Are you prepared for a Flood or a Flash Flood? If the answer is NO, here is what we recommend you can do to prepare your home, your office or your vehicle for these types of incidents.
BEFORE
Know your community and area's flood risk-if unsure contact your local Emergency Management or Red Cross.
Flooding can occur if it has been raining hard for several hours, or steadily raining for several days, so be alert.
Flooding can take several minutes, hours or days depending on you area's location and drainage system.
A FLOOD WATCH means flooding is possible in our area. A FLOOD WARNING means flooding is already occurring or will soon occur in our area. Remember to please listen to your local media stations (TV: 3, 6, 8, and 12. Radio: AM 60.0, and 1450; FM 99.9 and 107.9 for this and other emergency information.
Check your homeowner's or renter's insurance to see if it covers flooding. If not, find out how to get flood insurance. (Note: Even if you live outside a flood zone you may purchase flood insurance)
Keep all insurance policies, documents and other valuable items in a safe- deposit box and away from areas prone to flooding.
PREPARE a Disaster Supplies Kit containing: First aid kit, flashlight, battery-operated radio, extra batteries bottled water, canned food and can opener, rubber boots and gloves.
Make sure your vehicle's gas tank is at least ¾ full in case of evacuation.
If your street floods, move your vehicle to higher ground prior to rainfall.
Know where your utility shut off switches or levers are located.
If the event of evacuation know where you could go, i.e., relative's or friend's home, hotel, or an emergency shelter.
Establish a meeting or contact point in the event your family is separated, i.e., church, mall, a relative's or friend's home, etc.
Always prepare before a storm to minimize panic and chaos.
DURING
Move all valuables, clothing, and furniture to higher floors of your home and away from any flooded areas.
Do not venture down flooded streets or underpasses due to the uncertainty of depth of water or missing manhole covers or drains.
Stay away from rising rivers, streams or brooks for your own safety.
Do not walk or play in flooded streets due to the uncertainty of missing manhole covers, drains, contaminated floodwaters, or movement of water. (Note: As little as six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.)
Do not drive around barricades they are there for your own safety.
Stay away from down power lines and electrical wires.
If your vehicle stalls in rapidly rising waters, abandon it immediately and climb to higher ground.
INSURANCE FACTS The City of Bridgeport participates in the Federal National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Which means that flood insurance may be available to homes, condominiums, apartments and nonresidential buildings at very good rates. It also means that even if your property was previously damaged in a flood, you can still be eligible to purchase flood insurance no matter how many times your home, apartment, or business has flooded.
Flood insurance premiums vary depending on property type, location, age, and construction. You are eligible to purchase flood insurance no matter where you live.
Keep in mind that 25 to 30 percent of claims come from outside high-risk flood areas, so even if you live outside a flood zone you may still want to think about this type of insurance.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NFIP OR TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE IN A FLOOD ZONE CONTACT THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AT (203) 576-8376.
IMPORTANT LOCAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
911 (For Immediate Life threatening Emergencies) 576-7171 (Street Flooding or Street Storm Drain Issues) 800-722-5584 (For UI emergencies, i.e. outages, down wires, etc.) 576-1010 (American Red Cross-Southeastern Fairfield County Chapter) 335-0157 (Gas emergencies, i.e. outages, leaks, etc.) 611 (For SNET emergencies, i.e. outages, down wires, etc.) 576-7680 (Bridgeport Health Department) 576-8376 (Bridgeport Emergency Management)
