When you search "flood safety tips" or "how to survive a flood," most of those websites (even the official government disaster control platforms) give you the standard "Turn and and don`t drown!"
In other words, you will hardly get anything except the good old "clean your gutters," "evacuate to a high ground," and hope for the best. Don`t get us wrong; those are vital and perfectly efficient recommendations that save lives. But let`s be fair, life is a bit more tricky than any scenario we can think of, and sometimes the gleanest gutters and drainage cannot protect you from massive flooding, or there is simply no possibility to evacuate.
You may find yourself isolated and unprepared for the flooding, no matter how stocked your emergency kit is or how carefully you listen to all those flood alerts.
Something can always go wrong. And if it can, it probably will. And while it is, of course, impossible to predict every flooding scenario and make sure that the upcoming flooding will go by the book, it could be great to have some maybe unorthodox but yet perfectly efficient flood safety tips on your mind. Some of them may save your life if the next flood season goes sideways.
So, here are some uncommon flood safety tips, which you may not see often, but they have proven efficient and can save your life when all the standard instructions don`t work anymore.
Mark an X on your roof
While evacuating a flooded area is often necessary, it is not always possible. There may be endless reasons why you cannot flee to higher ground or a safe area. Probably you waited for too long, or maybe your evacuation vehicle got destroyed by the unexpectedly strong flooding. There are cases when you simply cannot go and leave your place behind.
In that case, it is essential to make sure that other people and authorities know that you have stayed in the house and need help. Of course, you can use your phone or any other device to let the world know of your situation, but batteries tend to die in the most critical moments, and phone and electricity lines can be washed off or damaged by the flooding. In other words, you can find yourself in a situation where it is hard or even impossible to call for help.
That is why survival experts recommend putting a large, visible X on the roof of your house. Try to use bright and reflective materials that will be visible even at night. That way, the search teams will locate you sooner and send help, knowing that someone may be trapped in a flooded area.
Put your valuables in the dishwasher.
Dishwashers are perfectly waterproof. It is like a submarine in your house. Its sealing allows it to keep water inside without the tiniest leak. And when a flood is coming, your dishwasher will keep the water outside, protecting everything you may store inside. In other words, your dishwasher can become the ultimate floodproof safe!
To make these flood safety tips even more efficient, store valuable documents, cash, and other important items in a plastic bag for better protection.
Get a canoe or inflatable raft
Even if you are not into water sports, go to the nearest mall and get yourself a canoe. Not only will it look badass in your garage and become a great conversation starter (or an introduction to a new thrilling hobby), but this seemingly absurd device can save your life when flooding and make you much less picky about your transportation when evacuation becomes vital.
Don`t have a place for a canoe, a small inflatable raft will do the job perfectly. Just make sure that you have a pump or get one of those self-inflatable models to avoid an awkward situation when you really need it.
Unconventional flotation devices
It is probably one of the most absorbed flood safety tips that you will ever come across, but if you don`t have a lifevest in your house (which you probably don`t, although you should if you live in a flood-prone area), think of unconventional things that can be used as floaties in case of emergency.
Most materials, decor pieces, furniture, and even your clothes can float. Of course, they can hardly be used as boats and carry your whole weight, but you can at least cling to them and stay afloat, waiting for help.
Remember the notorious door in the Titanic movie? Yes, that door was totally big enough for both of them, so keep it in mind when you need to stay afloat.
Keep garbage bags close
You may be surprised at how handy garbage bags will be when flooding approaches. A quality garbage bag is robust enough to be filled with air and used as a flotation device or a buoy.And if, at some point, you find yourself trapped in a place with restricted air access, an inflated garbage bag may become your air bubble and lifesaver.
Bonus tip: turn off the utilities.
If your flood emergency plan worked perfectly and you are about to safely evacuate the area, make sure to turn off gas and electricity in your house before you go. Statistically, the most damage to properties that happened as a result of flooding was not caused by the floodwater itself. Those are all the explosions and fires caused by damaged appliances and electricity lines.
Flood Safety Becomes Dam Easy
Good news: such extreme cases that will make those flood safety tips handy are still pretty rare. Most of the time, making sure that your house, every passage, and every window are safely sealed from floodwater is all you need to stay safe when the next flood season strikes. And we are happy to help you with it.
Here at Dam Easy, we have created a perfectly safe and versatile system that allows us to floodproof houses and businesses worldwide. Our flood barriers are safe, secure, reusable, and so easy to deploy that even a kid can now protect a house from flooding in a matter of just several minutes.
Contact us today, and our team will help you assemble your own flood control kit according to the measurements of your property and the flood risks in your area.
Florida residents can now invite our teams directly to their houses and have a thorough inspection that will make sure that they get the most out of the most efficient modern flood control systems.
Stay tuned for more flood safety tips, and contact Dam Easy today to make sure that the next flood season will have nothing on you!
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