Flood Preparedness in Calgary during a pandemic
According to the City of Calgary, we can experience flooding any time of year, but flooding is most likely to happen between May 15 and July 15, when we historically receive our largest rainfalls.
While we can’t prevent flooding entirely, the best way to ease the added stress amid the COVID-19 pandemic is by doing what we can to be flood ready.
Here’s how you can be prepared for a flood and additional things to consider during a pandemic.
Know your risk and be prepared
- Know your flood risk level by checking out the City Flood Maps and seeing if you are in a high flood risk or low flood risk area.
- Prepare your family in case you need to leave your home quickly by reviewing and updating your Emergency Action Plan.
- If possible, create an emergency kit that you can carry, that includes essentials like prescriptions, items for pets/kids, chargers, personal documents,
- Plan where you would stay if you were instructed to leave your home and consider where you might park your car outside of the flood zone.
- Ensure your Tenant Liaison or Property Manager knows if you require assistance in the event of an emergency.
Things to consider during a pandemic
- If you made an emergency kit, add hand sanitizer, soap and cloth face coverings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- If you need to stay with others talk about how you will manage staying healthy, managing physical distance and maintaining hygiene practices.
- Ensure any person(s) in self-isolation will have a separate room, and ideally a separate bathroom.
- If you need help to evacuate or need to help a friend, family member or neighbour, take care to prevent the spread of the virus by follow the City’s Physical Distancing Guidelines.
- If anyone in your family or the destination household is in self-isolation, consider staying in a hotel or accommodation that is not shared.
How the City of Calgary prepares for a mitigates flooding risk
The City mitigates the risk of flooding as much as possible, and if flooding were to occur, the priority is public safety and the protection of critical infrastructure, vital community services, the environment and the economy.
Each year, the City works to ensure critical infrastructure will continue to operate or recover rapidly from a serious incident or disaster. They also work to ensure that critical infrastructure and public safety are protected.
From the City of Calgary:
Together, we can all do our part to ensure we are prepared in the event of an emergency, and respond and recover in true Calgary fashion – with resilience and strength of community.
For more information about flood preparedness, check out Flood Preparedness Info from the City of Calgary and take a look at the links on the right for other useful resources to help you be prepared for any type of emergency.