PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
900 AM EDT THU APR 2 2009
...THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK FROM MARCH 29TH THROUGH
APRIL 4TH...
TODAY WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD SAFETY RULES.
WHENEVER YOU COME ACROSS A FLOODED AREA...THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE REMINDS YOU TO TURN AROUND...DON/T DROWN!
EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES...AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 100 PEOPLE ARE
KILLED BY FLOODING. FLOODS ARE ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF WEATHER
RELATED DEATHS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES...AND UNFORTUNATELY IN 2009...
THERE WERE 4 FATALITIES DUE TO MICHIGAN FLOODS. KNOWING WHAT TO DO WHEN
A FLOOD OR FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA MAY SAVE
YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR LOVED ONES. WHEN A FLASH FLOOD IS
ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA ACT QUICKLY...AS YOU MAY HAVE ONLY MINUTES TO
MOVE TO SAFETY.
ACROSS MICHIGAN ICE JAMS ON WATERWAYS MAY CAUSE A RAPID RISE OF WATER
UPSTREAM FROM THE JAM. THIS CAN BE FOLLOWED BY FLASH FLOODING
DOWNSTREAM WHEN THE JAM BREAKS. BROKEN ICE MOVED BY THE CURRENT
TOWARD SHORELINES CAN ALSO INFLICT PROPERTY DAMAGE.
LATER IN THE SPRING AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER...FLOODING OFTEN
RESULTS FROM EXCESSIVE RAIN CONCENTRATED OVER A SMALL AREA IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...OR FROM WIDESPREAD RAINS THAT CONTINUE FOR A
LENGTHY PERIOD OVER A BROAD REGION...SUCH AS AN ENTIRE RIVER BASIN.
THE FLOODING THAT FOLLOWS THESE EVENTS CAN QUICKLY INUNDATE LARGE
AREAS WITH STANDING WATER...LEAVING RESIDENTS OR MOTORISTS
STRANDED...AND THREATENING LIFE AND PROPERTY.
WHEN A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA...OR FLASH
FLOODING IS OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY TO SAVE YOURSELF. YOU MAY HAVE
ONLY SECONDS!
- GET OUT OF AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING. THIS INCLUDES
VALLEYS...LOW SPOTS...AND WASHES.
- AVOID ALREADY FLOODED AND QUICK WATER FLOW AREAS. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOWING STREAMS.
- IF DRIVING...BE AWARE THAT THE ROAD BED MAY NOT BE INTACT
UNDER FLOOD WATERS. IF YOU SEE WATER COVERING THE ROAD...
TURN AROUND...DON/T DROWN. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS. THE WATER CAN BE DEEPER THAN IT APPEARS.
- IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...LEAVE IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK
HIGHER GROUND. RAPIDLY RISING WATER MAY ENGULF THE VEHICLE
AND ITS OCCUPANTS AND SWEEP THEM AWAY. REMEMBER...IT IS
BETTER TO BE WET THAN DEAD!
- BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO
RECOGNIZE FLOOD DANGERS.
- DO NOT CAMP OR PARK YOUR VEHICLE ALONG STREAMS AND WASHES...
PARTICULARLY DURING THREATENING CONDITIONS.
WHEN A FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED...
- EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY IF ADVISED TO DO SO.
- MOVE TO A SAFE AREA BEFORE ACCESS IS CUT OFF BY FLOOD
WATERS.
- CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...AND
OTHER RADIO...TELEVISION...AND CABLE TELEVISION STATIONS
FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE OR YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
ON FRIDAY...WE WILL DISCUSS THUNDERSTORM AND LIGHTNING SAFETY
RULES.
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