When a flood clock starts, attention is your best tool. You don’t need every gadget, you need a clear plan, a few smart moves, and a calm sequence. This primer sets the stage for the next section’s hour-by-hour checklist, so your first actions protect people first, then property, then paperwork.
🌧️ Situational Awareness First
- Verify the threat: Local flood stage, crest timing, road closures, and evacuation notices.
- Set your window: Decide your 24-hour horizon (now → +24h) and update every 2–3 hours.
- People > property: Confirm headcount, mobility needs, meds, and pet plans before gear.
- Pick your trigger: Define the exact cue to leave (e.g., “water reaches driveway” or “Level 3 alert”).
- Comm plan: One group text thread; name a check-in time; assign a remote contact.
Pro tip: Screenshot live maps and key phone numbers—cell data and apps can fail when you need them most.
🧭 Priorities & Boundaries
| Priority | Meaning | What This Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Life safety | No hero moves; clear exits | Plan a dry route, fuel car, meds/pets ready, shoes on, keys visible |
| 2) Utilities | Prevent fire/shock & contamination | Know how to cut power, gas, water; lift cords; protect panel if safe |
| 3) Water pathways | Guide, don’t fight, the flow | Clear drains; door sweeps; deploy barriers only where safe/fast |
| 4) Irreplaceables | Save what can’t be rebought | IDs, titles, insurance, backups, photos—up high or in go-bag |
| 5) Proof for claims | Document now, not later | Quick room videos; serial numbers; date-stamped exterior shots |
Avoid: Driving through water, moving appliances alone, or wading in standing water near live power. When in doubt, evacuate early.
✅ 24-Hour Flood Checklist
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Tip: Set your leave trigger now (e.g., “water at driveway” or “Level 3 alert”). This checklist prioritizes people → utilities → water pathways → irreplaceables → documentation.
T-24 to T-18 hours • Situational setup
(monitor & plan)
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T-18 to T-12 hours • People & pets
(safety before gear)
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T-12 to T-6 hours • Utilities & pathways
(reduce fire/shock risk)
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T-6 to T-3 hours • Irreplaceables & docs
(move high, pack tight)
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T-3 to T-1 hours • Final house prep
(fail safely)
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T-0 • During flood / If evacuating
(stay higher, stay visible)
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After the water • First 24 hours
(safety, insurance, mold)
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We’ve been through enough storms to know that those last 24 hours before a flood are pure chaos if you’re not ready. The goal isn’t to do everything perfectly, it’s to do the right things fast. If we can help you get through a flood with less damage and more peace of mind, then we’ve done our job.
