Our friends in Texas are under water and Louisiana is now at risk. Some evacuated and left everything behind. They’re now worrying if they will have a home or anything to go back to.
Others remained in place and are watching the water rise around them. Some already lost their homes and all of their possessions. They have nothing left.
And there are those who lost their lives or whose personal safety is at risk. They’re stranded without food or water. For all of them, the stress of the disaster will take its toll on them for their entire lifetimes.
Many of us have been in similar situations. There are floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires all around the world. No matter how much we sympathize and emphasize with other people’s situations, we don’t fully understand until we’ve actually been there.
Flooding can happen anywhere in the US, and in most areas, any time of year. Landslides and mudslides can follow flooding. Destruction can wipe out entire towns.
In preparation for floods:
- Take photos of items in the home.
- Purchase flood insurance.
- Elevate the heating system, water heater, electric panel, and appliances.
- Waterproof the basement.
- Install a sump pump with a battery backup.
- Keep gutters and drains free of debris.
- Practice first aid skills and emergency response actions through training classes.
- Stack sandbags around your property if there is a threat of flooding.
- Store basic necessities in a bag or container. Include:
- First aid kit
- Special medical equipment for people with special needs
- Prescriptions
- Important documents such as medical records, passwords, legal documents, and pet photos and their medical history saved on an external hard drive or portable thumb drive and placed into a ziplock bag. Or secure paper documents in a bag.
- Cash
- Phones and chargers
- Clothes
- Food and Water
- Priceless items, photos, irreplaceable mementos, and valuables depending on their size and transportability.
FEMA recommends evacuating prior to flooding, but if you have not:
- Turn off the gas, water, and electricity. Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or you are standing in water.
- Do not drink tap water as it may be polluted.
- Evacuate as soon as possible.
- Do not enter flooded areas or wade through the water. Its depth can be deceptive. Moving water can carry you away and within the water may be dangerous debris, rocks, mud, and sewage.
- Stay informed and monitor weather reports.
- Know the evacuation routes and plan your source of transportation and destination.
- Text SHELTER + your zip code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter near you.
- Practice how you will communicate with family members.
If trapped in a building, go to the highest point, call 911, and signal for help from the roof if possible.
If trapped in your car in the water, stay in your vehicle if the water is below the window or climb out the window and onto the roof if the water is rising.
If trapped outdoors, climb to the highest ground possible and onto a sturdy object.
For those of us untouched by the disaster, we can reach out to our neighbors by donating money to credible organizations such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Catholic Charities; donating clothes and other items to organizations such as the Salvation Army and AmVets; opening our home to those left homeless; and praying for them.
Midwest Mary 
I am one of those in Texas. Thank God, we got nothing but rain and a dry air mass came through and moved that thing out of here, after about 10-20 inches of rain/wind. We got over 10 inches in one day. One other thing people need Mary is a generator. Everyone needs a generator and do not wait until the storm hits to get one, as there will be none left!!!!
This will give you lights, refrigerator, heat/air. Most take about five gallons of gasoline to run and you want one big enough to run a good deal of things in your house, including your hot water heater. cost 2500.00-3000.00.
Another thing one needs is a Coleman Camping stove that runs on small propane bottles. This will allow one to eat something hot! It has two burners on it. If you cook a lot on it a propane bottle will last about 3 days, if not about a week. I always keep 4 bottles on hand.
I have lived through no power for six days about three years ago, due to hurricane. One needs water drawn up to flush their toilets if they lose water. I actually had to bathe outside in a bathing suit because my septic system could not pump out the water, due to no power.
I am one of the lucky ones, raised on a diary and can survive it all if I have to. I know what the land does and what it does not do. So many in the city who have no idea place themselves in so much danger by not evacuating in time. By wading in the water when the septic systems have flooded and the water is septic. Also when the rivers get out and flood, there are snakes, alligators and much more in that water.
If you are building a home do not build it in a low place. Build that place up before you put a house on it and do not build a tank/pond above it!!!!
Do not get lunch meat and the like as if you lose power there goes your fridge! Always something you can eat out of a can.
Ice is something else to keep food cool in an ice chest, then when it melts you have water.
You also need water drawn up to brush your teeth and wash your face.
Those poor people in Houston and surrounding areas I am praying for daily. They are about 100 miles from me. I have family down there. I cannot even imagine what it is going to take for them to rebuild. Thanks for the post and God Bless, SR
Thank you for all that good advice, SR! You are right about the generator being so necessary if you lose power. Friends who evacuated yesterday never lost power but it often does go out in a storm.
God bless everyone affected by Harvey the Destroyer. I’m so sorry for your loss and heartache.