Category Archive: Flooding

Hurricane coverage on local news programs can sometimes leave children feeling vulnerable and afraid. Sometimes the best way to overcome these fears is to empower children with information and ways to help.

To that end, FEMA recently introduced a new blog category specifically for children. Two FEMA mascots, “Flat Stanley” and “Flat Stella,” blog about disaster preparation and recovery for a younger audience.

The two mascots recently visited the American Red Cross, and they describe how people are working together to help those in need. They also suggest ways for children to get involved, such as volunteering or raising money for volunteer groups.

Another blog post covers the importance of emergency supply kits and suggests items to include in their family’s kit, such as food, water, a flashlight, first aid supplies, a weather radio and games.

If you have younger children at home, this can be a great way for them to learn about disaster preparation and response in a positive way.

When you take a look at the Stanley and Stella blog, be sure to consider including flood vents in your flood mitigation plans. Our FEMA compliant flood vents can help maintain the structural integrity of your home should floods occur. For more information about our many flood vent sizes and styles, contact us.

As if flooding isn’t enough to deal with, disaster-area residents also have to protect themselves against those who would take advantage of their situation. FEMA recently issued a press release warning Louisianans of scam artists operating in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.

According to the press release, phony housing inspectors and fraudulent building contractors have descended on Louisiana’s disaster areas to get banking information from susceptible homeowners. The area has also seen bogus pleas for post-disaster donations and fake offers of state and federal aid. FEMA reminds residents to ask for identification badges, check references and never give banking or other sensitive information to anyone over the phone, email, letter or in-person.

It pays to be cautious, even when you’re in a disaster zone. The same is also true of preparing your home before disaster strikes. When you’re looking for a reputable source for flood vents, it pays to find a manufacturer with experience and a solid reputation.

At Flood Solutions, our family-owned business has been designing, testing and manufacturing vents for over 50 years. All our flood vents are FEMA compliant and manufactured in the U.S.A. We make all our flood vents from heavy duty extruded aluminum, so they’ll never rust or rot. They’re rodent resistant and should last you a lifetime.

To learn more about our flood vents, contact Flood Solutions.

We’ve talked before about the devastation of flash floods. While we often associate flooding with spring snowmelt or late summer hurricanes, flash floods happen most often when weather is hot and dry.

One explanation for the connection between heat and flash floods is thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are a primary cause of flash flooding and happen when weather is hot. Thunderstorms are caused by the rapid upward movement of warm, moist air. As the moist air rises, it cools and condenses. As the water droplets start to fall, they collect additional droplets and become heavy rain.

When heavy rain lands on dry, drought-stricken land, the soil can’t absorb water quickly. It accumulates, overwhelming existing rivers and streams, and flash flooding can result.

Fortunately, there are tools for monitoring water levels. D5G Technology has an app for iPhones, iPod touches and iPads that uses data from the US Geological Survey and National Weather Service. The FloodWatch app provides historical and current river heights, precipitation totals and flood stage data.

If you’d rather receive this type of information as an SMS or email, you can sign up for that too. The US Geological Survey has a WaterAlert service that automatically sends emails or text messages when levels exceed user-defined thresholds.

If your area is particularly prone to flooding from thunderstorms and high water levels, make flood vents part of your flood preparation plan. Flood vents allow flood waters to flow through your home as water levels rise. So you’re more likely to end up with a wet basement than severe structural damage.

Flood Solutions makes all its FEMA compliant flood vents in the United States. To learn more about our products, contact us.

If you’re already a Facebook user (and even if you’re not) Facebook pages are an easy way to get weather news. Simply by “liking” the pages of weather-related organizations, weather updates will be added to your newsfeed. Here are a few of our favorites:

The National Weather Service

The U.S. National Weather Service collects and distributes weather data across the United States. When you like their Facebook page, you’ll get forecasts and weather warnings as well as links to other weather-related organizations.

FEMA

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is responsible for coordinating responses to disasters that overwhelm local and state authorities. FEMA’s Facebook page has helpful tips for disaster preparation, including flooding, as well as weather information and updates. They’re also one of the few Facebook pages that can list their founding date as 1803. Impressive!

The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel also has a Facebook page. Lighter in tone, it features fun weather-related stories and user submitted photos from across the U.S. Become one of 1,000,000 Facebook users who “like” the page.

Keeping up to date on weather and flooding is only part of flood preparation. If you live in an area prone to flooding, installing FEMA compliant flood vents can help save your home from serious structural damage. To learn more about our different flood vent models and easy installation, contact us.

Flooding can devastate businesses and homeowners alike; but there are some additional things to consider when dealing with floods and commercial properties. Here are some pointers to make sure you and your commercial property are prepared should flooding occur.

1. Know your level of flood risk. Check flood maps for your area and talk to local authorities. Sign up in advance to receive flood warnings. Keep in mind that flooding can happen not only as a result of hurricanes but also from snowmelt, levee failure and even burst pipes.
2. Make sure you have sufficient amounts of the right kind of insurance. Consider not only property damage but damage to inventory and business disruption.
3. Take preventative steps. It costs less to mitigate flood damage than to respond after the fact.
4. Develop an emergency plan. Take steps to minimize damage. Make sure staff and commercial tenants know what to do in case of flooding and have an evacuation plan in place.
5. Review landlord-tenancy agreements. Understand who is responsible for damage to personal items, inventory and business equipment from flooding.
6. Consider installing FEMA compliant flood vents. Floods vents are relatively inexpensive to purchase and install, and they can help maintain the structural integrity of your commercial property.

FEMA has a guide to help businesses and commercial property owners prepare for emergency situations. The Emergency Guide for Businesses and Industry is available for download.

All Flood Solutions flood vents are FEMA compliant. They can be installed into existing commercial properties or new developments. Contact the flood vent experts at Flood Solutions to learn more and keep your commercial property safe.

In an earlier blog post, we talked about how to create a family emergency plan in case of flooding or other disasters. While a family plan is important, it’s also important to have an emergency plan for your business. Business emergency plans help companies prepare for and recover from disasters.

Generally, developing an emergency plan for your business consists of the following steps:

1. Risk assessment. Identify possible risks to your business. What events could limit sales or stop production? Which events would have the most impact?
2. Strategy development. What strategies could help prevent these events or lessen their impact?
3. Action plan development. Determine how to put some of these strategies in place. Who will do what? Which strategies have highest priority?
4. Update and review. Your business emergency plan is a living document. Periodically review and update it as your business changes.

Small businesses are especially vulnerable to disruption because they have fewer resources and less financial backing to absorb losses. Fortunately, Ready.gov has templates available for business continuity planning and emergency response planning to make the process easier. By working through these templates and implementing each step, the chances of your business successfully surviving a disaster or emergency will be greatly improved.

If you’re not sure how prepared your business is to deal with and overcome flooding or other emergencies, the American Red Cross has an online emergency preparedness self-assessment tool to measure the emergency preparedness of organizations. The test is free, but you’ll need to register.

Flood vent installation is an important part of emergency planning for many families and businesses. Flood Solutions FEMA compliant flood vents are easy to install in homes and commercial/industrial buildings. For more information about making flood vents part of your emergency plans, contact the flood vent team at Flood Solutions.

All floods can be devastating, but flash floods are particularly treacherous. Flash floods can happen without warning, giving people little time to prepare.

According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, a flash flood is a rapid rise of water along a stream or low-lying area. It usually results from heavy rainfall that causes rivers and streams to swell and overflow their banks. It may also result from dam or levee failures. Flash flood waters can roll boulders, move cars, and destroy buildings and bridges. Unfortunately, densely populated areas are at most risk, as roads, parking lots, and buildings reduce the amount of rain the ground can absorb, intensifying flood effects.

Flash flood waters don’t need to be particularly high to cause devastation. According to one report, it only takes six inches of fast flowing water to sweep a person off their feet and only 23 inches to move a four-wheel drive vehicle (!).

In January 2011, a flash flood swept through the town of Toowoomba, Australia. Here is some remarkable footage from that disaster to give you a sense of the power of flash floods:

Protect your home from flash and other floods. Our FEMA compliant flood vents allow water to flow through your home which helps maintain the integrity of your home’s foundation. Contact Flood Solutions to learn more.

How will you get information if your home or community is threatened with severe weather or flooding? This is something to plan for before emergencies arise. Here are a few ideas on where to get up-to-the-minute information of floods, severe weather and other threats. Take the time to bookmark, subscribe, download or follow these information sources now.

The National Weather Service

Part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Weather Service provides weather forecasts and warnings for all of the United States. The National Weather Service website has maps and forecasts, including winter storm watch, flood watch and hazardous weather outlooks. You can sign up for NOAA email alerts and RSS feeds for weather warnings. You can specify the types of weather warnings you’d like to receive – everything from tsunami warnings to automated flood warning systems.

NOAA also operates the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards. This nationwide network of radio stations broadcasts continuous weather and emergency information. You must purchase a special radio receiver or scanner to pick up their broadcast signals.

The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel also has weather alert services. You can get information from their website or sign up for email alerts, SMS alerts and even voice alerts.  They also have apps for mobile and tablet devices.

Local News Channels

Local radio and television news channels are another good source of weather and emergency information. Take a look at each channel’s website and see if they have email alerts or Twitter feeds for weather related news. For example, WMUR in New Hampshire has email and SMS alert services for hurricane warnings.

State and Local Officials

Responsibility for local flood and severe weather warnings lies with states and local communities. FEMA has an interactive map that can help you see what state and local community resources are available.

For example, if you select Virginia on FEMA’s map, you’ll find that the Virginia Department of Emergency Management has a Twitter feed dedicated to hazards within the state and local regions.

In addition to signing up for flood and severe weather alerts, installing flood vents is another smart thing to do before floods occur. Flood Solutions’ FEMA compliant flood vents can help preserve the integrity of your home and their heavy-duty aluminum construction means they’ll never rust. Contact Flood Solutions to learn more.

March 12-17 was National Flood Safety Awareness Week. During this week, government and emergency response organizations draw attention to flood hazards and encourage people to take steps now to minimize the impact of future floods.

One of the best ways to protect your family during a flood is to have a family emergency plan. It’s hard to make smart decisions in the midst of an emergency where fear and panic can take over. Developing a plan in advance can you’re your family get through an emergency safely and comfortably.

A family emergency plan details what you and your family will do before, during and after an emergency. FEMA’s Preparing Makes Sense video describes why a family emergency plan is so important.

FEMA also has a downloadable family emergency plan template. It prompts you to select out-of-town contacts, meeting places and evacuation locations as well as record contact information for family members, work locations and schools.

Complete the plan with your family and keep a copy in your emergency kit along with your emergency supplies. Be sure to update the plan periodically.

Although protecting the lives of you and your family is paramount, you can also take steps to protect your home. Flood vents help protect the foundational integrity of your home by allowing flood waters to flow through. Take a look at our complete line of FEMA compliant flood vents. Contact Flood Solutions to learn more.