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Flooding
Floods can develop slowly, or occur in just a few minutes (flash flooding) and be a result of a river, small stream, or a creek overfilling or the result of overland flooding due to snow melt conditions.
Familiarize yourself with these flood terms to help identify a flood hazard:
Flood Watch:
Flooding is possible. Tune into the media or a NOAA weather radio for information. Prepare for possible evacuation. |
Flood Warning:
Flooding is occurring or will occur soon. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. |
Flash Food Watch:
Flash flooding is possible. If in an area for flash flood risk, you should move to higher ground. |
Flash Food Warning:
Flash flooding is occuring. If in an area for flash flood risk, you should move to higher ground away from rivers, streams, creeks and storm drains. |
Urban and Small Stream Advisory:
Flooding of streets, small streams, and low-lying areas is occurring. If evacuation is recommended, follow designated evacuation route.
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TAKE PROTECTIVE MEASURES
Steps to Reduce Flood and Water Damage
Many things can be done before the snow melts to reduce damage to your home or facility. This checklist can help you prepare to reduce the severity of water or a flood.
Tips on using your sump pump
Early Childhood Services Emergency Flood Plan
This Emergency Flood Plan is designed to inform, organize, and prepare for the impact of flooding on early childhood programs in our state to ensure safe care for children in flooding situations. The plan is also designed to provide steps to ensure that services are continued for eligible child care subsidy recipients during the unexpected disruption of services.
Strengthen Communication Plans
Closures -
In a flood situation, it may not be safe for children to come to your child care program due to the presence of water in your facility, or on or near the roads leading to your child care program. Also, you may find yourself in a situation in which you need to close your program early due to heightened flood conditions when children are already present. An Emergency Closing Plan is important to have in place in order to reduce the likelihood of confusion when you find that you need to close your child care program.
Back up Child Care - If your program is directly impacted by flooding, it is possible that your child care program may have to close until it can provide a safe environment for children. It is important to start having conversations with families to let them know that they could benefit by looking into back up child care plans, in the event that you suddenly have to close. Parents can be directed to their local Child Care Resource & Referral office to access a list of available and/or temporary child care programs who may meet their needs.
Evacuation Location - A rapidly occuring flood may require quick evacuation of children and staff from your home or facility. All child care programs should develop an evacuation plan, train staff (if applicable) on the plan, and practice carrying out the plan. In the event of a flood, plan for an evacuation location on higher ground that is far enough away from your site as to remove the children and staff from nearby hazards.
Emergency Contact Numbers - Provide parents with important contact information to inform them of how they can contact you in the event that your child care program has to evacuate. Parent Emergency Evacuation Information Form pdf
Ensure that you have updated emergency contact information on file for each of the enrolled children in your care. Consider ways that you could inform parents quickly of the event of an emergency (group e-mail notification, phone calls etc.)
Making Decisions about Closing
As emergency conditions arise it is important to think through the stability of your program and make a decision about remaining open for business or closing for short or extended periods of time. Read more about important considerations to help you in the decision making process.
Emergency Supplies
One of the most important components to emergency preparedness is to have an appropriately stocked emergency supply kit. The items and amounts of supplies needed will vary based on the number and ages of the children you serve.
Emergency Supply Kit pdf
Driving: Flood Facts
The following are important points to remember when driving in flood conditions:
- Do not drive into flooded areas. (Avoid low areas such as low roads and underpasses)
- Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars causing loss of control and possible stalling.
- A foot of water will float many vehicles.
- Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUV's) and pick-ups.
- Do not drive around barricades.
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CARING FOR CHILDREN DURING A DISASTER
Caring for children is a big responsibility under normal conditions. However, when something out of our control happens, such as a nature- or weather-related disaster, caring for children becomes an ever greater responsibility. Child care providers are important supports to families and children who have gone through the stress and chaos of a hurricane, flood, or other event that becomes a disaster.
Nurturing Children After Natural Disasters
Although “disasters” do not happen all the
time, when they do, their impact can have
long-lasting effects—months or years. Child
care providers are important supports to
families and children who have gone through
the stress and chaos of a hurricane, flood, or
other event that becomes a disaster.
Nurturing Children After Natural Disasters pdf
Helping Children through the Flood
Flooding brings a sense of emergency and fear that can severely disrupt the lives of children and their families. Young children are particularly at risk during these times because of their deep sense of vulnerability, their lack of understanding and their difficulty in communicating how they feel. Older children are affected, too. Like their younger siblings, they might find it difficult to express their feelings. They may be terribly frightened of the implications of the adversity on their future. Here are a few suggestions for helping children through these difficult times.
Helping Children through the Flood
Dealing with Stress after a Disaster
A natural disaster leaves a trail of property destruction, and many
times it leaves its victims with a damaged sense of balance. In
addition to restoring buildings and replacing material possessions,
victims may need to devote time to restoring their own emotional
equilibrium during the recovery period. This can be especially
important for children who do not have years of life experience to
guide them.
Dealing with Stress after a Disaster pdf
A Flood of Emotions
Water is causing more than property damage in North Dakota. It is bringing a flood of emotions. How we deal with the emotional flood may affect how well North Dakotans recover from this natural disaster.
A Flood of Emotions pdf
Long Term Effects of Disaster
Children need time to heal from traumatic
events. Studies of children following natural
disasters have shown that children may experience
emotional and behavioral effects for
months, or even longer, following
the disaster.
Long Term Effects of Disaster pdf
AFTER A FLOOD
Mold (after a flood)
Flood Information: Mold in Homes pdf
Emergency Health Precautions for Flooded Areas
Flood Information: Emergency Health Precautions pdf
Emergency Contacts
County and Tribal Emergency Management Contacts
Local Public Health Units
The Amercian Red Cross
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