Protect People
Protect people from flood hazard.
-
Prepare your family (FEMA “Know Your Risks brochure).
-
Do not walk through flood waters.
-
Do not drive through a flooded area.
-
Stay away from power lines and electrical wires.
PHOTO TO THE RIGHT: Topsail Island, N.C., September 6, 1996 -- An Urban Search and Rescue team inspects damaged and destroyed property for people who have been reported missing after Hurricane Fran. Photo by Dave Gatley/ FEMA News Location: Topsail Island, NC.
Turn around, don't drown!
Most flood fatalities happen because people try to drive through deadly waters rather than avoid them. (Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2005)
-
Pay attention to barricades. Don't ignore them by driving past them.
-
Do not drive through standing water on roads or in parking lots.
-
The average automobile can be swept off the road in 12 inches of moving water, and roads covered by water are prone to collapse.
-
Attempting to drive through water also may stall your engine, with the potential to cause irreparable damage if you try to restart the engine.
-
If you come upon a flooded street, take an alternate route.