While we welcome the arrival of warmer weather (especially here in Vermont), we also know that it can bring sudden changes in weather that result in dangerous flooding. We’ve already seen record rainfall and flooding across parts of the United States, which increases the flood risk for those areas as spring approaches. Be ready! Read on to learn more about how to stay safe and dry in case of a flood.
Planning Ahead
- Develop an emergency communications plan with your studio mates and family.
- Do you have an evacuation plan? What would you take with you in case of an emergency? Where would you go?
- Look around your studio. What “flood-ready” improvements could you make?
- Be a survivor. If a disaster hits, here are steps to jump-start your recovery.
- Do you have the proper insurance? Most home or business insurance does not cover damage caused by flooding. Even if your studio has not been flooded in the past, flood insurance might be a good choice.
- Are you in a flood zone? If you live in an area with low or moderate flood risk, you are five times more likely to experience a flood than a fire in your home over the next thirty years. Learn more about the risk of flood at your studio’s location by viewing your flood map at FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center.
Staying Safe
- Stay connected.
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- Add a “severe weather alert” app to your smartphone.
- Put a battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio in your emergency preparedness kit.
- Turn around; don’t drown! Never drive or walk through flooded streets. It takes less water than you might think for you or your vehicle to be swept away.
