Preparing for floods at home

TUESDAY, 02 AUGUST 2011 18:26 AIR URQUIOLA

FLOOD waters can be extremely dangerous. According to SM Ace Hardware and Fema (Federal Emergency Management Agency), the force of six inches of swiftly moving water can knock people off their feet.

Flash-flood waters move at very fast speeds and can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and obliterate bridges. Walls of water can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet and generally are accompanied by a deadly cargo of debris. It’s important to know the flood risk where people live and work. If you are not sure about potential flooding in your area, you may want to call your local Red Cross chapter for more information.

If your area is at risk from floods, there are flood-specific precautions that can help minimize injuries and damages in the event of a flood. The following are tips for flood preparation:

· If it has been raining hard for several hours or days, and water is accumulating on the roads and in yards, it is best to guard against flooding. One may need to tune in to local radio or TV stations for flood information. It can take several hours or days for these floods to develop.

· It’s important to know the difference between a “flood watch” and a “flood warning.”

In the event of a flood warning, one should evacuate the affected area as soon as possible and move to higher ground away from any bodies of water and storm drains. If you have time, raise your furnace, water heater, electric panel and circuit breakers above the water line if they are in areas of your home that may be flooded.

· Learn evacuation routes from home and from work, keeping them in all your vehicles, and include several alternative evacuation routes. If your car stalls in rising water, abandon your vehicle immediately. Leave your stalled vehicle and find your way to higher ground.

· Recovery from a flood is just as important as preparation. Never take safety for granted during the clean-up. Beware of fire hazards, such as electrical appliances that are wet or standing in water, as well as broken gas lines. Avoid walking or driving through flood waters.

· If walking through standing water cannot be avoided, wear hearty shoes and use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights when examining buildings. Be on the lookout for water snakes and other potentially hazardous animals that may have been displaced or injured during the flood.

· It’s also important to note that flood damage is not covered under many insurance packages. Consider purchasing this additional coverage if you live in an area where floods are likely to occur.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo urged the public to call the emergency hotline 117 if they need rescue services or in any kind of emergency cases. 117 is the emergency hotline of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as well as the government’s national emergency hotline number with call centers in all regions of the country.

Robredo said the public should immediately call the hotline number, especially at this time when many people are affected by the high floods and heavy downpour caused by the latest weather disturbance.

“All you have to do is dial our hotline number 117 so that we can immediately dispatch our emergency and rescue units and coordinate with the local PNP, BFP, MMDA, DPWH and other concerned agencies to where you are and assist you,” he said.