ARTICLE: SAFETY TIPS OF FLOODS
Floods can cause power outages, damage infrastructure,
trigger landslides,
and can be deadly. Heavy rainfall in a short period of time causes water to
rise rapidly, elevating the risk of flooding. Flash floods
occur with little warning, but flooding can also develop slowly after rain
ceases. Though most people associate hurricanes with
wind damage, flooding poses one of the biggest threats from the storms.
Flooding may occur as an overflow of water from water bodies, such as a river, lake, or ocean, in which the water
overtops or breaks levees, resulting in some of that water
escaping its usual boundaries, or it may occur due to an accumulation of
rainwater on saturated ground in an area flood. Floods often cause damage to
homes and businesses if they are in the natural flood plains of rivers. While
riverine flood damage can be eliminated by moving away from rivers and other
bodies of water, people have traditionally lived and worked by rivers because
the land is usually flat and fertile and because rivers
provide easy travel and access to commerce and industry. Here are some safety tips to
help you prepare for rising water and what to do once a flood has
begun.
1) DURING FLOODS
• Avoid low spots, like ditches, basements, or underpasses.
• These become extremely dangerous during a flash flood.
• Do not walk through flooded areas. It can be difficult to tell how deep the water is and what lies underneath the water that could hurt you.
• Even shallow, moving water can make you fall.
• If you have to walk in water, wherever possible, walk where the water is not moving.
• Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you.
• If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground only if you can do so safely.
• Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
2) WHEN FLOODS OCCUR
• Have an emergency plan and practice survival skills, like first aid and how to disinfect water.
• Be prepared! Assemble an emergency kit in case you need to evacuate.
• Don't forget to include necessary prescription medications and a small first aid kit.
• Charge cell phone batteries and any reusable batteries for flashlights.
• Buy extra batteries in case power isn’t restored immediately.
• If possible, bring in outdoor furniture and move important items to an upper floor, above possible flood levels.
• Do not drive into flooded areas.
3) WHAT TO WEAR IN A FLOOD
• Wear rubber or other water-resistant gloves and boots with long pants tucked into the boots.
• These items will provide protection when walking through debris littered areas and when handling items inside the structure.
• Mold spores will be present in the air inside the structure.
• As for flooding, many shops sell plastic overshoes which you can slip over your normal shoes in case of flooding.
• Take a waterproof jacket just in case the weather is bad.
• Wear chemical-resistant outer clothing, boots, protective eye goggles, and plastic or rubber gloves.
4) AFTER FLOODS
• Do not return home until authorities have advised that it is safe to do so.
• If the main power switch was not turned off prior to flooding, do not re-enter your home until a qualified electrician has determined it is safe to do so.
• Use extreme caution when returning to your home after a flood.
• Appliances that may have been flooded pose a risk of shock or fire when turned on.
• Do not use any appliances, heating, and pressure.
• The main electrical panel must be cleaned, dried, and tested by a qualified electrician to ensure that it is safe.
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