood kit should also contain items like a battery-operated radio and flashlights. You can also throw in some spare batteries or power banks. These will come in handy later on when you need to charge your gadgets later in case you need to contact for help.
It is also important to pack a whistle, which can help you signal for help in case you need it. If you are going to a shelter, pack toiletries and garbage bags for personal sanitation. You should also store any important documents such as passports in waterproof bags.
Assign Roles Within Your Family
If you live in a household, you can assign tasks to each person. For instance, one can be in charge of gathering supplies, such as getting the flood kit. Another can secure all important files and carry cash with them and so on.
Assigning roles to a different person can help ensure that your flood plan will be effective. It is also important to create a buddy system wherein each person has a pair to make sure everyone is safe. Practice these steps and always ensure that each person in your household knows their role.
Create a Flood Plan for Your Home Today
Now that you know these tips on how you can make a flood plan for your home, you are sure to avoid having a flooded house. Want to know more about making a flood plan and flood management? Read these other articles that are sure to teach you all about making the perfect flood plan for your home.
Thank you for reading our article! Are you a homeowner interested in making a flood plan for your home? Check out our other tips and tricks on flood management and reducing water damage to your home.
