UTAH'S FLOOD WATCH
How to be proactive as flood watch heightens leading into 80-degree days
Apr 27, 2023, 12:16 PM | Updated: 4:23 pm
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SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — With warmer temperatures on the way, there are practical steps families can take in the case of flooding.
Filling and using sandbags are one way to be proactive. Being ready to go on a dime is also important.
Worried about flooding? Where you can get sandbags to help with possible Utah floods
Jeremiah Lafranca, executive director of the Greater Salt Lake Chapter of the Red Cross, said there are steps families can take now.
“Really in a situation, you wanna make sure you have bedding and clothing available and ready to go if you need to evacuate your home.”
It is the little things that can make a big difference in the long run, especially when stress is running high.
Lafranca said in flooding cases, they work closely with emergency management managers throughout counties in Utah, helping coordinate volunteers with sheltering and evacuation sites.
Sun’s out! ☀️ While it may feel great, for flooding purposes… not so great.
Going to the experts on ways we may have missed w how we can prep before flooding ever happens.
Yes, sandbags are a good start but that’s just the start!⬇️ @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/m1SNXWLTnE
— Karah Brackin (@kbontv) April 27, 2023
While you hope your home never floods, just in case, preparation is key.
Experts recommend that if you’re worried about a basement flooding, take important belongings to an upper level. Keeping those items in a space you can get to fast is a must.
“Little things like grabbing your child’s favorite stuffed toy or animal, important documents like your driver’s license, passport, insurance information, social security cards, medication,” Lafranca said.
Looking to this weekend, the warmup will likely be touching a lot of the state. It is something Jared Hansen, Central Utah Project manager, said is probably the beginning of a longer warmer stretch.
He said in this case, it is a good thing.
“You know, the longer we wait, when it does warm up, the hotter it will get. And so, to have a little warm spell is a good thing I think early on to start getting some of this melted and out of the mountains,” Hansen said.
From a city and county perspective, Hansen said the closest water sources he works with are the Provo River and Jordanelle Reservoir.
He said they have been working about a month to make sure they stockpile sand and equipment, among other things, to get ready for these warm stretches.
