Flood Preparedness: Creating a Disaster Supply Kit

Being prepared for a flood can not only help keep your family safe, it can also help minimize potential flood damage and accelerate recovery efforts. In addition to purchasing a flood insurance policy, there are things you can do to prepare for a flooding event. Today's blog focuses on developing a disaster supply kit.

Flood Preparation


During a flooding event, there will be a whirlwind of things going through your head. Preparing now, before flooding is imminent, will decrease your stress level during emergency situations and help things go more efficiently. One important step in preparing for a flood is creating a disaster supply kit. Below is a list of important things to include in your kit from FloodSmart.gov.

Disaster Supply Kit Checklist


Whether you need to grab a bag quickly and evacuate or you get trapped in your home during a flood, you want to have some items on hand for emergency situations.
  • Bottled Water - You want to have at least 1 gallon of water per person per day, for 3 to 7 days. During times of flooding, drinking water can easily become contaminated and you want to make sure you're prepared. 
  • Food - You want to have enough non-perishable food to last anywhere from 3 to 7 days. Driving during a flood is dangerous and during a major flooding event, you may not be able to get to the grocery store for days. Consider including the following items in your supply kit:
    • non-perishable packaged or canned food and juices
    • food for infants or the elderly
    • snack foods
    • non-electric can opener (your power could be out for days)
    • cooking tools and fuel 
    • paper plates and plastic utensils (you may not have access to water to do dishes) 
  • Blankets and Pillows - During a major disaster requiring evacuation, many places open up shelters for those evacuees. Often times, there are a lot of people in a small space without beds; this is why it's a good reason to bring blankets and pillows with you. Anything you can do to make yourself more comfortable in a situation like this will help.
  • Clothing - In the event you need to evacuate quickly, it's a good idea to have some clothes set aside to grab and go. Be sure to include a jacket, rain gear and sturdy shoes.
  • First Aid Kit - Have a first aid kit handy at all times. During emergency situations such as flooding, injuries are likely to occur. Be sure to include bandaids, as well as medicine & prescription drugs.
  • Toiletries - It's also a good idea to have some toothpaste, a toothbrush, deodorant and other hygiene items available to grab and go with your clothes.
  • Flashlight - In the event of a power outage, having a flashlight with extra batteries will come in handy.
  • Battery Operated Radio - To keep updated on flood alerts and updates, having a battery operated radio is important. If a power outage occurs, you won't be able to watch the weather channel or the news on TV.
  • Fully Charged Cell Phone - During a flood watch or flood warning, keep your phone fully charged. You also might consider purchasing an extra battery for your phone in case the power goes out and you are unable to charge your phone for a few days. You want to be able to contact family and friends t
  • Money - In addition to your credit cards, be sure to have some cash (including small bills) on you. Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods of time.
  • Toys, Books and Games - If you have young children, having something to keep them entertained during these stressful times will be important. 
  • Important Documents - Keep your insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, social security card, etc. in a waterproof container or watertight, re-sealable bag. 
  • Full Gas Tank - When flooding is expected, it's important to keep your vehicle fuel tank full at all times. You never know when you will be asked to evacuate and/or how far you will have to travel to find a gas station that's open. 
  • Pet Care Items - If you have pets, you want to prepare a kit for them as well. Include their identification cards, immunization records and medications. These will be important if you have to evacuate and need to board them somewhere. Also have an ample supply of water and food for them, a carrier or cage, and a leash. 

Protecting Your Community


Ensuring you and your family are safe is the first step in flood preparedness. Next you should consider your property and belongings. Big Bags USA® flood barriers are a fast and simple solution for containment and deferment of flood waters. All flood control mitigation plans should include an easily stored product like Big Bags USA®. For more information on how we can help you and your community with flood preparedness, call 1-800-337-0537 today!

If you have an immediate need for our systems, or have any questions for us, please Call us Toll Free at 1-800-337-0537 or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com.


D.R.I.P.S.
Disaster Relief & Innovative
Protection Systems, LLC
(573) 480-6699

Let's Connect!

ALWAYS READY TO HELP LOCAL, STATE, & FEDERAL AGENCIES ... BE PREPARED!

Location: Camdenton, MO 65020, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ways to Use Big Bags USA® - Part 1

Image
Big Bags USA Flood Barriers are an innovative solution to a huge problem. Flooding occurs every single year across the nation. It’s caused by many different types of occurrences, both weather-related, and often times from failures due to man-made sources. The devastation that can be caused from a single flood is incredible, but it’s also heartbreaking to watch. This is what drove us to create the Big Bags Flood Barrier. Our system was made to be easy to afford, fast to deploy, and easy to save for the next time. Here are several ways you can use Big Bags flood barriers , and how they can make all of the difference in your situation. Flood Control This is one of the most common and popular uses for our easy deploy flood barriers . From the 2019 spring floods to the hurricanes on the East coast, our barriers are seen across the nation helping to control floodwaters. This could mean that we are protecting buildings from the water with these barriers, or even roads. Flood control ca...
Read more

Cofferdam Construction Barriers Made Easy

Image
Big Bags USA heavy-duty construction barriers provide a re-usable alternative to sheet pile cofferdams, sandbag barriers, water barriers, single FIBC bags, super sacks, and aqua dams. One system (comprised of 5 individual bags connected to one another) is 15’ long, 36” wide, and 40” tall. One, five bag system, can be placed and filled by two men in less than 10 minutes. No other barrier can be filled and placed faster than the Big Bags USA construction barrier system . Fast, reusable barriers that save time and money. Why Big Bags USA is the BEST: 10mm thick polypropylene, made with the highest UV resistant polymers available to increase longevity in sunlight. The flexibility of the barrier allows the product to be used on any an all surfaces without the need for trenching or leveling to get a good seal. 200 times faster to deploy than traditional sandbag walls. Uses 1/2 the amount of sand used in a sandbag wall built to the same height. Not only is the barrier re-usable, the sand can...
Read more

Common Causes of Dam Failures

Image
A dam is built to store large volumes of water, control the flow of water, or divert water flowing from upstream. Nothing is quite as catastrophic as the flooding that is caused from a dam failure. Dam failures may lead to loss of lives and destruction of the environment, and Big Bags USA Flood Barriers wants to help. Our team is honored to get out and support those who are in need of assistance, and we do quite often. Here are a few things you may want to know about dam failures and how Big Bags USA can help with the best flood barriers on the market . What Causes Dam Failures? Extreme Inflow Extreme water inflow from prolonged rainfall and flooding is one the major causes of dam failures. Dams are designed to survive extreme weather conditions, but prolonged seasons of rain and flooding are capable of putting pressure on the dam to cause dam failure, and possible collapsing of the dam. Poor Maintenance Poor maintenance can be a huge trigger for dam failure. Dams require regular mai...
Read more