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BEFORE A FLOOD
- Designate a household meeting spot and develop an emergency plan and kit with supplies for your home and car.
- For templates and information on preparing your family emergency plan, visit ready.gov/make-a-plan.
- For a detailed list of recommended supplies, visit ready.gov emergency supply list.
- Seal cracks in your home’s foundation, exterior home walls, and small openings around pipes.
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Prepare your home. Stop floodwater from entering your home with materials like plywood, plastic sheeting, and sandbags.
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For ways to protect your home from flooding: FEMA's Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting
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- Keep rain gutters and drainage channels free of debris. Tarp or seed unvegetated slopes on your property.
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Do not pollute, dump, or drain anything in creeks. Know your neighborhood streams and drainage channel locations.
- Check with your community’s floodplain manager before you build.
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Learn how to turn off house utilities.
- Keep your car’s gas tank full or fully charged.
- Sign up for early flood warning text alerts at www.valleywater.org/floodready.
DURING A FLOOD
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Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If a flood is imminent, avoid low-lying areas and seek shelter in the highest spot possible.
- If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
- Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves. Disconnect electrical appliances. Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
- Evacuation is safer and easier before floodwaters become too deep. For more information, see www.ready.gov/evacuation.
- Moving water is dangerous. Six inches of moving water can cause a person to stumble or fall. If you have to walk in water, walk where it is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you and aid in balance.
- Understand shallow flooding risks – don’t drive through standing water. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground. A foot of water will cause many vehicles to float. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pick-ups.
AFTER A FLOOD
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Listen for news reports on whether the community's water supply is safe to drink.
- Never walk, swim, drive, or play in floodwater. Oil, gasoline or raw sewage may have contaminated the water. Underground or downed power lines may also have electrically charged the water.
- Please stay away from downed power lines and report them to your power company. Do not attempt to turn on a gas meter if the service is disconnected. Contact your utility and or your local police department.
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Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.
- Service damaged septic tanks, cesspools, pits and leaching systems as soon as possible. Damaged sewage systems are serious health hazards.
- Clean and disinfect everything wet. Mud left from floodwater can contain sewage and chemicals.
- Any repairs or improvements greater than 50 percent of a structure’s value need to meet National Flood Insurance Program requirements.