Prepare yourself for flooding season in WA

Flood season is coming, and Thurston County’s emergency services are encouraging everyone to be proactive.

“Flooding is a recurring hazard in Thurston County, and we know that major flooding can have significant impacts on our communities,” said Kyle Bustad, Thurston County Emergency Manager. “The good news is there are simple steps residents can take now to better prepare themselves, their families, and their property before the next major storm.”

Last December, Washington experienced historic flooding. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency as a result. There were thousands of rescues across more than 10 counties, and one person died.

• Follow this link to read additional stories from KIRO 7

You don’t have to live directly next to a major river to experience flooding. Heavy rainfall, saturated soils, rising groundwater, snowmelt, and rain-on-snow events can all contribute to the issue.

The four main causes for flooding in the county are:

• Riverine flooding — when rivers and streams exceed their normal capacity.
• Groundwater flooding — when rising groundwater saturates normally dry areas.
• Tidal flooding — when tidal conditions contribute to flooding.
• Urban flooding — when heavy rainfall overwhelms drainage systems and creates localized flooding.

Take steps now

Thurston County Emergency Management encourages everyone to be prepared. There are steps you can take now:

• Know whether your home, workplace, or regular travel routes are vulnerable
• Build or update an emergency supply kit and keep it handy
• Keep important documents and valuables in a safe place
• Make a plan for where to go if you need to leave your home
• Include pets in your emergency plan and have supplies ready for them
• Keep vehicles fueled and an emergency kit inside
• Monitor weather conditions
• Never drive through a flooded roadway
• Explore flood insurance policies through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

Flood insurance

Property owners in unincorporated Thurston County are eligible for up to 40% off flood insurance, according to officials.

Thurston County is rated a Class 2 in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This rating enables the discount on insurance premiums.

• Follow this link to read additional stories from KIRO 7

You can learn more about NFIP on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) website www.floodsmart.gov.

“Be proactive before a flood – there is typically a 30-day waiting period for an NFIP policy to go into effect,” the county shared.

Stay connected with TC Alert

Receiving timely information during an emergency is an important part of being prepared.

Are you signed up for TC Alert? It’s how the county sends out notifications in an emergency.

To sign up, click here.

As part of Flood Awareness Week, Thurston County Emergency Management will conduct a test of the TC Alert emergency notification system. Residents who are registered for TC Alert may receive a test notification during the testing period.

The test will help Emergency Management evaluate the system and allow residents to become familiar with what an emergency notification may look like before a real emergency occurs.