Floods – Get prepared

It is important to prepare for floods and to know what to do before, during, and after a flood. Remember, do not cross a flooded area unless you have no other option.

How to prepare before a flood

You can help protect yourself and your household by understanding this natural hazard and by following basic steps.

• Prepare your emergency kit. Learn more about what items to put in your kit, including quick and easy steps you can take right away
• Make a household emergency plan. Consider the specific needs of all members of your household, including older adults, children, pets, and anyone with special health needs
• To better prepare for a flooding event, make sure that you know the risks specific to your community, geography, and region:
  • depending on the geography of a region, low-lying areas can be vulnerable to flooding
  • get information from your provincial, territorial, or local government on flood risk in your area
  • consider purchasing flood insurance, if possible

Where to get information

• Stay connected to weather alert services that share weather warnings, watches, advisories and statements:
  • WeatherCAN app provides local weather alert notifications
  • Weather information including public weather alerts across Canada
  • Local radio and television broadcasts will help you stay up to date with the latest local weather information
• Check if your wireless phone is compatible with Alert Ready, Canada's emergency alerting system

Prepare your home

• Store important documents at a higher level in your home to protect them from flood damage
• Make copies of important documents or digitize them. Include important documents in your emergency kit
• Purchase sandbags to prevent water from entering your home
  • A sandbag wall needs to be two or three times as wide as it is tall
  • A larger perimeter will require more effort to build and maintain
  • Plan where you would place sandbags before an emergency
  • Follow the advice and instructions from emergency responders and local officials
• Learn how to turn off the utilities such as electricity and gas in your residence. Local authorities may instruct you to shut off utilities
• Determine if there are any special precautions required to safeguard electrical, natural gas, fuel oil, or propane heating equipment. Contact your electricity or fuel supplier for instructions
• In a rural farm setting, sheltering livestock may be the wrong thing to do during a flood. Leaving animals unsheltered is preferable because flood waters could trap animals inside a barn

Reduce the risk of flooding

• Grade the soil around your home to slope away from your foundation
• Keep rain gutters and downspouts clear and ensure that they drain at least two metres away from your foundation
• Put weather protection sealant around basement windows and the base of ground-level doors
• Consider installing a sump pump and backflow valve or backflow preventer in your basement. A sump pump can remove water that may be accumulating near the foundation or standing water. A backflow valve prevents sewage from flowing into your home if the sanitary sewer is overloaded
• Contact your local municipality for details on flood risk reduction in your area
• Learn more about how to get Flood Ready and prepare for flooding

Prepare your vehicle

• Make sure that your vehicle has enough fuel. If evacuation becomes necessary, there may not be time to stop for gas
• Depending on your region and on the distance that you might need to drive, you may want to purchase additional approved gas containers
• Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle

During a flood

Flood waters can be dangerous and unpredictable. Even floods that look small can be deadly. The best thing you can do when you encounter a flood is to move away from the flood water.

• Avoid crossing flooded areas
• Stay tuned to information from local officials on what to do to stay safe during a flood
• If you are on foot, fast water could sweep you away even if it appears shallow
• If you are in a car, do not drive through flood waters or underpasses. The water may be deeper than it looks and your car can easily get swept away by fast water
• Avoid crossing bridges if the water is close to or touching the ceiling of the bridge, and flowing quickly
• Follow the routes specified by officials. Don't take shortcuts. They could lead you to a blocked or dangerous area
• Flooding may cause power outages.
  • Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in a power outage. Never use gas-powered appliances (generators, barbecue, camp stoves, unvented fireplaces) indoors
  • Operate portable generators at least 6 metres (20 feet) from all homes or buildings
  • Never operate a fuel-burning generator or fuel-burning cooking equipment such as BBQs or camping stoves inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or shed, or under a covered area outside the house (such as under an awning or gazebo). Operate portable generators at least 6 metres (20 feet) from all homes or buildings
  • Direct exhaust away from open windows and doors. Close all windows and doors closest to or downwind from the generator
  • Do not operate generators in flooded areas

If flood waters approach your home

• Set up sandbags around your home. Follow the advice and instructions from emergency responders and local officials
• Disconnect eavestroughs if they are connected to municipal sewer systems
• Do not attempt to shut off electricity if any water is present, as water and live electrical wires can be lethal
• Leave your home immediately and do not return until authorities indicate it is safe to do so
• During a flood, do not use well water. Flooding can contaminate well water with sewage and other pollutants

If you need to evacuate

• Leave your home when you are advised to do so by local emergency authorities. Ignoring such a warning could jeopardize the safety of your household or rescuers
• Take your emergency kit with you and follow the routes specified by officials. Don't take shortcuts as they could lead you to a blocked or dangerous area
• Make arrangements for pets and other animals
• Time permitting, leave a note informing others when you left and where you went
• Do not return home until authorities have advised that it is safe to do so

After a flood

Use extreme caution when returning to your home after a flood. Restore your home to good order as soon as possible to protect your health and prevent further damage to the house and its contents.

• Do not return home until authorities have advised that it is safe to do so. Flood damaged buildings may be structurally unsafe
• If the main power switch was not turned off prior to flooding, do not re-enter your home until a qualified electrician has determined it is safe to do so
• Appliances that may have been flooded pose a risk of shock or fire when turned on
• If you have a private well, don't turn on the well pump because there is a risk of electrical shock
• Hire a certified well contractor to inspect your well and its wiring before use
• Don't use your well water until you get advice from your local health authority on clean-up, well disinfection, and water testing to make sure your water is safe to use

Cleaning up after a flood

Clean up flooded areas around your residence and in your home as soon as it is safe to do so after a flood.

• If possible, clean up within 48 hours to avoid mould growth
• Check for signs of mould. You can generally clean small and medium sized areas of mould by yourself however you should consider getting professional help with extensive mould growth
• Dispose of contaminated household items that cannot be dried
• Take steps to protect your household from food borne illness
• Follow step-by-step procedures for safely cleaning flood damaged areas