Flood Preparedness
System - Thursday, October 1, 2015
There is some severe weather heading our way over the next few days. In addition to Hurricane Joaquin making its way to the East Coast, there is an existing rain storm that The National Weather Service is predicting will produce 3 to 5 inches of rain. Heavy downpours are expected Friday afternoon into early Saturday, and there is a flash flood watch in effect from 8am Friday to 8pm Saturday.
There are some steps you can take to prepare your home for possible flooding. First, check storm drains and gutters. Make sure they are clear of leaves and debris, and make sure the water coming out of gutters is flowing away from your house. Make sure all your stairwells are also clear of leaves and debris.
If you have a sump pump, check that it is plugged in and operational. If you live in low-lying areas that have flooded before, move vehicles to higher ground. Try to avoid parking under trees when possible because the saturated ground may lead to downed trees. Move valuables from the basement, or at the very least, put them on shelves, especially if your basement has flooded before. Take pictures of your property before the storms to help validate any insurance claims.
If you live in an area that has a history of flooding, check the website of your local area government for sandbag availability (see below). Some areas will provide them, while others do not. Sandbags can usually be purchased at your local hardware store if your local government does not supply them. If you use sandbags, be sure to use them correctly. They should overlap and not have any gaps between them.
Stock up on supplies like water, medicines, batteries, canned food, cash, and pet food for your emergency supply kit. Fill your car up with gas, and have extra gas on hand if you have a generator. Charge your cell phones, and it's also good to have a phone with a cord in case of a power outage.
Hopefully Hurricane Joaquin will continue to go out to sea and we will only be affected the current storm that is expected to produce large amounts of rain Friday through Saturday, but it is best to be prepared for the worst case scenario because the hurricane is a strong one and unpredictable at this stage.
Links to the flood emergency pages of local area governments:
Alexandria City
Arlington County
Fairfax County
Loudon County
Prince William County
FEMA
