THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED MARCH 18 THROUGH MARCH 22, 2013, AS FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN  GRAND FORKS WILL FEATURE A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL TOPIC EACH DAY  DURING THE AWARENESS WEEK. 
 
TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN.
 
 TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN… TADD FOR SHORT… IS A NOAA NATIONAL  WEATHER SERVICE CAMPAIGN USED TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE HAZARDS OF  WALKING… OR DRIVING A VEHICLE… THROUGH FLOOD WATERS.
 
 IT FLOODS SOMEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES OR ITS TERRITORIES NEARLY EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.  FLOODING CAUSES MORE DAMAGE IN THE UNITED STATES THAN ANY OTHER WEATHER RELATED EVENT… WITH AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN THE PAST THIRTY YEARS.  AND FLOODING IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF WEATHER-RELATED DEATHS IN THE U.S. CLAIMING ON AVERAGE NEARLY ONE HUNDRED LIVES A YEAR.  MOST OF THESE DEATHS OCCUR IN MOTOR VEHICLES WHEN PEOPLE ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED
 ROADWAYS.  MANY OTHER LIVES ARE LOST WHEN PEOPLE WALK INTO OR NEAR FLOOD WATERS.  THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE THE FORCE  AND POWER OF WATER… ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS MOVING.  THE GOOD NEWS
 IS THESE TYPES OF DEATHS AND RELATED INJURIES ARE PREVENTABLE WITH THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE.
 
 JUST SIX INCHES OF FAST-MOVING WATER CAN KNOCK OVER AN ADULT.  AND IT ONLY TAKES TWELVE TO EIGHTEEN INCHES OF FLOWING WATER TO CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING LARGE SUVS.  IF YOU COME TO AN AREA THAT IS COVERED WITH WATER… YOU WILL LIKELY NOT KNOW THE DEPTH OF THE WATER OR THE CONDITION OF THE GROUND UNDER THE WATER.  THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE AT NIGHT WHEN YOUR VISION IS MORE LIMITED.  PLAY IT SMART… PLAY IT SAFE.  WHETHER DRIVING OR WALKING… ANY TIME YOU COME TO A FLOODED ROAD… WALKWAY… OR PATH… FOLLOW THIS SIMPLE RULE: TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN.
 
 HERE ARE A FEW MORE TIPS TO KEEP YOU SAFE DURING A FLOOD:
 ALWAYS PLAN AHEAD AND KNOW THE RISKS BEFORE FLOODING HAPPENS. 
 MONITOR NOAA/S ALL-HAZARDS RADIO… OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE… FOR VITAL WEATHER-RELATED INFORMATION BEFORE… DURING… AND AFTER ANY DISASTER INCLUDING FLOODING. IF FLOODING IS EXPECTED OR IS OCCURRING… GET TO HIGHER GROUND FAST! LEAVE TYPICAL FLOOD AREAS SUCH AS CANYONS… DITCHES… RAVINES…. DIPS… OR LOW SPOTS.

 AVOID AREAS ALREADY FLOODED… ESPECIALLY IF THE WATER IS FLOWING FAST.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOWING STREAMS.  TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN! NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.  ROAD BEDS MAY BE WASHED OUT UNDER MURKY FLOOD WATERS.  TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN! DO NOT CAMP OR PARK YOUR VEHICLE ALONG STREAMS AND WASHES… PARTICULARLY DURING THREATENING CONDITIONS. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS
 AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE FLOOD DANGERS. NEVER CROSS ANY BARRIERS THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE BY EMERGENCY OFFICIALS.  NOT ONLY IS THIS DANGEROUS… BUT MANY STATES AND COMMUNITIES HAVE LAWS AGAINST IT AND LEVY STEEP FINES AND POINTS AGAINST DRIVING RECORDS
 FOR PEOPLE THAT IGNORE BARRICADES OR OTHER ROAD CLOSURE INDICATORS.
 ALWAYS PLAY IT SAFE… TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN!
 JOIN US TOMORROW FOR INFORMATION ON FLOOD RISK AND FLOOD INSURANCE.
 
 &&
 
 IMPORTANT FLOOD WEBSITES
 
 NWS AHPS: HTTP://WATER.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS/
 
 FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS: HTTP://WWW.FLOODSAFETY.WEATHER.GOV
 
 TADD: HTTP://WWW.NWS.WEATHER.GOV/FLOODSAFETY/TADD.SHTML
 
 NWS: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV
 
 BE A FORCE OF NATURE:
 HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/COM/WEATHERREADYNATION/FORCE.HTML