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Flood tips?

mattsk42

mattsk42

Supporting Member
Oct 28, 2004
1,386
18
Salt Lake City, UT by way of Pierre, SD
www.petzl.com
#1
It's flooding for basically the first time ever in my hometown of Pierre, SD. Flood waters are up like 4 feet higher than they can be so a lot of people are evacuating. No one here has experienced this at all, and it looks like they'll be out of a house for months to come and the worst is still coming.

Any tips or advice? Anything that would be useful/helpful? We're headed there tonight.
 
#3
Anything of value leaves with you. If you cant take it, put it up as high as you can get it. Doors laid across chairs/sawhorses can be used to make more space up off the floor -attics filled.
Get anything cardboard out of the basement and just put it directly in the garbage - it is much easier while it is still dry. Anything of no value that will be HEAVY when wet should be removed NOW!!!

I survived Grand Forks and Fargo '97. We won in Fargo, but my Grandmother lost in GF. If you need any help or guidance PM me. Cleaning up after losing a flood battle is something you DON'T want to do wet. Get as much relocated/ thrown out before as you can!!
 
#4
I have a friend that lives on the river. He has a high water line on the wall of his ground floor and garage. Get everything high. Gas and electricity should be taken into account too.
 
#5
We had an 8' sandbag dike 15' from the living room picture window, and not a drop in the house. These things can be won, but you need to have the time, resources and knowledge of how to do it. Many of the "experts" haven't got a clue how to properly construct a sandbag dike - PLASTIC is what keeps the water out, the sandbags merely support the plastic. Bags with no plastic are useless, and a B!!@# to remove once they have been contaminated.
 
#7
don't know if i have anything more to offer than good luck and i hope you are spared much damage. can you get a sense of how vulnerable you home is? in my town we are hilly and so there are certain parts of town that will flood to the top of the first floor and others that won't flood at all. when cedar rapids flooded several years back, i had a friend whose house was totaled because he lived rite next to the river. another factor in this is how long you may be not allowed to go back and clean up. the deeper in your place is, the longer it may take for water to recede and the area to be secure enough for authorities to let you back. the longer your place sits, the nastier the clean up. if you are not likely to be in the center of the flooding, you may be a ble to just move your stuff high up and wait it out.

+1 to shutting down the basement utilities: gas and electric stuff, washer, water heater, sump pump, etc
 
#8
I saw some nasty fights in Cedar Rapids, after the flood, over fresh water. It was an ugly (and stinky) place to be for quite a while after the flood. I had a gig there and stayed up near Dubuque. It was nice to be able to shower after the rehearsals, too bad all the others couldn't do the same.

Regarding utilities, if your neighborhood goes, they will be shut down. They wont be turned on in your place til it has been inspected afterward. Shutting them off yourself is nicer should you still be in the house, but if there is already water in the basement, don't mess with the AC. Get yourself out, if it is going that way. If it is just a bit of water, a shopvac can be your friend.
 
#10
..........a few other things, take many pictures at all points of the flooding and write down as much info as to what got lost. call your insurance people asap. even if you dont have flood insurance, they still may be able to do something for you( dont give up pursuing either, just remember to be polite and couteous, they may be as affected as you). call fema, call the redcross. they have the money and resources. they may be run ass backwards, but the gub ment has the money. i went through 4 major floods in 2 years, it say seem like the end but you will persevere.
 
#13
There is a river less than 50 yards from where I sit right now. In 2008 it came up and covered my yard, the road and every house in the neighborhood got it except mine and one other one. Only way in or out was by boat. The cops came and started taking people out. I put all my gear in the attic and stayed in the living room with a shotgun.

My point is, don't leave anything you don't want to lose because looters will come and get it if you don't protect it.
 

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