Flood Preparation for Homeowners and Renters

Know your flood risk

Check local flood maps from FEMA or your local emergency management office. Understand that flood risk exists outside mapped high-risk zones — recent development, clogged drains, and changing rainfall patterns can put homes in areas not historically considered flood-prone.

Know the difference between a flood watch (conditions are right for flooding) and a flood warning (flooding is occurring or imminent). A watch means get ready; a warning means act. Sign up for local alerts so you hear about both before water reaches your door.

Protect documents and valuables

Move irreplaceable documents and electronics to higher shelves or upper floors. Use waterproof bags for the essentials you'd grab — IDs, insurance cards, a list of medications, and a photo inventory of your belongings. A photo inventory taken before a flood makes an insurance claim far easier afterward.

Keep digital copies of important documents on an encrypted drive or in secure cloud storage. If the physical copies are damaged, the digital ones may be the only proof you have of identity, ownership, and coverage.

Renters and insurance

Renters insurance usually does not cover flooding from natural events; ask about a separate flood policy. Document your belongings with photos and keep the inventory off-site or in the cloud. Without a photo inventory, proving what you owned after a total loss is difficult and slow.

If you rent, know your building's evacuation plan and the location of electrical panels and utilities on your floor. In a flood, do not walk or drive through moving water — even six inches can knock an adult down, and a foot can sweep a vehicle away. Turn around; don't drown.

If flooding is imminent

If you have time and it is safe, move valuables and essentials to the highest floor. Shut off utilities only if you know how and if instructed or if there is an immediate risk — never wade into a flooded basement to reach a panel, because water can be electrified. Follow evacuation orders promptly; possessions can be replaced, people cannot.