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National Preparedness Month:

Protect Your Family and Your Property from Disasters

Read more to find out:

  • Tips for Before, During and After an emergency to protect your loved ones and home
  • Access to useful FEMA documents

Before

Preparing for a flood includes strengthening your family and your property. Keep in mind, in order to best prepare, policyholders will want to gather the supplies needed to strengthen their structure well ahead of an emergency. We detail useful safety skills and mitigation efforts below:

  • Get flood insurance
  • Know your flood risk
  • Take a household inventory
  • Acquire safety skills – understand how to shut off utilities
  • Elevate and anchor utilities
  • Waterproof you basement
  • Clear debris from gutters
  • Secure or move outdoor furniture

During

Your number one priority, if a flood is impending or occurring, should be the physical safety of your, your family and your pets. During this time of uncertainty, implement your emergency communication plan, stay connected to your local news and if told to evacuate, do so immediately. Be sure to keep the following in mind when surrounded by flood waters:

  • Do not try to take short cuts
  • Move to higher ground and avoid low areas
  • If the power is out, use battery powered flashlights or lanterns
  • Do not drive through floodwaters – “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!”

After

Regardless of the visible effects of the recent flood, you will want to take extreme caution when returning home. There are hidden dangers to keep in mind as you get your life back to normal. During this difficult time, it is important to use safety with the following actions:

  • Begin cleanup and documentation immediately
  • Throw away unsafe food and use safe water
  • Use protective equipment to manage debris
  • Dry out your home to prevent mold
  • Report losses and start a claim

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