{"id":4782,"date":"2026-09-22T13:50:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T17:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/?p=4782"},"modified":"2026-09-22T13:53:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T17:53:17","slug":"tips-for-flood-safety-during-national-preparedness-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/2026\/09\/22\/tips-for-flood-safety-during-national-preparedness-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Flood Safety During National Preparedness Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Alison Spasyk, Flood Resilience Educator, Lake Champlain Sea Grant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

September marks the start of many things \u2013 back to school, the changing of leaves, and the promise of cooler days. September is also National Preparedness Month<\/a>. Although emergencies and natural disasters can happen at any time of year, now is as good a time as any to think about how well you are prepared for the unexpected.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Lake Champlain basin, flooding<\/a> is the most common and costly natural hazard. As extreme precipitation events become more common, there are some basic steps you can take to be better prepared for future flooding. See below for tips on flood preparedness.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/span> Where to get emergency alerts and flood information<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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  1. VT-ALERT<\/strong> and NY-ALERT<\/strong> are mass notification services that allow you to receive alerts on your phone and email about situations such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, or evacuations. Notifications can be tailored to specific locations and types of alerts you would like to receive.\u00a0Sign up for VT-ALERT<\/a> or NY-ALERT<\/a> by visiting the respective webpages.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    1. The National Weather Service<\/strong> (weather.gov<\/a>) issues weather alerts and weather forecasts. Search for your town to get the latest forecast.  <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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      1. The United States has a network of river gauges<\/strong> that provide information on current and forecasted water levels, which can be found at https:\/\/water.noaa.gov\/<\/a>. The circles and squares represent locations where there is an official NWS gauge. The color of the circle represents current conditions, and the color of the squares represents the water level forecast.\u00a0If you live along or near a river, check whether there is a river gauge near you. Click on the circle or square to view the current water level, and if available, forecasted water level and flood impacts at a given level.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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        Screen capture of https:\/\/water.noaa.gov<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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        1. If there is a storm forecasted, pay attention to local news stations<\/strong> on TV and radio, and heed instructions about when to take action.  <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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          1. In the event of a power outage or when internet is not available, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio with NOAA weather tone alerts<\/strong> can provide information about life-threatening weather 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Weather radios can be purchased at most hardware stores and come in battery-operated and hand-crank models for use during power outages. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
            <\/div>\n\n\n\n

            <\/path><\/svg><\/span>Make a plan for flooding for your household<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            Think about the following questions with your family and household needs: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n