Every year, residents across the Federation and Indigo Shires are at risk of suffering property damage due to heavy rains.
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If you're a local resident and are yet to prepare your property for flood risks across winter and spring this year, now is the time to take measures to floodproof your home and keep you and your loved ones safe.
The floodproofing measures we’ll be outlining today are as follows:
- investing in and reviewing your home insurance,
- keeping an emergency kit handy at all times,
- designing your home for flood resistance, and
- studying flood maps.
In this piece, we’ll take a closer look at each of these floodproofing measures that have been recommended by local emergency service providers.
Secure Adequate Home Insurance Cover
It’s always a good idea to prepare for the worst-case scenario, and among the best ways of doing that is to secure suitable insurance cover for your property.
Home and contents insurance can help ensure your property and its contents is covered in the event of damage caused by natural disasters like floods or even fires.
Moreover, this specialised type of insurance policy also covers you in case some of the valuables in your home are damaged or destroyed.
When shopping for a home insurance policy, it's vital to search for a provider that expressly provides flood cover.
Given the unique weather-related challenges residents of Federation and Indigo Shire face, it's not hard to see why flood insurance plans are considered a must for us.
And whilst flood cover may potentially add to your insurance premiums, ensuring that your property can be protected in the event that you do experience flooding can help provide you and your family with peace of mind across the winter and spring storm seasons.
Invest in an Emergency Kit and Emergency Supplies
When flooding strikes, some communities can be cut off from the outside world temporarily.
This means that residents are sometimes cut off from access to essentials like electricity, clean water and, in the worst cases, food.
This is why it’s vital to keep an emergency kit and potentially emergency rations on hand at all times.
Some essential items to keep in an emergency kit include flashlights, personal hygiene items, battery-powered radios and whistles.
You should also keep medical supplies like bandages, antiseptic wipes and pain relief pills handy.
If you're on any maintenance meds, include these in your emergency kit too.
We also strongly recommend keeping at least three days’ worth of water and non-perishable food at the ready all the time in case you find yourself trapped in your home.
Keeping emergency food supplies up high in garage spaces or other storage areas can help ensure these supplies aren’t compromised by flood waters.
Similarly, make sure to store your emergency kit somewhere that's both easy to remember and safe from flood waters.
If your home consists of multiple stories, we suggest keeping the emergency kit on the highest floor possible.
It can also be a good idea to store your most valuable items in a sealed safe.
Safeguard Your Home through Floodproof Design
So far, this year has seen record rains and floods, which makes it more important than ever to take measures to protect your home from damage, especially if you live in an area that’s prone to flooding.
Thankfully, there are measures you can take to minimise the effects of floods on your property.
One tip is to elevate key utilities like refrigerators, air conditioners and heaters.
It’s vital to keep large electrical appliances from contact with water, as this could destroy them and pose additional hazards (i.e. electrical risks and injury risks, etc.) to your household and loved ones.
Homeowners across the region are also investing in waterproofing the flooring and walls of their properties.
This can be done through measures such as waterproof paint and sealant, epoxy coating and hydraulic cement.
We also strongly recommend replacing timber with more water-resistant materials like vinyl or stone.
Study Flood Maps to Understand your Flood Risks
Certain areas are more prone to flooding, even within a specific region.
It's vital to know whether your home is located in a high-risk area in order to be better prepared when the rains start to fall.
Thankfully, researchers have been developing ever more accurate flood maps in recent years.
A flood map is a simple graphic that shows the probable water level in case of a flood.
There are flood maps for Victoria as a whole and for specific local regions.
It's also important to remember that, while flood maps are based on historical data and predictive modelling, it's impossible to predict with 100% accuracy whether or not a particular area is going to experience floods.
This is doubly true given the rapid changes in climate we've seen in Australia and around the world in recent years.
Even if you live in a low-risk area, it pays to be prepared for flooding at all times.
Ensure your Property is Ready for Elevated Flood Risks this Year
Flooding is an evergreen concern for Federation and Indigo Shire residents.
Heavy rains can often cause damage to local properties and even pose physical danger to those living in them.
This is why it's essential to take certain protective measures in preparation for these dangers.
By following the floodproofing methods we’ve provided today, you can help ensure your property and household can enjoy reduced risks of flooding over the coming months.
And if you are concerned about flood risks in your locale, we strongly advise staying up-to-date with flood news via your local emergency service providers.
Given the elevated risks of flooding and adverse weather conditions over winter and spring, concerned residents are also encouraged to volunteer with State Emergency Services to support your local emergency workers in ensuring that all regional residents can maintain access to these vital services over our flooding season.
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