Disaster Safety Blog

Protect your property against flooding and severe winter weather

A storm system that dumped 6 inches of rain in as many hours on South Florida continues to bring rain to parts of the state today, flooding homes and businesses. The system is headed north and is expected to bring heavy snow for the Mid-Atlantic region, prompting winter storm warnings Friday from the Carolinas to New Jersey.

Knee-deep water filled the streets in downtown Miami, Fla., on Thursday and more than a foot of rain was reported in Hollywood, 20 miles to the north. The National Weather Service warned Georgia resident to prepare for similar   flooding  conditions, and predicted 3 inches of rainfall in north and east Georgia, where the ground is already saturated from a wet autumn.

In the Mid-Atlantic, snow will range from several inches to as much as 18 inches in parts of western and central Virginia, the weather service reports. The winter storm warning included the northeast corner of Tennessee, where 2 to 5 inches of snowfall were predicted by Saturday afternoon.

Prepare your home or business for severe weather with help from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Rising waters threaten properties in greater New Orleans

Record-setting rainfall in the greater New Orleans area flooded streets and forced some residents into emergency shelters on Tuesday.

Rain gauges at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport reported 22.26 inches of rain by mid-day Tuesday, according to Louisiana climatologist Barry Keim at Lousiana State University. He said that's the heaviest monthly rainfall recorded at the airport, where records have been kept since 1946. And it was within striking distance of the monthly record for the New Orleans metropolitan area, 25.11 inches, set in October 1937.

More rain is in the forescast for Thursday, bringing more water to already saturated ground. In Lafourche Parish, southwest of New Orleans, there were isolated reports of homes flooding in Raceland, Bayou Blue and north Thibodaux, according to local government reports. Parish officials opened an emergency shelter at the Raceland Recreation Center for anyone needing to evacuate.

In St. Charles Parish, where public schools were closed Tuesday because of standing water on roads, a section of a small levee in the town of Boutte was overtopped, according to USA Today.

Keeping rising waters and wind-driven rain out of you home or business is the first step toward preventing widespread property damage to the drywall, floors and valuables stored at floor level, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Learn more about minimizing flood damage with help from IBHS engineers.

New climate report has dire warnings for coastal areas

A new report released during the first week of climate meetings (Dec. 7-18) in Copenhagen, Denmark, predicts a significant rise in sea levels by 2100 and calls for action by 2012 in order to have any effect on the changing climate.

The report, which was composed by a group of 26 climatologists, is a summary of hundreds of peer-reviewed research papers published in the last several years. The Copenhagen Diagnosis supersedes a 2007 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that has been the standard for reference on climate statistics since its publication. Fourteen of the climatologists who compiled the Copenhagen Diagnosis were also authors of the 2007 IPCC report.

If we apply the predictions coming from the report to the topography of the Gulf Coast then 10 percent of Florida and Louisiana will be under water by 2100, says Sally Kneidel, Ph.D., who is the author of eleven books on nature, conservation and science topics. 

 
  The new evidence in the report includes:

• Satellite and direct measurements now demonstrate that both the Greenland and Antarctic ice-sheets are losing mass and contributing to sea level rise at an increasing rate.
• Arctic sea-ice has melted far beyond the expectations of climate models. For example, the area of summer sea-ice melt during 2007-2009 was about 40 percent greater than the average projection from the 2007 IPCC Fourth Assessment Report.
• Sea level has risen more than 5 centimeters over the past 15 years, about 80 percent higher than IPCC projections from 2001. Accounting for ice-sheets and glaciers, global sea-level rise may exceed 1 meter by 2100, with a rise of up to 2 meters considered an upper limit by this time. This is much higher than previously projected by the IPCC. Furthermore, beyond 2100, sea level rise of several meters must be expected over the next few centuries.
• In 2008 carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels were ~40 percent higher than those in 1990. Even if emissions do not grow beyond today’s levels, within just 20 years the world will have used up the allowable emissions to have a reasonable chance of limiting warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius.

The report concludes that global emissions must peak then decline rapidly within the next five to ten years for the world to have a reasonable chance of avoiding the very worst impacts of climate change.

To stabilize climate, global emissions of carbon dioxide and other long-lived greenhouse gases need to reach near-zero well within this century, the report states.

According to the Copenhagen climatologists, by the end of this century global sea levels will rise at least twice as much as earlier predicted by the IPCC. If heat-trapping emissions are not reduced, the rise will be 1 to 2 meters by the year 2010. And they will keep on rising for centuries, for a total of several meters - even if global temperatures have been stabilized.

How might this affect Florida?

What will happen in Florida when sea levels rise?  Frank Ackerman, a senior economist at the Stockholm Institute, has studied that question with computer modeling. His model projects a 27-inch rise by the year 2060, just 50 years from now.

About Florida, Ackerman says, "Our map of the area vulnerable to 27 inches of sea-level rise looks like someone took a razor to the state right above Miami and sliced off everything below that, [which includes] residential real estate worth $130 billion in that, half of Florida's beaches, two nuclear reactors, three prisons, 37 nursing homes, and on and on."

The porous limestone on which much of South Florida is built makes the area unsuitable for levees, like those built in New Orleans and the Netherlands. It will be up to individuals to protect their properties. Research by the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has found the only ways to truly protect coastal properties from storm surge are proper elevation - 2 percent above the annual probability of exceedance levels - and by choosing the right interior finishes - wood over drywall - to minimize interior damage when water does get inside a structure. Learn more about IBHS property protection guidelines.

Dr. Hal Wanless, chairman of Geological Sciences at the University of Miami, says that rising sea levels come right up through the limestone, as was proved during Hurricane Betsy. "There's no way to put a levee around South Florida and really keep the water out."

Take steps now to avoid frozen, bursting pipes

Windy conditions across much of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states will give way to record low temperatures today - so it's time to think about protecting water pipes against freezing.

Wind-chill temperatures could dip as low as minus 25 in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois, according to the National Weather Service. Gauges were reporting minus 15 degrees in Shenandoah, Iowa, about 33 degrees below the normal low for this time of year.

A frozen pipe can burst and send thousands of gallons of water into a home or business, and the situation is even worse when the building is unoccupied at the time of the incident. Preventing frozen pipes takes a few easy steps and can save time and money in the long run.

 
Here are some things to consider to help avoid freezing pipes, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS):

• Visit a local hardware store and pick up pipe insulation. It's affordable and easy to use.
• When temperatures plummet, keep all exterior entry, exit and overhead doors to unheated spaces closed as much as possible.
• If any pipes are located adjacent to exterior walls or within base-cabinets or in closets, leave the cabinet/closet doors open or use a fan to increase warm air circulation around the pipes.
• If you have rest rooms, kitchens, or service rooms with water sources located on exterior walls, it is likely that the plumbing for these systems is located inside the exterior walls. Or, if you have piping coming up through the floor over an unheated room or unheated crawlspace under your building, it is likely there is plumbing exposed to freezing weather.
• Let all faucets drip to prevent freezing of the water inside the pipe and if freezing does occur, to relieve pressure buildup in the pipes between the ice blockage and the faucet. The pressure buildup is the actual cause of bursting pipes.

When the weather breaks, take these steps to avoid the risk of future damage:

• Prior to the winter months, ensure that all cracks, holes, and other openings on the exterior walls are sealed tightly with caulk or insulation to prevent cold air from penetrating the wall cavity.
• Install a water leak detection system, available at your plumbing supply store, which will alert someone to respond in the event water is detected.
• Install a valve that allows you to shut off the water supply during periods when the building may be unoccupied, particularly when colder weather is expected. Be sure to drain your water supply system before leaving the building unoccupied.
• Connect your sprinkler system to a water flow alarm that will alert a responder. In the event of a pipe rupture or a damaged sprinkler head, the responder will shut off the water supply. This will help limit water damage potential.
• If your business is unoccupied for more than 24 hours at a time, you should have a plan in place to inspect the building once a day for freezing pipes during the winter months. The same is true for second or vacation homes.
• To check pipes, turn on each water supply faucet individually (both hot and cold) to ensure that there is a steady stream of water present.  If the flow of water is slowed, or worse, there is no flow, then it is likely that your pipe has frozen. Identify the blockage (probably the area of most exposure) and use a blow dryer (do NOT use an open flame torch!) to heat the supply line, leaving the faucet open. Continue heating the pipe until there is a steady flow of water. 

For more information on protecting your property against freezing weather, visit the IBHS Web site www.DisasterSafety.org.

New Legislation Would Extend Flood Tax Deadline

Legislation being introduced by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley would give disaster victims across the Midwest more time to apply for tax breaks to help them repair or replace their devastated homes as a result of the record flooding in 2008.

According to Sen. Grassley, there are dozens of Iowans who lost their homes in the flooding who are still waiting on government buy-outs. Due to the delays in federal funding, many homeowners in Iowa and elsewhere won’t be able to meet the deadlines for tax relief intended to help with recovery.

Sen. Grassley’s earlier bill, the Heartland Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2008, was signed into law in October last year, granting temporary tax relief to Midwesterners who were hit by the floods and tornadoes. According to the Senator, the tax relief is very similar to what Congress offered people who were affected by hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Key tax provisions from last year’s disaster tax relief bill expire on January 1, 2010 which is why reauthorization is currently crucial. According to Sen. Grassley, the new legislation would extend the benefits for a full year allowing families and individuals to get the tax relief they’re entitled to, even if they need more time to get permanent housing or are waiting to have their damaged homes purchased by local government. 

Find out the true risks of living behind a levee

Maybe there's a large grass-covered berm separating you from the lake, river or other waterway that you've always just considered a beautiful extension of your backyard. But how much do you really know about the stability of the levee that's all that stands between your property and a potentially devastating flood?

A new guide So, You Live Behind a Levee, which was developed by the American Society of Civil Engineers and other partners, hopes to help residents gain a better understanding of their flood risks.

Here are four main facts from the free guide.

1. Flooding will happen.

All rivers, streams, and lakes will flood eventually. This means that all levees will be called upon to combat floodwaters at some point. Don’t think flooding can happen to you? Think again.

2. No levee is flood-proof.

Levees reduce the risk of flooding. But no levee system can eliminate all flood risk. A levee is generally designed to control a certain amount of
floodwater. If a larger flood occurs, floodwaters will flow over the levee. Flooding also can damage levees, allowing floodwaters to flow through an
opening, or breach.

3. Risks associated with flooding vary.

If you live behind a levee, you are responsible for knowing the threat you face from flooding. Don’t assume that someone else is watching out for you. Take responsibility.

4. Actions taken now will save lives and property.

There are many steps you can take, from purchasing flood insurance, to developing an evacuation plan, to flood-proofing your home, to reporting any problems that you see. The sooner you act, the better off you’ll be when the next flood occurs. Be prepared.

Flooding likely biggest threat from Ida

 
Tropical Storm Ida has come ashore near Mobile Bay in southern Alabama with top sustained winds weakened to about 45 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Ida's center first touched land on Dauphin Island and was headed for the Alabama mainland later Tuesday morning. Ida was moving northeast about 9 mph.Heavy rains were expected to the biggest threat to Alabama and Florida Panhandle residents, where flooding could be an issue.

Tropical storm warnings were still out across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, where governors declared states of emergency.

Although a weakened Ida will cause less property damage than say if it had formed in August, some residents will be impacted. The Institute for Business & Home Safety offers You Can Go Home Again - Recoverying After an Event. Download a free copy today.

Fall flooding takes Midwest by surprise

The calendar may read November, but judging by the landscapes around the Midwest it may as well be spring or early summer.

Even the National Weather Service is perplexed by the unusual amount of rain that has fallen this fall, USA Today reports. The rains have caused rivers to spill over their banks in parts of Missouri and Illinois.

Heavy rain fell last week over much of the two states, causing flash flooding and rising rivers. In fact, October rainfall was at record amounts at many spots.

The autumn monsoons are hard to figure, Benjamin Sittrell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in suburban St. Louis, told USA Today.

"Typically during the late-year period, it's our driest portion of the year," Sittrell said. "To see such astronomically high amounts of precipitation, where we got several inches above the previous record levels, is very abnormal."

Keep water from damaging your home or business with projects from the Institute for Business & Home Safety. It's surprising how spending a little money can result in major savings when flood waters rise.

Green River Valley Prepares for Possible Flooding this Winter

Officials in the state of Washington have begun to strategize a plan now in the event that the Green River Valley floods this winter which could cause as many as 300,000 people to evacuate.

The Green River is a 65-mile long river arising on the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains. If flooding occurs this year, it could happen earlier than usual according to weather forecasters.

The Howard Hanson Dam, which is damaged, will not be able to hold back as much water as it usually does. If rainfall as heavy as last season occurs this winter, more water will be emptied into the river topping levees. According to the Corps of Engineers parts of the river valley could be flooded with 4 to 10 feet of water.

The corps has warned communities downstream from the dam that too much water has been seeping through its right abutment, so the agency won’t completely fill the dam until it has taken permanent steps to reduce the leak.

The corps expects to have a water-resistant grout installed in the abutment by Nov. 1 but won’t know until spring or summer how much water it will hold back.

Because of the dam there have been no major floods on the Green River since 1959. However, with the dam on injured reserve and if the warmer Pacific weather follows the usual El Nino pattern, a flood could occur before the year-end holidays.

One of the biggest challenges could be evacuating people around Southcenter mall in Tukwila, where more than 150,000 vehicles can be parked at the shopping center and other businesses during the holidays.
Previous estimates have been that 25,000 to 30,000 people in the valley could lose their homes in a major flood, but the number of people who may have to be evacuated could be somewhere on the order of 200,000 to 300,000 if it occurs during the day when people are at work and at businesses according to Hillman Mitchell, Tukwila’s emergency management director.

Flood season extends from October to March. Learn how to prepare for possible flooding with strategies from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Fargo-Moorhead Residents Looking for a Permanent Solution to Yearly Flooding

Residents of Fargo, N.D. and Moorhead, Minn. continue to look to the Army Corp of Engineers to establish a permanent solution to the annual spring floods both regions suffer from each year.

Last spring, record flooding of the Red River and its tributaries from late March to early April resulted in several emergency practices including raising an emergency dike to 42 feet working around the clock to fill more than 2 million sandbags to help protect homes and businesses.

This year, the Army Corp of Engineers has been looking for the best solution to this annual disaster. Currently they are developing plans for levees or diversion ditches to protect the cities during a flood. However, since all the plans are in the preliminary stages, questions are hard to answer at this time.

Many Fargo-Moorhead residents favor a diversion ditch to route part of the Red River around the cities. The ditches could be from a quarter- to a half-mile wide and 15 to 20 miles long.

The price tag for this massive project is near $1 billion. The Army Corps of Engineers needs input in the next month from local officials on which plan they prefer. The Corps wants to narrow the project options to one by January. The earliest construction could start is 2012 and the project would take at least four years to complete.

Learn more about preparing for floods from the Institute for Business & Home Safety.