Floods

• Know your risk: Is your home, business, or school in a floodplain?
• Know if floodwaters might affect your home and property. Know your elevation above flood stage.
• Develop a flood emergency action plan.
• Sign up for emergency notifications.
• Evacuate immediately if advised to do so. Bring important documents with you.
• Move to a safe area before egress or ingress is cutoff by floodwaters.
• Keep abreast of road conditions through the news media.

• Stay informed. Tune to local news, subscribe to your municipal emergency notification system, and download the Monmouth County Emergency Management smartphone app.
• Turn around, Don't Drown: Never drive through flooded roadways. Nearly half of all people killed in floods are those who try driving through flooded areas.
• Avoid areas subject to flooding. Do not attempt to cross flowing water.
• Do not drive around barricades or other road closure devices. They are there for your protection.
• If your vehicle stalls, leave it immediately.
• Never try to walk through or allow children to play around floodwater. Water can be flowing quickly and may contain debris and disease-causing bacteria.
• Evacuate immediately if advised to do so. Bring important documents with you.

• Stay informed.
• Do not visit disaster areas — your presence may hamper emergency operations. Wait for the All Clear from emergency officials.
• Throw out food that has come into contact with the floodwater and boil drinking water before using it.
• Stay out of buildings that remain or have been affected by floodwaters.
• Do not handle live electrical equipment in wet areas.
• If the power is out, use flashlights to examine buildings. Flammables may be inside.
• Report broken utilities to the correct authorities.

There are different reasons a community may flood: storm surge, river flooding, tidal flooding, or heavy rainfall. Low-lying or poorly drained areas can also increase a community's flood risk. To protect yourself, learn what flood threats affect your community.

• Determine if you live near rivers, creeks, or lakes that flood frequently.
• Is your home located in a low-lying area?
• Determine your home's elevation. This can be done by obtaining an elevation certificate from a land surveyor or engineer.