Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other storm related hazard. The primary reason is people underestimate the force and power of water. Many of the deaths occur in automobiles as they are swept downstream. Many of these deaths are preventable by adhering to posted warning signs and following basic safety measures.

Whether driving or walking, if you come to a flooded road, Turn Around Don't Drown. Water depth and road conditions are often unknown and should be taken into consideration.

FLOOD ZONES ON CAMPUS
There are many areas in the greater Houston area that are in flood zones including some areas near Lone Star College System campuses. Temporary conditions, such as clogged storm drains or erosion from nearby construction sites, may also cause localized flooding that is unpredictable and unmarked. 

FLOOD PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE

Moving Flood Water
Avoid driving in moving or pooling water, regardless of the size of your vehicle.  Be aware of the following:

• Road surfaces become obscured, and drivers can unknowingly steer into a deep body of water, such as a canal or pond.
• Electricity from streetlights and power poles may be conducted through standing water, causing a deadly shock to anyone coming in contact with it.
• Children playing in contaminated standing water can become sick or be bitten by snakes or floating insects.
• People coming into contact with floodwater should thoroughly rinse any exposed body parts with soap and clean water.

Contaminated Water Supply
Drinking contaminated water may cause illness. Listen to local announcements on safety of the water supply including issued boil water notices. These notices and safety alerts may also apply to people in these areas with private wells. If your well is in a flooded area, your water may contain disease-causing organisms and may not be safe to drink.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends using at least one of the following measures:

• Boil the water before drinking, holding it at a rolling boil for one minute.
• Disinfect it by adding 8 drops (about 1/8 tsp – this would form a puddle about the size of a dime) of unscented household bleach per gallon of water and then let it stand for 30 minutes.  If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure.
• Use only bottled water for mixing baby formula.
• If in doubt, have your water tested by your local health department or by a state certified laboratory to conduct drinking water analyses.

Contaminated Food
Do not eat any food or ice that may have come into contact with contaminated water. You may need to discard any food that is not stored in a waterproof container if there is a chance that it has come into contact with contaminated water. Undamaged, commercially canned foods may be saved by removing labels, washing the cans, and then disinfecting them with a solution consisting of 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water for clean surfaces.  Re-label your cans, including the expiration date, with a marker. Food containers with screw-caps, snap lids, and home canned foods should be discarded if they have come in contact with contaminated water since they cannot always be disinfected.

Contaminated Items
Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers once they have come in contact with contaminated water. Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes, and utensils with soap and hot water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1/4 cup of household bleach per gallon of water.

Hygiene
Basic hygiene is very important during an emergency period. Always wash your hands with soap and water that has been boiled or disinfected and cooled before eating, after toilet use, after participating in cleanup activities, and after handling water contaminated articles.

For more information on emergency preparedness and response to flooding and contaminated water, visit the National Weather Service at http://tadd.weather.gov/ and the Center for Disease Control at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater/.