Spreading the word about flood safety

With a pair of winter storms moving in this weekend, it's a good time to start thinking about flood preparedness.

And with this being National Flood Safety Awareness Week, the Nevada Division of Emergency Management/Homeland Security and the National Weather Service have partnered to educate the citizens of Nevada.

According to the National Weather Service, floods and flash floods are the leading weather-related killer in the United States and can occur anytime of the year. This is why the Nevada Division of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service Offices in Reno and Elko want to help spread the word about being flood safe.

Most severe floods occur in Nevada from heavy rain falling on a large low-elevation snowpack. Damage from small creeks and river flooding can be extreme and deadly and often occurs within a day or two after precipitation begins. Recent examples of significant flooding include the 1997 and 2006 New Year's Floods in Western Nevada. Spring snowmelt runoff is another, but less common, way Nevada experiences flooding and results from very warm temperatures melting a deep snowpack. Even in the driest of years, just one storm can lead to damaging flooding, which is why citizens of Nevada need to always be prepared for flooding.

A majority of flood-related fatalities occur when people try to drive through flooded roadways. When driving your vehicle and there is a potential for flooding, look out for high water covering dips in the roadway, bridges, or low-lying areas.  One foot of fast moving water is often enough to carry away most automobiles.  If you become stranded in your vehicle, leave it immediately and seek higher ground, as rising water may engulf the vehicle and sweep it downstream.

Here are some key safety tips:

• Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.

• If you are near a river be aware of water levels and be prepared to take action to move to higher ground if river levels rise.

• Do not enter areas that are already flooded.

• Do not try to cross a flowing stream on foot when the water is at or above your knees.

• If walking or fishing along a river, be aware that erosion from swift running water can cause river banks to collapse.

• Never let children play around high water, storm drains, viaducts or arroyos.

• If you live near a burn area from a recent wildfire, you may have a higher risk for flash flooding.

• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

• Have a flood preparedness and evacuation plan for you and your family.

• Never attempt to drive through a flooded roadway. Turn Around Don't Drown.

This is a time for individuals, families, businesses and communities to understand their risk for flooding and take precautions to protect their families and homes in the event of flooding.

For more information, go to www.wrh.noaa.gov/rev/- Reno

www.wrh.noaa.gov/vef/ - Las Vegas

www.wrh.noaa.gov/lkn/ - Elko