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WATCHES & WARNINGS Most flood warning programs have two levels of notiflcatlon: Rood watch-Conditions ar!! right for flooding. Rood waming-A flood has started or Is expected to occur. The National Weather Service may'issue a . flash, flood watch' for urban areas. This means the amount of cain expected will cause ponding and other flooding on small streams in urbanized watersheds. . that a flood is imminent. The earlier and the more accurate the warning, the greater the number of people who can take protective action. A f100d warning may be disseminated via sirens, radio" television, cable television; mobile' public address systems, telephone trees, and even door-to- door contact. Multiple or redundant systems are most effective: if people do not hear one warning, they may still get the message from another part of the system. To f"trid Out More ~ .. Obtain infonnation about warnings from the local, county, and state emergency management offices and the National Weather Service. Flood response After people are notified of a flood threat, the next step is to respond ~th actions to prevent or reduce damage or injury. Such actions (and the responsible parties) could be: . Activating the emergency operations center (emergency manager) . Sandbagging certain areas (public works or road department) . Closing streets or bridges (police or sheriffs department) . Shutting off power to threatened areas (utility company) . Releasing children from school (school district) . Ordering an evacuation (mayor) . Opening evacuation shelters (churches, schools, or the Red Cross) . Monitoring water levels (engineer) . Guarding sandbag walls and other protection measures (police). A flood response or emergency action plan is the best way to ensure that all bases are covered and that the response activities are appropriate for the flood expected. The plan is developed in coordination with the agencies or offices that will be re- sponsible for carrying it out. Most critical facilities should have their own emergency response plans. Critical facilities fall into two categories: (I) buildings or sites vital to the flood response effort, such as emergency operations centers and police and fire stations, and (2) buildings or sites that, if flooded, would create secondary disasters, such as hazardous materials facilities and nursing homes. To Find Out More .. .. Assistance on flood response is available from the local, county, and state emergency management or. civil defense offices and the local chapter of the American Red Cross. Post-flood activities The flood response plan should identify appropriate measures to take after the flood. They would include such measures as: . Patrolling evacuated areas to prevent looting . Providing safe drinking water . 22