#flood tips

If you live anywhere along the South Carolina coast, you already know that summer humidity is relentless. What most homeowners don't realize is that the same humidity that makes July uncomfortable also makes water damage significantly harder to recover from.

Here are three things that make water damage worse in coastal climates like Charleston's:

1. High ambient humidity slows drying

When the air outside is already holding 80–90% relative humidity, opening windows to "air things out" after a flood can actually pull more moisture in than it releases. Structural drying in humid coastal environments requires controlled dehumidification – not ventilation.

2. Poor crawl space ventilation traps moisture

Charleston homes – especially older ones with pier-and-beam foundations – are prone to moisture buildup underneath. A crawl space without a proper vapor barrier or drainage system becomes a reservoir after heavy rain, and that moisture wicks upward into subfloors and framing over time.

3. Delayed response compounds the damage

This is the big one. Every hour after a flood, moisture moves deeper into porous materials. What could have been dried in place on day one often requires full material removal by day three. Especially in low-lying island neighborhoods, where drainage is slower and standing water lingers longer, the window for acting fast is even narrower.

Heavy rains are here again and for many across Trinidad and Tobago, that means rising waters, road closures and tough decisions.

Today’s article is your essential guide to flood safety; what to do before, during and after a flood to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Key tips include:

✅ What to pack in your emergency bag

✅ How to handle electrical appliances and floodwater

✅ When to stay indoors vs. evacuate

✅ Health risks to watch out for after the flood

Whether you’re in a flood-prone area or just want to be prepared, this resource is a must-read for every Trinbagonian household.

Stay informed. Stay alert. Stay safe.

Read the full guide now:

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Red Cross Gives Tips for Citizens to Prepare for Incoming Storm

Here are some tips from the Red Cross as you and yours get ready for the storm.

As emergency management officials have stressed throughout hurricane season – have a plan in place and make sure you have an emergency kit.

You should also have an evacuation plan ready, and, of course, keep informed.

You can do that any day of the week by tuning in to News 25 and by using our WXXV Weather App where…

Life Hacks For Surviving Flooding

Life Hacks For Surviving Flooding

Here in Tennessee, we are currently under a lot of water. It has me thinking about how it is best to prepare and respond to flooding. So I decided to do a little research.

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Life Hacks For Surviving a Flood

If you get caught in your car in deep water, you can use the car seat’s headrest to break the window to escape.

If you are asked to…

Here is some flood preparedness advice from my friend Amber who has experienced hurricanes, tied in with my own recent experience of having to evacuate our home quickly.  I hope this is helpful for anyone who is in a flood situation:

1. As soon as you hear that you are at risk for flooding, start packing:

- pack your bags as if you were going on a week long vacation. Take clothes, toiletries, medicine, etc.

- If you have pets, get their carriers and necessities out and ready to go.  

- Put together important paperwork like social security cards, passports, etc. and put it in your bag.

- Pack up your laptops, hard-drives, cameras, important photo albums and priceless valuables.  (If you don't have room, put these up in a high, safe spot, or follow tip # 2)

- Try to stay calm, take deep breaths and think positive thoughts.

2. If you have time to pack up, and you happen to have a boat or inflatable pool, put the inflatable in the middle of a room and load it with anything that you want to save but don't have room to take with you. (Amber told me a story of a family who loaded a small boat in their living room with photo albums before they left for shelter.  As the water flooded into the room, the boat rose, and their photo albums were kept safe.)

3. Place valuable objects up as high as you can, inside sealed plastic containers if possible.

4. Amber suggested sealing off doors with duct tape, and piling bags of rice along the bottoms.  The rice will absorb a lot of water and slow it down.  

5. Do a crawl check.  Crawl around your home and observe what's down there.  Unplug things from electrical outlets and place important items up as high as you can.  Use plastic bags to tie up the bottoms of tables and chairs.

6. Stay out of the water.  In California everyone knows you don't surf or swim after a big storm, or you risk bouts of chronic bronchitis and other nasty infections.  Flood water is full of run-off toxins like pesticides, gas, oil and sewage.  Yuck!  Not only that, but if a dam bursts suddenly upstream you could suddenly be caught up in a wall of water.  Don't be a soggy naked corpse found downstream.  Be smart. 

7. Stay aware of road closures and where the flooding is so that you can get to safety.  We chose to leave early and were lucky to get out before roads flooded and collapsed, but not everyone was so lucky.  There is always a lot of misinformation during major disasters, get your information from as official of a source as you can - local news stations and official government sites usually have fairly accurate information.  Random guy on twitter may or may not.

8.  If you are told to leave, get your loved ones and get out.  Your life is more important than your stuff.

9. As you leave, turn off your lights and shut down your breakers if you can.  Water hitting electricity can cause sparks which can lead to fires.  

10.  Head to high ground, find a safe place and wait it out.  

The following simple three-point checklist should be followed in flood-affected properties:

If your premises has been inundated over electrical wiring, power outlets or other electrical installations (including switchboards), organise a licensed electrical contractor to check the premises as soon as flooding has abated.

Your licensed electrical contractor must provide a “Form A” – a document which clears the premises for Ergon Energy to reconnect supply.

If the premises is still without supply once a licensed electrical contractor has given the all clear, contact Ergon Energy on 132296 for further advice.

Ergon Energy has also offered the following electrical safety advice to residents in flood-affected regions:

Unplug all electrical appliances affected by water and have them inspected by a licensed electrical contractor before use.

Do not operate electrical appliances or switches while standing in water or when you have bare feet.

Have a licensed electrical contractor check or isolate any parts of your electrical installation that have been affected by water - especially if the switchboard has been submerged or if your safety switch has tripped.

Take extra care around your switchboard if it's outdoors and wear synthetic or rubber-soled shoes. If you are in any doubt about your switchboard's safety, stay clear and call your licensed electrical contractor.