PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
559 AM CDT TUE MAR 18 2008

...DAY 2 OF 2008 NATIONAL FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INVITES YOUR PARTICIPATION IN
THE THIRD ANNUAL NATIONAL FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK...
MARCH 17-21...2008.

TODAYS THEME IS TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN OR TADD. TADD IS
AN EFFORT TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF DRIVING
OVER FLOODED ROADS OR WALKING IN FLOODED AREAS. TOO MANY
PEOPLE DIE DUE TO MISJUDGING THE POWER OF MOVING WATER OR
THEIR ABILITY TO NAVIGATE FLOODED AREAS. FLOODING CAN
HAPPEN RAPIDLY DUE TO ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM RAINS OR SLOWLY
DUE TO RAINFALL EVENTS THAT IMPACT A LARGE AREA. IN
ADDITION...IT ONLY TAKES SIX INCHES OF WATER FOR A VEHICLE
TO LOSE CONTACT WITH THE ROAD SURFACE AND MOST VEHICLES CAN
BE SWEPT AWAY IN 18 TO 24 INCHES OF WATER. SADLY...MANY
DEATHS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY SIMPLY TURNING AROUND.
A CANCELED...DELAYED...OR REROUTED TRIP IS WORTH THE TIME
AND EFFORT.

SOME ITEMS TO CONSIDER TO INCREASE YOUR FLOOD SAFETY
INCLUDE...

- GET OR STAY ON HIGHER GROUND AND AVOID LOW SPOTS...IN THE
  ROAD OR OTHERWISE.
- TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN...CANCEL...DELAY...OR REROUTE A
  TRIP IF IT IS ON FLOODED ROADS.
- FLOODED ROADS MAY BE TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY A PINK TURN
  AROUND DONT DROWN SIGN OR A BARRIER...DO NOT DRIVE AROUND
  THE BARRIERS.
- FLOODED ROAD MAY HAVE HIDDEN DANGERS...SUCH AS WASHED OUT
  ROAD BEDS OR UNDERWATER OBSTRUCTIONS.
- KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM FLOODED AREAS OR AREAS OF FAST
  MOVING WATER.
- DONT CAMP NEAR THE RIVER IF THERE IS A FLASH FLOOD
  THREAT.
- FLOODING CAN HAPPEN AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO
  RECOGNIZE FLOOD DANGERS.

TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN IS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE FEDERAL ALLIANCE FOR SAFE
HOMES.

THE INFORMATION ABOUT TADD CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SRH

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT AHPS AND FLOOD SAFETY
AWARENESS WEEK IS AVAILABLE AT...

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/FLOODSAFETY/

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