The Florida Division of Emergency Management has shared information to help educate the public about flood hazards and some suggestions to help reduce risks of injury or death.
Flooding is one of Florida’s most frequent hazards and is a coast-to-coast threat that occurs on a yearly basis, according to a news release issued by the emergency management division.
Here’s a condensed list of suggestions from the state’s emergency management experts:
- Know the types of flood risks in your area.
- If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately. Prior to any threatening weather, be sure you have an evacuation plan, know the evacuation routes and have a plan on where you will shelter.
- Keep important documents in a waterproof container or store them on a password protected digital drive.
- When possible, move valuables to higher ground.
- Do not walk, drive,or swim through floodwaters. Just six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars and can cause loss of control and stalling; 12 inches of water can make a vehicle float away.
- If you are trapped in your car in rapidly moving water, stay inside. If the water begins rising inside the vehicle, get on the roof.
- If you are trapped in a building, move to higher ground or a higher floor.
- Do not return to your home until it is deemed safe to do so. Avoid driving unless it is an emergency.
- Stay out of floodwater in your home which can be contaminated with dangerous debris or live wires.
- Wear protective clothing when cleaning up and do not touch any wires.
Visit FloridaDisaster.org/hazards/Floods to learn more about flood safety and protecting yourself before, during, and after a flood.
For weather updates and safety tips, follow the Division on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @FLSERT.
Published March 29, 2023
