By: Pauline Handy – Marketing Director

Rainstorm after rainstorm, on my way to the agency, I pass by the neighborhood below me that often suffers from flooding during a heavy rain. At this point I have only one thought! I sure hope they all have flood insurance. One wouldn’t think that in a tiny, rural town like mine that anyone should have to worry about flooding.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Flooding can occur no matter where you live. In fact, all fifty states run the risk of flooding each year, especially during the threatening combination of a cold winter’s thaw and a heavy spring rainfall.

In the case of this particular neighborhood, many things are not in its favor. The first would be the little babbling brook running adjacent to the houses (below). It looks very quaint most of the time. Unfortunately, it’s not so quaint after a day or two of heavy rain when it rises above the bridge that goes over it in This is combined with the fact that the houses are in a low lying area (also prone to flooding) and they get run off from the neighborhood high above them. Often during a heavy rainfall, it looks a river running down this hill. Thankfully for me, I live in one of the homes in the neighborhood high above. However, it’s not so good for those down below. I couldn’t imagine the outcome of a hurricane or severe tropical storm. Two or three days of rain alone have turned this area into what resembles a small lake!

Unfortunately, it is still a common belief that flooding only occurs in certain areas of the country. Its dangers and consequences are often not taken seriously. Another unfortunate belief is that flood damage is covered under a basic homeowner’s policy. This is also not true.

It’s important for homeowners to be aware of the risks of a flood, how to be prepared for one, and how to recover after one. Please use the link provided to learn more about the risk of flooding in your area and what you could do to protect yourself. http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/flood.shtm

 

 

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