Manitowoc County’s Emergency Services Director reminds residents about being safe during a flood.
Last year, 77 people were killed in the US due to flooding, with over 80% happening when people entered public areas, although there were none in Wisconsin.
Rhonda Green says knowing your flood risks is important, especially if you live in a flood-prone area. Water will damage your home, especially if it gets into your basement.
“About $25,000 in damage can be caused by just a few inches of water in your basement,” she explained. “And that’s typically a finished basement with your drywall or you’re paneling or carpeting and things like that. Your drywall will soak up that water and you’ll have mold issues.”
Green emphasizes planning ahead by creating a plan with your family and preparing a “Go Kit” if you must leave your home because flooding is that bad.
You can also do a couple of things to keep water away from your foundation, like cleaning your gutters regularly and remembering to put your downspouts back.
“And you forget to put it back on, well, you have significant rainfall, all that water is dumping from your roof into your gutters down that downspout right down your foundation,” she describes. “It’s not being channeled away from the house.”
Another thing that’s very important not to do is drive or walk into a flooded area.
Green says you need to remember to turn around, don’t drown.
That’s because six inches of fast-moving water can sweep a person off their feet, while a foot of rain can take away cars.
More information about flood safety can be found at readywisconsin.wi.gov or the Manitowoc County Emergency Management website.
