As some may still be dealing with the flooding that occurred over the weekend of Aug. 15, I would ask, did we learn anything? Anytime that 5 to 10 inches of rain falls in a relatively short period of time, there will be flash and/or long-term flooding. It is not often that we experience this heavy amount of rain, but it has happened, meaning that we must always be prepared for it.
Prior to this weekend, the last big rain event was during Tropical Storm Gastone, which stalled over Central Virginia. We saw some of the same effects on that rained-out weekend, as we saw back then, maybe even a bit more, especially in Chesterfield. Though it may be years before we see rain like we saw on Saturday, we must be aware of the trouble areas.
I will start with the people that had to be rescued from the top of their vehicles by water rescue teams. The catch phrase, concerning running water over a roadway is, “turn around, don’t drown.” It may seem impossible for water to move a vehicle, but you would be surprised to know that not only can water move a vehicle, but it does not have to be deep to do it. In the beginning stages of flooding, roads may not be closed by signage. It is important to know or remember the trouble spots that are prone to flooding. If you see water gauges, in certain low-lying areas, they are there for a reason. Anytime that a creek, river or even a reservoir sit close to a roadway, there is the potential of flooding. If you come upon water on the roadway, you do not know how deep it is, how strong the current really is or even if the road is still there, so do not drive through it. The best thing that you can do is report it to authorities and then find a different route. I remember a person being swept away and killed, when Falling Creek flooded, during Tropical Storm Gastone. You cannot chance that your vehicle will make it through water that is crossing a roadway. As a matter of fact, I just read a Facebook post from a firefighter, begging people not to drive through standing water.
If you live close to a creek, river, pond or reservoir, you must always be prepared for flooding. A small, relatively insignificant creek can become a raging torrent, in flood conditions. It is not uncommon for large creeks to expand to the size of rivers and rivers to leave their banks as well. The water that falls has to go somewhere. There are many places in our area that are prone to flooding. During Tropical Storm Gastone, people had to be rescued from the rooftops of Falling Creek Apartments. You may remember the images of people being rescued by helicopters from rooftops in Louisiana, as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Again, you must understand the potential for flooding where you live, long before the flood ever occurs.
What would you do if you found yourself in swift water? First of all, you want to avoid being in swift water. If though, you end up in swift water, you want your feet to be up and pointing downstream, and you to be on your back, keeping your head up, as much as possible. If you have the opportunity to grab hold of something that is floating, then do so. If you can grab hold of something like a tree, then do so. You will need to climb as high as you can, hoping that someone will come to your rescue. If you can steer yourself to a place where you can swim out, then you must swim hard to shore, realizing that this may expend a great deal of your energy. As you have read, finding yourself in swift water is a dire situation that usually results in a person drowning.
No matter what is causing the water to rise, you must realize that it is rising. It may be a flooded creek or river, it might be rising water caused by a dam that has breached or it may be due to storm surge from a landfalling hurricane. Whatever the situation, you must heed the warnings of authorities. As I wrote about those being rescued from rooftops in Katrina, or recall stories of rising water in homes from other storms, the bottom line is that an evacuation order was probably given and ignored. At the height of a storm is not the point to realize that you made a bad decision. There are circumstances when emergency services are suspended because the risks to first responders are too great. Even if emergency services are still being provided, you had an opportunity to make the safest decision for yourself and your family before the storm or water arrived. It is vitally important that you make logical, sensible decisions, when the opportunity affords itself. Someone once said, “you can’t fix stupid”, and that is one of the many reasons that firefighters stand ready to respond.
