Floods are the most common natural disasters in America. According to statistics, more than a hundred people are killed by floods every year. Also, more than four billion dollars worth of damages are caused by floods.
According to the American Red Cross, 2500 homes were destroyed by tornadoes and floods across eight states in early 2014.
The following are few tips you could employ in order to prepare yourself for any flood event.
Expect the expected
It is important that you clearly understand and that you are aware of any damages that floods might cause. These include boulders dislodged by rising water levels , trees that are ripped right out from the ground, buildings that are destroyed as well as bridges and fast moving debris.
Do not be afraid to ask
It is also vital that you inquire with your local zoning and planning office as to whether the property you are on is below the level of a possible flood or above it. Also, it is always good to know if the area you are in has had a history of flooding.
This knowledge will help you a lot in the preparation.
Familiarize yourself in any or all of the warning signals or signs whenever a flood does occur.
Learn, learn, learn
Know what your communitys plan for evacuation is. This helps you prepare your family and friends on what to do.
It helps if you have insurance that is tailored particularly to flood damage. You will find in the small print that insurance usually associated with home owners will not cover any damages caused by floods. Please make sure you read the fine print.
Keep all important documents
These documents include any policies for insurance, passports, birth certificates, etc.
All these documents should be kept in a box that is waterproof and one which could be easily accessed.
Move it or Lose It
If in case your fireplace, furnace, electricity panel or water heater is in the basement or 1st floor of your house, you could consider moving it up the attic.
In that way it will be a lot less probable for these to be damaged by flood waters.
Plug it all
Plugging all trap sewers you have in your house using check valves actually prevents any floodwater from going into the drains of your home. During emergencies, using large stoppers or corks to plug tubs and sinks might be a good idea.
Check and build
Checking with local codes of buildings is good as this will let you know whether it is permissible to build walls for floods and to be used as barriers around your home in order to prevent any floodwater from getting in your premises.
In order to protect walls of basements, seal them using waterproof compounds so that flood-waters would be unable to get in through any cracks.
Maintain a radio and some supplies. Make sure the radio is battery operated.
Having supplies such as canned goods is a must as well as first aid kits and don’t forget the can opener.
Watch this you-tube video below by Farm Bureau Insurance that highlights what has been written above. I just want to make it clear that Survival Curator has no association whatsoever with Farm Bureau Insurance and I put the video here for your convenience. Hope you find the information useful.