Ordered by what actually kills: over half of US flood drownings happen in vehicles, most of the rest on foot, and the house — where all the money goes — is a distant third.
0/28 packed
Every one of these is a decision made badly under pressure and well in advance. None of them cost anything today.
One inch of water in a house is roughly $25,000 in damage (FEMA). Elevation is permanent; sandbags are a bad night’s work that mostly does not hold.
Short list on purpose. If you are reading this during a warning, do the first three.
The flood is not over when the water leaves. Mold starts in 24–48 hours, and everything the water touched is contaminated.
Six inches knocks you down, twelve floats a car, eighteen takes a truck — and the road that kills you is one you know well. The full reasoning, with the numbers.
Read: Flood Preparedness: Most of the Deaths Are in CarsFlooding is the most common reason people leave in a hurry. The Go Bag (72-Hour Kit) is the 72-hour layer already packed — and the go-bag checklist covers the documents that belong out of the basement.
