Flood Safety Tips

I have never been scared of flooding until Ondoy hit the country around 6 years ago. After Ondoy, I have not looked at the rainy season the same way again. I used to be cool and calm during typhoons but when our house got flooded up to the second step of our stairs, paranoia hits me each time Kuya Kim (Atienza of TV Patrol) announces the weather updates. If I'm not mistaken, a couple of years after Ondoy, a habagat caused so much flooding in the country again. Thank God we didn't get flooded inside the house, but the effect in other areas was just as much, or even worse than Ondoy's.

So because of this paranoia, I believe the Filipinos have become more vigilant. Terms like LPA or Low-Pressure Area and ITCZ or Inter Tropical Convergence Zone have become almost household phrases and enough to make most of us get up and start preparing our houses, our properties and our families.

As for our household, here are the standard steps we make in making sure, or at least trying to minimize the stress and damage in case a storm and flooding come our way.

1. Stock up on groceries especially canned goods, easy to prepare meals, snacks, drinks, milk for my daughter, toiletries, bread and rice.

2. Have extra gallons of drinking water delivered.

3. Make sure candles, matches, extra batteries come in handy.

4. Charge all gadgets such as cellphones, tablets, powerbanks, lamps and rechargeable fans, laptops, pocket wifi and transistor radios.

5. Check that roofing, fences, windows and doors are secure.

6. Place dogs and other pets in dry, safe areas.

7. Know when and where to park your vehicles. In our case, we bring the car to the nearest mall. A friend parks her car somewhere uphill.

8. Secure important documents in water-proof containers such as plastic bags or waterproof bags.

9. Bring all important stuff to the second floor, if one is available.

10. You may want to prepare an emergency bag in case evacuation is necessary. Let the family know where to go in such cases and how to get there as well.

11. Most importantly, pray, pray pray. Pray that the LOrd will spare not only our families, but our village, our town, our countrymen, and the Philippines as well.