VALDOSTA, Ga.-- The American Red Cross is urging residents across South Georgia to prepare for floods.
The South Georgia region is expected to be under flood alerts for the next few days. the American Red Cross is working with its emergency partners to preposition supplies, identify potential shelters and place volunteers on standby.
As the American Red Cross prepares, they are asking residents to take the following steps to prepare:
• Creating and practicing a Disaster Plan: Talk to everyone in your household about what to do if a flood occurs. Decide where you would meet and who you would contact in case of flooding. Assemble and maintain an emergency preparedness kit. Be prepared to evacuate your family and pets at a moment’s notice. Listen to area radio and television stations for possible flood warnings and reports of flooding in progress.
• Assembling an Emergency Preparedness Kit: Kits should contain a first aid kit and essential medications, foods that don’t require cooking or refrigeration and manual can opener, bottled water, flashlights and a battery-powered radio with extra batteries, copies of important documents and other emergency items for the whole family.
• Heeding Flood Warnings: Listen to your local radio and TV stations for updated flood information. A flood WATCH means flooding or flash flooding is possible in your area. A food WARNING means flooding or flash flooding is already occurring or will occur soon in your area. When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher ground and stay there.
• Relocating During Flood Warnings: Stay away from flood waters. If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankle, stop, turn around and go another way. If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground.
For more information on flood preparedness, visit the following link: www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/flood.
Look on our “South Georgia Chapter” Facebook page for daily weather alerts. For Droid and IPhone Users, you can download the free Hurricane App by going to the following link: www.redcross.org/mobile-apps/hurricane-app
