Flood Preparedness

Flood Preparations!

When it comes to flood preparedness in Kansas, there are two types of dangers most often faced. Both stem from the weather and the where your home is located in relation to flood plains.

Now of course, I am not referring to the new flood plains that our pals over at FEMA have created. We all know they mostly don’t really exist in the real world in the way that their maps say they do. I’m talking about homes that sit near creeks such as the Shunga Creek in Topeka. The Wakarusa River and low lying areas around the Kansas River can be treacherous in the spring when the heavy rains come.

Flash floods can happen in many rural areas and can take out low water crossings with little to no warning. Sure, we all have the weather alert apps on our phones. But mine was wrong about 70% of the time this year. So I don’t rely on it for more than a warning system to have to double check.

So what are some problems that flooding can present and what are some easy ways to mitigate them?

Basement Flooding:

As preppers, we absolutely love having a house with a basement. They offer us protection from storms; a great place to store our preps; an area to build a panic room; a make shift living quarters if you have to go into hiding; etc. Basements are our friends.

However, if you live in a flood plain, a basement can also be a place where your preparations go to die.

If you have a basement that is prone to flood due to location or even structural issues; be sure to store all of your stuff up off of the ground. This sounds simple, but you would be surprised how many smart people simply forget this.

Use cinder blocks or some other means of stone or concrete blocking to get your shelves up off the ground. Use a material that will not rot if it repeatedly gets wet.

Purchase a dehumidifier and hose attachment to assist in the drain and dry recovery from basement flooding. Believe it or not, dehumidifiers can make a big difference.

If you have garment closets in your basement where you store your bug out clothing; make sure it too is off the floor. After a flood, check these clothing items. They may smell musty, and thus need to be washed.

Putting your extra tee shirts and underwear, and snivel gear in large vacuum bags and then placing those in plastic tubs is an effective way to stave off moisture. Remember to duct tape the plastic tubs shut to keep out the mice.

Basements offer great places to prep, but they have their limits. Flooding can be the difference between a great place to store things, and a great place for your things to get ruined. Be smart in how you store your items in a basement.

Rural Flooding:

Living in many rural places in Kansas also can provide amazing opportunities for preppers. The privacy, the natural camouflage, the food sources, the hunting and fishing; all reasons why many preppers move out of the cities.

But many areas in Kansas have low water areas. Many older homes are built in flood plains. This can present many challenges for gardens, sheds, out buildings, storage containers and your home in general.

But rural living can also present flooding issues of a more tactical nature. I have many friends that live rural, and to get to their house in the most convenient way, you have to cross low water bridges. These bridges wash out or get completely submerged in water when flooding occurs.

Do you know multiple ways to get to and from your rural retreat that eliminates the need to use low water bridges?

Do you have “fire drill” plans on what to do if your property begins to flood? Are your storage facilities located on areas of your property where flooding won’t be as much of an issue?

If you live by a river or sizable creek, and it is known to flood regularly, do you also have a canoe or John boat to navigate it should this flooding occur after you have bugged out? If you are living on your property post SHTF, and you have to escape, and the creek or river is high and up, do you have a means to use this to your advantage to make a water born escape? Would a water evacuation be advantageous now, in the regular world? Does your driveway or road out get flooded?

If you live in an area such as this, do you own flood insurance? Prepping isn’t just about post SHTF. It is a lifestyle of being ready for anything anytime. Protecting your investments now, in the regular world, is just as important as preparing for other eventualities.

Living with Flooding:

I have lived in two places over the years that flooded regularly. It didn’t take long to figure out that I, and the people I lived with, needed to come up with a plan for when flooding occurred.

Eventually, we had taken many steps including properly installing corrugated pipe on all the downspouts; re-grading the dirt around the foundation of the home, having buckets and sand bags on hand in the event these things failed, and proper placement of our stuff inside the basement rooms so that flooding would not damage our stuff when it occurred.

Keep your electronics and power sources high off the ground and away from the outer walls of basement rooms. Yes, this may mean that you can’t have all your things in the most convenient location. But, what is more important? Having you electronics conveniently located, or having your basement room strategically situated for minimal loss?

Maintenance after a flood is important as well. If you are not careful to get all the water cleaned up as well as the dirt and mud that will come in your home during flooding, you can begin to have issues with mold. This can and will affect the health of those living in a basement room.

Imagine, if mold caused by flooding can make you sick now, what it can do to people who are bugged out, and living in much tighter proximity to each other while squeezed into a basement.

Flooding can cause a very serious set of setbacks both in this world and the next. Taking the time to learn how to handle flooding can be the difference between catastrophic loss and successful living.

As always, remember, I can only show you “a way” to handle these situations. There is no such thing as “the way”. Don’t take my word for it. Research ways to handle flooding now, it just may save you a lot of sorrow later.

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