Be prepared for flash floods

We saw the flash flood watches and warnings Tuesday, and the region was seeing similar watches and warnings Wednesday. So how do you prepare for a flash flood?So how do you deal with a flash flood? Pocatello police said the most important thing is to prepare beforehand.

Whether that’s fortifying your house or avoiding places like underpasses, it’s easier to deal with flooding beforehand than try and stop it when it’s happening.

There are also some things you can do while driving to keep you and your family safe when all that water hits the road. Although it may be fun to make big splashes driving through lots of water, that’s not fun for you car or cars beside you.

“I don’t think people realize how it affects their brakes,” said Pocatello Police Lt. Paul Manning. “Their brakes get wet and they don’t just immediately dry out. They go to apply their brakes, and they may not be there when they get that wet.”

Manning also said it’s advisable to steer clear of intersections with heavy water in case your car engine can’t handle it. He said a car stalled by the city offices because the driver tried to go through the intersection where the water reached up to his hood. Manning said there there could also be unseen hazards in the road.

“There’s even been situations when storm drains back up, it pushes the manhole covers off the drain,” he said. “If you can’t see that happening and you drive through deep water, you could drop one of your wheels into an open manhole.”

As for your home, Manning said to make sure to keep an eye on your basement, especially if water builds up near a basement window or door. He said to be aware of electronics.

He also said it can be fun to splash in puddles, but even that could turn into a bigger problem.

“It’s also not safe for kids to even play in the street because these storm drain covers can come off too,” he said. “If you can’t see it and it’s under two feet of water, you could have someone step in one of those.”

Call your local street department and find out where they have sandbags or if they know where sandbags are. Some cities have limits to how many you can take per person. Sometimes you may also have to fill them yourself.