When The Rain Won't Stop: Flood Safety Tips

We may take it for granted most of the time, but the weather can be a very dangerous force. In fact, it can be so dangerous that it can put our whole home at risk. This is the case with flooding. During times when it seems like the rain will never stop, you will probably be quite worried about the possibility of your home flooding. Hopefully, this never happens, but if it looks like you might have to deal with a flood, these safety tips can help you and your family get through it.

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Stock Up On Supplies

First of all, you should aim to stock your kitchen with plenty of tinned and canned foods. It’s also a good idea to get plenty of bottled water as well. That way, you always have lots of food and clean water to keep you going if the flood gets so bad that you can’t make it to your nearest supermarket or shop.

Use Sand Bags At Weak Points

It’s also a good idea to stock up with some sandbags. You can then place these on the floor in front of doors to try and stop as much flood water as possible entering your home. It’s worth checking this flooding infographic so that you can learn where your property’s weak points will be. These also need to be protected with sandbags.

Move Upstairs

If water does start to flow into your home, you should move everyone upstairs as soon as possible. Take any important documents and paperwork with you too so that it doesn’t get lost or damaged in the flood. By moving upstairs, you can stay warm and dry and also stay away from the dirty flood water. There’s a good chance that the flood water contains bacteria that could spread diseases and infections.

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Keep The Radio On

Make sure you always have the radio on and tuned into your local news channel. That way, you can keep up to date with the flooding situation around town, and you will also hear about all the advice and help that the emergency services are giving out. If you don’t already have one, you should find a battery-powered or wind-up radio so that you can continue to listen to it even if there is a power cut. 

Turn Off Power And Gas Before Evacuating

There might be a situation in which the flooding is so bad that you are forced to evacuate your home. This could be because the flood water is particularly dirty and dangerous, or because the water levels are extremely high. But, before you leave, you should make the effort to turn off your home’s power and gas. This will drastically cut the risk of any damage to your home’s power systems and it will prevent a gas explosion.

Flooding can be bad news for any property. Thankfully, though, all the above tips will keep you and your family as safe as possible until the situation starts to improve.