Flooding is an emergency that can be fairly common. Usually flooding occurs as the result of another type of disaster, such as a severe thunderstorm, hurricane or tropical storm or a damn or levee breaking. Depending on the cause of the flood you may be given a short amount of warning time to prepare for the flood. However you should prepare now to meet this emergency.
1) Find out whether or not you are in a flood prone area. You can find this out by going to your city hall and asking the local building department. If you are in a flood prone area, you need to form a definite plan. You will also need to purchase additional insurance for your house. Flooding is not covered by normal insurance.
2) You will want to prepare your house to deal with a flood. If flooding is fairly common in your area you may want to have sandbags on hand to barricade any doors and windows that are at ground level. If possible you should direct the water away from your home.
3) You should have an emergency kit ready to take with you in case of an evacuation. If you are ordered to evacuate leave immediately. Your safety is more important than your property.
4) Be alert. You should pay attention to the weather reports and take note if they are predicting heavy rainfall, such as what you would get from a tropical storm or a hurricane. This will give you a chance to prepare your home in advance.
When you do leave your house because of a flood, do not drive on roads that are covered in water. It only takes a foot of water to take you car downstream. If you cannot tell how deep the water is, it is better not to risk it. You can take the steps now to prepare yourself for the possibility of flooding. If you do have a flood (especially a deep flood), have a professional service assist in cleanup. They can check for structural damage and help to prevent mold from growing.