Flood Awareness and Preparedness Through Effective Communication
Seasonal flooding events can have devastating effects on individuals and communities. Created by snow melts or heavy rains, flooding can impact communities with environmental and economic hardship. Though destruction of property may not be entirely avoidable, the protection of human life can be ensured through proper planning and awareness.
Floods can occur suddenly from intense, heavy rainfall. Known as flash floods, these weather events can compromise the structural integrity of dams, roads and buildings. They can also produce dangerous conditions by swelling rivers, lakes and other waterways.
In 2019, economic damage caused by floods was an estimated 3.75 billion dollars and included damage to property as well as crops. 92 fatalities were also reported the same year, an increase over 2018.
Like any natural disaster, the keys to survival are seated in awareness and preparedness. The Ready Campaign recommends that those living and working in low-lying areas have a flood response plan in place and use FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center for ongoing information during heavy rain and snow melt conditions.
Understanding that certain types of flooding (known as flash floods) can happen with little to no warning, the Ready Campaign recommends the following guidelines for response to these events.
- Never walk, swim or drive into flood waters
- Stay off of bridges and dams
- Evacuate when advised to do so
- Move to higher ground
- Have a go-kit of needed supplies
- Monitor local weather reports
- Keep important documents on your person and in waterproof containers
The Ready Campaign also points out the need for staying in communication with family, community members and your organization. Having a mass notification system in place can help organizations ensure their people are safe before, during and after a flooding event.
Using Regroup Mass NotificationⓇ can help educational institutions, businesses and other organizations implement more effective alert strategies and keep their entire network safe and informed.
Regroup gives you the power to send important safety notifications and updates to your entire network via SMS/text, email, push notifications, voice calls and a host of other channels. Additionally, you can create unlimited groups, administrators and templates in the system to organize the people you most need to reach.
With Regroup, you can also activate federal technologies like IPAWS and National Weather Service/NOAA alerts that automatically trigger advanced warnings, storm updates and other critical information to your network.
You can also use Regroup’s real-time, two-way communications to help recipients who may be in need of assistance.
Implementing a solid communication strategy can help ensure positive outcomes for each member of your network, mitigate property damage and help organize efforts for returning to the community or workplace.
We’ve prepared an informative pamphlet on Flood Awareness and Preparedness to help you in your safety and response plan. Regroup’s team of professionals can also help you identify areas for improving your communication plan. You can download our pamphlet here and schedule a no-obligation with a Regroup representative here.