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BOU\dl8rDallYCamera:July25, 2006 -Page 4a Citeulation:35,OOO daily42,800 Sunday (; LOCAL NEWS CU sendsllOOd safety tips Many of schoors buildings are prone to bighwater By Brittany Anas CdllJUiJ StdjfWriteT Emergency officlalsat the University of Cole~go are bracing for prime ff~~fit,season by remindiogstudents and em- ployees that parts of the cam- pus are prone to such a disas- ter. The universilyis sending e- mails to its students. faculty and staff members. giving tl:1~ tips on what to do if a t!c,o(l warning is issued. Offi- cials have also posted the tips on the news center's Web site. "'Portions of the campus bor- der Boulder Creek and could be subject to flooding ifthun- derstom1s produce a lot of rain. as they have in the last two 'weeks," said Paul Tabolt. vice chancellor for administration. Family housing apartments, the Children's Center and sev- eral research and office build- ings on the East . Campus are near the creek. So far this month, Boulder has received 2.4 mches of rain. said meteorologist Matt Kelsch. The rainiest July on re- cord was in 1919, when 7.46 inches feU on the city. "'Every year,. from May until October, we worry about what Boulder Creek is going to do," Kelsch said. The prime t1ash.fll.1qdiwam~ THE WARNINGS Emergency. officials at CU are sending these f@(i(t'UPs to students and employees: Never try to drive through a flooded area. Also, don't try to outrun a fIOO~~n your vehicle. Abandon the vehicle and climb to safety. Donlt leave campus if flood wamlng sirens go off. Flooding can occur simultaneously along other waterways in Boulder besides the Boulder Creek. Stay tuned to local radIo stations tor further infonnation. Don't try to cross Boulder Creek when warning sirens sound. Flooding is imminent If you hear the sirens. If you are on the north side of Boulder Creek,Quickly move to higher ground to the north. wg season in Colorado, though, is late July and early August. he said. DurlngJb~ deadly Big Thompson f,lgQPofJuly and Au- gust 1976, a rainstonn stalled over the river canyon in Lari- .. mer County for four hours, dropping nearly 12 inches of water. Following the floor!. signs bearing the "Climb to Safety" message were posted in can- yons throughout the state to warn motorists to leave their cars if flooding happens. About 140 people 4i~d.in the Big ThompsonlloOd,. including many who were trapped in cars. On the East Campus, go to the ARC Building at 3100 Manne Sl and go to the sixth floor. If you live In . Family Housing, follow Housing Department Instructions to evacuate to a higher floor. Dontt try to save others caught in floodwaters because flash floods are so powerful the would-be rescuers are often swept away. leave the rescues for trained, professional responders. Don't enter flooded areas after the waters have receded unless officials gIve It the "all clear" sIgn. Aooded areas otten contain broken glass, debris and toxins. Don' drink tap water until officials verify that is safe to drink. Source: Ufliversity 01 Colorado Sylvia Dane, emergency management coordinator for the Boulder campus, said one of the most important rules to remember is to not enter a flooded area by foot or car. "It doesn.'t take much water at- aU to cause a car to start floating. and if that happens, the driver loses aU control and may get trapped in the vehi- cle," she said. As little as 18 inches of mov- ing water can float a vehicle, according to emergency offi~ daIs. Contact Camera Staff Writer Brittany A1Uts at (303) 473-1132 or allasb@dailycamera.com.