Safety Tips During and After a Flood

8/22/2023 (Permalink)

SAFETY FIRST (For businesses and home owners)

• Account that all employees or family members are safe by establishing evacuation plans in advance, identifying areas outside the building that are designated meeting places. Assign select individuals to keep a list of their assigned team’s names and contact numbers in order to account for their whereabouts.
• If water enters the building and evacuation becomes impossible, move to an upper floor, and wait for rescuers.
• While evacuating, avoid attempting to drive through floods or rising water, nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are auto-related.
• Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
• Do not walk through moving water. Even six inches of moving water can make you fall.
• Use no open flames (there may be gas escaping from ruptured mains).
• Avoid floodwaters. Water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline or raw sewage. Water may also be electrically charged. If the water has entered the structure through the flooding of a creek, stream or river, or if it has filtered through insulation during its intrusion, it is considered to be black water and could be hazardous to your health. Avoid contact with contaminated items as much as possible.
• Stay out of any building if it is surrounded by floodwaters.
• Listen for news reports to learn if the community’s water supply is safe to drink.
• Return only when authorities indicate it is safe.

SECURE THE PROPERTY

• Contact local emergency officials.
• Secure main entrances to building.
• Alert Security company and Alarm company of the situation.

STABILIZE THE PROPERTY

• Open basement or low-level windows to equalize water pressure on the building’s foundation and walls.
• Begin water damage mitigation steps only if local emergency officials deem the structure safe to enter.
• Notify your insurance agent or Risk Manager to determine insurance policy guidelines and steps to take.