FIELD GUIDE 04 / FLOODS
Move away from water. Keep electricity out of it.
Flood routes, electrical hazards, contaminated wells and the checks that matter before a basement floods.
01 / PREPARE
Before the event.
Choose routes that avoid low ground
Find local flood and evacuation information for your address. Identify a destination and an alternative route. Write down who will help household members or pets; do not assume your usual underpass will remain passable. [2]
Protect equipment before water arrives
Discuss flood protection for appliances, electrical panels and heating equipment with qualified professionals. Raising heavy or connected equipment can require permits and electrical or plumbing work. Plan this ahead of the storm. [3]
Make water and communication independent
Keep drinking water, medicines, documents and a radio accessible with your emergency kit. If your household uses a private well, record the health authority and well-contractor contacts before a flood contaminates the supply. [2]
02 / RESPOND
During the event.
Turn around at a flooded road
Do not bypass barricades or follow another vehicle through water. Depth, current and the road beneath may be impossible to judge. Take the official evacuation route rather than a familiar shortcut. [1] [2]
Stay out of a wet electrical area
Do not enter a basement with submerged outlets or cords. Do not wade to a breaker panel to switch off power. Leave the area and contact emergency services or the utility for a safe response. [1] [2]
03 / RECOVER
After the immediate threat.
Get the electrical assessment first
Wait until authorities permit return. If power was not isolated before flooding, get a qualified electrician to establish whether entry is safe. Flooded appliances can cause shock or fire when switched on; do not test them by plugging them in. [2]
Treat the well as potentially contaminated
Do not restart a flooded well pump or drink well water simply because it looks clear. Ask a qualified well contractor and the local health authority about inspection, disinfection and testing. [2]
DETAILS WORTH KNOWING
A few assumptions to check.
Shallow-looking water can move people and cars
NWS says around 6 inches (15 cm) of moving water can knock a person down and 12 inches (30 cm) can float a car or small SUV. These are danger examples, not safe crossing thresholds. [1]
A dry-looking appliance may still be unsafe
After a flood, turning on an appliance can create electrical or fire risk. A visual check is not an electrical clearance. Keep affected equipment out of service pending professional advice. [2]
HOUSEHOLD POWER
Where backup power fits.
Check any sump-pump backup before bad weather using the manufacturer or installer procedure. Confirm starting demand, expected operating hours and alarm behavior. A pump or battery does not make floodwater safe to enter. Keep portable power equipment in a dry, suitable location and leave it behind if retrieving it would delay escape.
Try this before you need it
Trace your normal drive on a map and mark low crossings. Choose an alternative using local official routes. Add the utility and well contacts to a paper copy so a flat phone does not remove the plan.
Local context: Canada
Canadian provincial, territorial and municipal authorities set evacuation routes and local water advice. Follow their instructions for wells, boil-water notices and re-entry. U.S. water-depth examples do not replace any local road closure.
04 / MAKE IT YOURS
Your household action card.
Print the PDF and complete the last page. Keep it with your kit. The checkboxes below are temporary reading aids; they do not save information.
FOLLOW THE SOURCES
Official guidance.
The numbered references beside each action link here. Read the original guidance for fuller context and follow current instructions at your location.
- NOAA / NWS — During a flood ↗
- Public Safety Canada — Floods: prepare, respond and recover ↗
- Public Safety Canada — Elevate or move appliances before a flood ↗
Original summaries and household planning prompts by StillPower Guide, operated by Mihai Florea. Sources checked October 24, 2026. No agency endorsement. This page is educational preparation, not a live alert service. In immediate danger call your local emergency number (911 in the U.S. and Canada).
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