What You Need to Know to Prep for 'Too-Big-To-Fail' El Nino

Forecasters are predicting higher-than-average rain this fall and winter due to strong El Niño conditions in the Pacific Ocean, and as much as we need the rain in California, sometimes there can be too much of a good thing.

El Niño may not necessarily bring bigger storms, but more frequent storms. The wet conditions are expected to last into April, making a longer winter weather season than typical, according to the National Weather Service.

Frequent heavy rains can lead to soil erosion, flooding and storm damages. Here are some tips from emergency experts on what you can do to prepare your home for El Niño.

Emergency experts say even though you didn’t experience flooding in previous storms, it doesn’t mean you are necessarily safe from flooding. Flood risk is not based not history and depends on several factors, such as rainfall levels, river flow, tidal surge data, topography and flood control measures in the area.

New buildings and development can also affect an area’s flood risk, experts say. One way residents can learn their home or property’s flood risk is by looking at FEMA’s flood-hazard maps.

You can use the map to check to see if your home or property is in a flood-prone area or near a hillside with little or dead vegetation. Those can easily be washed away by rain.

Water, mud and debris flow downhill, so to prevent erosion that could damage your home, experts say you should use mulch, terrace the slop or plant a variety of groundcovers or shrubs. In addition, emergency experts say you should routine inspect the drainage channels and culverts around your property, specially before and after a storm.

Now is also a good time to check with your insurance carrier to see if your policy is up-to-date or if you need flood insurance. According to FEMA, you do not need to live in a flood plain to get flood insurance.

If you believe your home is at risk for flooding, check with your local municipality or county to see if they provide free sandbags. The sandbags can be used to divert water away from your home or to shore up flood channels or culverts.

Experts say you should take time now to prepare you family’s emergency plan, if you haven’t done so. In the event of an emergency, it may be a while for rescue crews are able to get to you, so you should have emergency supplies that could last up to three days, including potable water, according to FEMA.

It’s also a good idea to register your cellphone with your county’s reverse 911 alert system so that you can receive up-to-date emergency information in the case of a power outage.

To get ready for potential flooding damage, emergency experts say to follow these additional steps:

• Keep copies of important documents such as mortgage papers, deeds, passports, and bank information in your home in a watertight container or sealed plastic bag, and in a secure place outside the home like a bank deposit box.
• Save receipts for expensive household items as proof of the original costs.
• Take and store photos of your valuable possessions with your other important documents.
• Make itemized lists of other possessions not already listed and photographed. The more comprehensive the list, the easier it will be to file a claim.
• Always keep your policy and insurance agent’s contact information handy in the event you need to file a claim.

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