Flood Survival

Before the flood:

• If your home is susceptible to flooding, plan ahead. Flood waters can rise very rapidly, and you may have only minutes to respond. The time to prepare is long before the waters rise. Learn what has occurred on your property during past floods or heavy rains and take appropriate precautions.
• Flood insurance is highly recommended. Most standard home owner's insurance policies do not cover a property for flood damage. The City of Fort Collins has participated in the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979. This program allows Fort Collins residents to receive a 30% discount on their flood insurance rates. Check with your insurance agent for details.
• Visit FEMA for ways to protect your property through elevation, barriers, dry floodproofing, wet floodproofing, and drain plugs. Also, contact Fort Collins Utilities at 970-221-6700 or e-mail for additional assistance.
• Obtain sandbags, plastic sheeting, lumber, and towels ahead of time. Keep valuables in waterproof containers or safe deposit boxes.
• Fuel vehicles in case evacuation becomes necessary.
• Monitor weather conditions. View real-time data from the City's flood warning system.

If you are outdoors:

If it is raining heavily, or you are in a mountainous area, it's a good idea to keep listening to local radio or television stations (not stations in locations a distance away from where you are). If you hear about a flash flood watch for your area, keep your eye on the weather. A flash flood watch is a specialized forecast that means that flooding conditions are building up for the area covered by the watch. If thunderstorms form, they will probably contain heavy rain. If you see storms building, it's a good idea to stay on high ground.

If you hear about a flash flood warning, climb to higher ground immediately. A warning means that flash flooding is actually taking place somewhere in the area covered by the warning. Leave your car, camping gear, or other belongings where they are. You have no time to waste on property. You may have only minutes to escape the path of the flood.

Flash floods can happen without warning. If you hear a rumbling sound, if animals are running away from where you are, or if you feel the ground shaking, climb to higher ground immediately.

During the flood:

• Move valuables to higher levels of the home. However, if the water on the level where flooding is occurring is higher than 2 feet, or if the water is rising very rapidly, leave immediately and go to a higher level.
• Round up pets if you can safely do so.
• Turn off both your electricity (at the main circuit box), and the gas, if you know how to do so. This is something you can learn how to do in advance. Don't use any appliance that has gotten wet. Have your power and gas turned back on only by a professional after the flood has subsided and the danger is over.
• Fill a few containers with drinking water, then shut off the water main. This is to keep contaminated water from the water heater, which can be a source of emergency drinking water.
• Be alert for gas leaks. Use a flashlight to inspect for damage. Do not smoke or use candles, matches, lanterns, or other open flames unless you know for a fact that the gas has been turned off and the premises has been ventilated. If you smell gas, evacuate the house immediately. Do not use the phone or any light switches or appliances before you leave. Even the smallest spark could cause an explosion. Go to a neighbor or a public phone and call the gas company to report the odor.
• If you live in a mobile home or other structure not permanently fastened to a concrete foundation it may be best to evacuate much sooner than you might normally consider doing so. If water begins coming into your home and begins flooding the premises it is time to get out.
• Do not try to walk or swim through swiftly flowing water. Drowning is the number one cause of deaths during flooding conditions. Many of these deaths are unnecessary and preventable.
• Do not drive through flooded areas. More people drown in their vehicles than anywhere else. Flowing water is very deceptive and it is impossible to tell exactly how deep the water is before you enter the stream. Although vehicles are heavy and stable on dry ground, they are very buoyant and easily floated. You can be swept away before you realize you are in trouble. We have all seen scenes on television of people who try to cross flooded roadways and are caught in the flow and must be rescued. Remember that each of those drivers thought the water was shallow enough for them to make it across. A vehicle may begin to float and drift in a foot or two of water.
• Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. The number two killer during floods is electrocution. Just because power lines are broken or lying on the ground does NOT mean they are safe!
• Keep a radio on for news and updates, and use those travel routes recommended by local authorities.
• All occupants should abandon a stalled vehicle immediately and move as a group to higher ground.

After the flood:

• Do not return to the disaster areas until authorized to do so. Flood dangers do not necessarily end when the water begins to recede.
• Have your home inspected by professionals to make sure it is safe before you return home. Do not turn on electrical switches or try to use appliances.
• Do not drink municipal water until the local health department has declared that it is safe to do so.
• Do not rush to pump out a flooded basement. If the water is removed all at once, the walls may cave in because of the sudden pressure change. Pump only about a third of the water out each day until the water is gone.
• Disinfect or discard all items that were exposed to the flood water. Flood waters usually contain raw sewage and chemicals they have picked up from roads, farms, factories, sewers and storage buildings.
• Take care of yourself. Get a tetanus shot as a precaution, and try to get some rest. A flood and its aftermath are clearly frightening and traumatic events. So try to give yourself some time to adjust and recuperate during the recovery process.
• Don't be shy about asking for help. There are many resources available to you to aid in your recovery from the flood. You will undoubtedly feel overwhelmed at the time, so having someone else help you decide what your immediate needs are, or to simply help you contact family members, can be a great comfort. Some of the more obvious local resources available immediately after a flood are the local chapter of the American Red Cross, and the City of Fort Collins Office of Emergency Management.

Definitions and Introduction | Flash Floods | Stream Flooding | Fort Collins Utilities | Historical Flooding | Survival Tips