Are you ready for a flood?
For most of us, a flood might not seem to be a real threat,
but keep in mind: there are over 300 miles of coastline and hundreds
of miles of rivers in Rhode Island, making the Ocean State vulnerable
to the whims of storms and heavy rains.
Preparation is the key when dealing with a flood or any other
natural disaster. Project Impact has prepared a list of preparation
tips that should keep you, your loved ones, and your property
as safe as possible during a flood.
- Learn about your areas flood risk.
- Talk to your insurance agent.
- Develop an evacuation plan.
- Keep insurance policies, documents,
and other valuables in a safe deposit box.
- Avoid building in a flood plain unless
you elevate and reinforce your home.
- Raise your furnace, water heater, and
electric panel to higher floors if they are
in areas of your home that may flood.
- Install check valves in building sewer
traps to prevent floodwater from backing up
the drains of your home.
- Seal walls in basements with water-
proofing compounds to avoid seepage
through cracks.
Flood Safety
- Stay out of areas subject to flooding.
- f outdoors, climb to high ground and
stay there.
- If you come upon a flowing stream where
water is above your ankles, stop, turn
around and go another way.
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Project Impact preparing
Rhode Island for disasters
Local communities take lead in readying
R.I. citizens and businesses for disaster...
For years, people have
felt there was nothing they could do in the face of surging floodwaters
or the 140 mile-an-hour winds of a hurricane. The mindset was
to let the storm take its toll and then work to rebuild the community
following the devastation.
Recently, that philosophy has undergone a dramatic change
with goverment and non-profit relief organizations combining
their resources to encourage businesses and citizens to help
reduce the effects of natural disasters.
The result is Project Impact, an initiative developed by James
Lee Witt, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This initiative includes a national awareness campaign, the
selection of pilot communities that demonstrate the benefits
of hazard mitigation through a partnership approach, and an outreach
effort to businesses and communities using a new book that offers
guidelines to follow to become disaster-resistant.
Some Rhode Island cities have become early partners in the
Project Impact campaign, with more expected to soon follow suit.
Warwick, Providence, and Pawtucket were the first three local
cities to join with Project Impact to better educate the people
in their communities.
While Rhode Island has been fortunate to sidestep most natural
disasters over the last few years, history tells us that we are
vulnerable to potentially devastating occurences. Hurricanes
have taken hundreds of human lives and caused hundreds of millions
of dollars of damage this century in Rhode Island.
Hazard mitigation and preparedness is everyones business.
It is only through a partnership between government, businesses,
and the private sector that Project Impact will succeed. Thank
you for joining us in this crucial initiative that will save
lives and property in Rhode Island in the event that disaster
strikes our state.
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