The majority of the world's population lives in close proximity to the coast or major inland waterways. As a result, flooding poses a significant risk to many veterinary practices in the U.S. and around the world. We've compiled the following resources to help you prepare your practice for flood damage resulting from  extensive storms, flash flooding events, and more.

Protecting Patients during Floods

Time to prepare for an impending disaster is a luxury. Unanticipated natural disasters — such as sudden flooding  — highlight the importance of creating ready-to-go emergency plans for your staff and the animals in your care. Three key elements are identifying alternate treatment locations, prioritizing staff over patients, and providing your patients with their best chance at survival.

Securing Flood Insurance

Regardless of whether your practice is built on a flood plain or not, all practices should secure flood insurance. Just like with any other type of insurance, the practice owner should understand the terms of the contract and what is actually covered. For example, some flood insurance plans do not cover the contents of the building, while more comprehensive packages do. If possible, it’s best to purchase a package that covers both the building and its contents, despite the higher premiums. Note that flood insurance is not active until 30 days after purchasing. Flood insurance purchased a day or two after a hurricane forms will not cover any sustained damage.

3 Steps to Flood Preparedness

FEMA estimates that over 40% of businesses that experience a significant disaster do not reopen. With that in mind, implementing a Flood Emergency Response Plan (FERP) is critical to ensuring the continuity and survival of businesses in flood-prone areas.

Is your practice flood-proof?

Consider implementing the following structural alterations to make your practice building less at-risk for flooding damage.

Use Non-Return Valves

A non-return valve is installed in a property’s manhole and prevents the backflow of sewage during flooding. The risk of contracting a communicable disease increases during flooding. Therefore, preventing the backflow of sewage helps reduce the chances of people coming into contact with contaminated water on the business’ property.

Raise Electrical Sockets

The risk of electric shock increases during flooding. As such, practice owners should ensure that all electrical sockets and wires are raised to reduce the risk of contact with floodwaters. This is especially true for businesses that are located on the ground floor.

Purchase Flood Boards

Flood boards are moisture resistant PVC boards that can be placed on doors and windows. They are better than sandbags because sandbags must be used with plastic sheets and can be contaminated with bacteria. Additionally, flood boards can be fitted easily, as well as be reused. Purchase flood boards well before a hurricane is on the horizon.

Advice from the National Weather Service

Flooding is a coast-to-coast threat to some part of the United States nearly every day of the year. This site is designed to teach you how to stay safe in a flood event. Knowing what to do before, during, and after a flood can increase your chances of survival and better protect your property,

Protect What Matters Most

Make sure you have the right insurance coverages and a crisis response plan in place.

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