Thurston County, Washington

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Thurston County Washington

Get ‘Flood Smart’: Prepare Now During Flood Awareness Week

October 15, 2024
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Get ‘Flood Smart’: Prepare Now During Flood Awareness Week

CONTACT:  Cherie Carey, Emergency Management Coordinator at (360) 239-1282 or cherie.carey@co.thurston.wa.us 

OLYMPIA – This week, Thurston County recognizes Flood Awareness Week, and local leaders are urging residents to prepare for winter storms by checking their emergency kits, making plans with family members, and getting flood insurance before any potential disasters strike.
 
Here are a few key safety tips to help residents stay safe and be prepared.
 
  • Know Your Risk: With an average annual rainfall of 50 inches, floods are one of the most common natural hazards in Thurston County. Check if you live in a flood-prone area and understand the types of flooding that can affect your region. Visit the county’s Flood Plans & Insurance webpage to learn more.
  • Prepare an Emergency Kit: Include essentials such as water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, and important documents. Don’t forget supplies for pets.
  • Create a Family Emergency Plan: Plan where to go and how to communicate with loved ones in case of an evacuation. Have an alternative communication plan if phone lines are down.
  • Sign Up for Alerts: Receive local emergency alerts by signing up for Thurston Community Alert (TC Alert), the county’s official emergency notification system. With TC Alert, you can get alerts to your smartphone or other devices including flood warnings, evacuation notices and instructions, or severe weather alerts. Learn more and sign up today at tcalert.org. You can also create a Smart911 profile to give emergency responders important information that could save your life. Adding personal information such as the number of pets in your home, emergency contacts, and your medical provider is completely voluntary. You can easily create a profile while signing up for TC Alert.
  • Protect Your Property: Install flood barriers, elevate electrical appliances, and consider flood insurance. Even if you’re outside a high-risk zone, floods can happen anywhere. Residents of unincorporated Thurston County can get as much as a 40 percent discount for flood insurance for properties in special flood hazard areas, and a 10 percent discount for properties not in a special flood hazard area.
Thurston County’s top-rated floodplain management programs have helped reduce flood damage and encouraged property owners and residents in flood hazard areas to obtain flood insurance at a reduced price. The county completed several flood mitigation and preparedness actions, receiving a high Community Rating System score from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
 
Taking these steps now can help reduce the risk of flood-related damage and ensure the safety of our community.
 
While Thurston County is prone to flooding, especially in the fall and winter, our community is stronger and more resilient when we work together and prepare.
 
To stay connected, follow Thurston County Emergency Management on Facebook, X (and Instagram at: Facebook ThurstonEM, X @ThurstonEM, Instagram thurstoncountyem
 
 
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