RED CROSS FLOOD TIPS With recent flooding that has occurred in the Northeast, your local American Red Cross would like to remind families to take extra precautions to stay safe. Use the following tips to prepare for and remain safe during and after a flood: Know Flood Terms and What They Mean When a Flood WATCH is Issued … Move your furniture and valuables to higher floors of your home. Fill your car’s gas tank, in case an evacuation notice is issued, When a Flood WARNING Is Issued … Listen to local radio and TV stations for information and advice. If told to evacuate, do so as soon as possible. When a Flash Flood WATCH Is Issued… Be alert to signs of flash flooding and be ready to evacuate on a moment’s notice. When a Flash Flood WARNING Is issued … Or, if you think it has already started, evacuate immediately. You may have only seconds to escape. Act quickly. Move to higher ground away from rivers, streams, creeks, and storm drains. Do Not drive around barricades … they are there for your safety. If your car stalls in rapidly rising waters, abandon it immediately and climb to higher ground. Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Including– First aid kit and essential medications   Canned food and can opener   At least three gallons of water per person   Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags   Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries   Special items for infants, the elderly, or disabled family members   Written instructions for how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise you to do so (Remember, you’ll need a professional to turn them back on)   Identify where you could go if told to evacuate. Choose several places … a friend’s home in another town, a motel, or a shelter. Be Prepared for the Next Flood Know your area’s flood risk – if unsure, call your local emergency management office, or planning and zoning department, and check local weather updates.   If it has been raining hard for several hours, or steadily raining for several days, be alert to the possibility of a flood. Call your local Red Cross Chapter to find the location of any shelters that may be opening.   If you are experiencing flooding and need assistance, call your local authorities immediately.   Seek Flood Insurance – Even if you have floodproofed your house, you still need insurance to protect you from unexpected events, such as a flood that rises higher than your protection level. If you have insurance, find out whether you have the right kinds of coverage and whether you have adequate coverage. (Homeowners’ policies do not cover damage caused by floods).   Keep important family documents in a waterproof, portable container you can grab quickly in case of evacuation. After a Flood Take care of yourself – discuss your problems, rest often and eat well, watch for signs of stress and seek professional help if needed.    Keep the family together – in bad times, togetherness provides mutual support for everyone.    Care for your children – watch them closely. They may display symptoms of stress.    Stay healthy – small children, pregnant women, and people with health problems should avoid flooded areas until clean-up is complete.    Confirm that water is clean and safe – Do not drink it or wash dishes until you’re sure. Make sure you disinfect dishes and everything else that floodwaters touched.   Report health hazards – Tell the health department about animal carcasses, rats, dangerous chemicals and similar hazards on your property.   Make sure your home is safe to go back to – check your home before you go in, if there is standing water next to the outside walls of your home, don’t go in. Turn off the electricity at the main breaker or fuse box and the gas. Check the ceiling for signs of sagging.   Making flood insurance claims – Take photos and videotape the damage to both the inside and outside the building and its contents. Rebuilding Tips Give your house plenty of time to dry.   Move the main breaker or fuse box and the utility meters above the flood protection level for your house. If you are going to replace a flooded furnace, water heater, or air conditioner, install the new one on a higher floor. Where the flood protection level is not too high, a furnace, water heater, or other heavy appliance can be raised on a platform inside the house.   Wash and disinfect the studs and sills if the wallboard and insulation had to be removed.   Remember that some floors are made with particle board or plywood, materials that fall apart when wet for long. Floor joists and some wood floors will regain their shape if allowed to dry naturally.   Do not paint until the surface is completely dry. If the surface still contains moisture, the paint will peel.   You may need a contractor to help your rebuild, especially to handle the difficult jobs such as foundation repair and electrical work. Before hiring a contractor, take the following steps: Check on the firm’s reputation. Ask for proof of insurance. Ask for references. Ask for a written estimate. Ask for a contract. Ask for guarantees in writing. Get a copy of the final signed contract. Don’t sign off before the job is finished. Floodproofing Remodel and rebuild using materials and methods that will prevent or minimize damage from future floods.   Some financial assistance programs can help pay for flood proofing.   Make sure that you talk to your town’s or city’s building department before you begin to repair or rebuild.   Five types of floodproofing include: Elevation (most houses can be raised so that the lowest floor is above the flood protection level). Relocation (moving a building out of the flood-prone area is the surest way to protect it from flood damage). Floodwalls (Floodwalls, berms, and levees all work to keep floodwaters from reaching your house). Dry Floodproofing (Sealing a building to keep floodwaters out). Wet Floodproofing (modifying a building so that floodwaters will cause only minimal damage to the building and contents). To learn more, contact your local American Red Cross Chapter today and prevent disaster tomorrow. Together, We Can Save a Life!