Arizona flood alerts

1. Turn around, don't drown. Six inches of moving water can knock a person down. Twelve inches can carry a vehicle.
2. Do not drive around barricades. Under Arizona's A.R.S. 28-910 (the "Stupid Motorist Law"), drivers who enter a flooded roadway past barricades or barriers can be charged for the cost of their rescue.
3. If your car stalls in water, get out and move to higher ground immediately if you can do so safely. Do not stay in a vehicle that is being swept away.
4. Report road closures and flooding via AZ511 or 511 from any phone.

Do not: attempt to gauge water depth by looking at it. Floodwater hides washed-out pavement, open manholes, downed power lines and debris.

1. Move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions if you are near a wash, creek or low-lying area.
2. Avoid washes, drainage channels, canyons and any areas that channel water, even if they are currently dry.
3. If indoors and on high ground, stay there. Monitor NWS Phoenix or NWS Flagstaff and local radio for updates.
4. Have a plan to leave quickly: shoes on, phone charged, important documents in a bag.

Then: warnings typically last 2-6 hours. Wait for the warning to expire or for official all-clear before returning to low areas.

1. Go to high ground immediately. Rain miles upstream can send a wall of water through a dry canyon under clear skies.
2. Move up and away from the channel, not downstream. Climb the sides if possible.
3. In a slot canyon, there is often no high ground. Get out entirely by the quickest route. If you cannot get out, climb as high as you can.
4. Check the forecast before entering any canyon or wash. If there is any chance of rain in the watershed, do not enter.

1. If you can safely reach the electrical panel, turn off the main breaker. Do not wade through standing water to reach it as it may be electrified from downed lines or submerged outlets.
2. Move to a higher floor or higher ground if water is rising inside.
3. If you have sandbags or barriers, place them at door thresholds and garage entries. Even towels or plastic sheeting can slow water entry.
4. Move valuables and documents above the expected water line.
5. Photograph damage for insurance before cleaning up.

Then: contact your insurance company. Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. If you have NFIP or private flood insurance, file a claim promptly.

1. Follow your county's Ready, Set, Go levels: Ready = be aware; Set = be prepared to leave; Go = leave now.
2. Grab your go bag: medications, IDs, phone charger, water, cash, important documents.
3. Bring pets. Most Red Cross shelters do not accept animals, but your county emergency management can direct you to pet-friendly options.
4. If you do not have a place to go, call 211 Arizona for shelter information.
5. Follow your county emergency management's official channels for evacuation routes. Do not take shortcuts through low-lying areas.

1. City or utility water: check with your provider for boil-water notices. Search your address on the main page to find your provider's safety record and contact info.
2. Private well: if floodwater reached or came near your well, do not drink from it. The well casing, cap and seal may have been compromised. Follow CDC guidance on well disinfection, and test with an ADHS-licensed lab before using the water again.
3. Hauled water: use a hauler from this directory and ask whether they draw from a tested public system.
4. Use bottled water for drinking and cooking until you have confirmed your source is safe.

Then: even after water recedes, bacteria, chemicals and sediment can persist. If water looks, smells or tastes different, do not assume it will clear on its own.

1. After a wildfire, burned ground repels water and dramatically increases flood and debris-flow risk. Even light or moderate rain on a burn scar can trigger dangerous flows.
2. Risk is highest in the first two years after a fire, but can persist longer depending on recovery.
3. Sign up for your county's emergency alert system. The NWS issues Flash Flood Warnings specifically for burn scar areas when rain is expected.
4. Have a plan to evacuate on short notice. Debris flows move faster than most people can run.
5. For current burn scar flood risk assessments, contact your county flood control district or check with the Arizona Division of Emergency Management.

1. Check your flood zone on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Enter your address to see whether you are in a mapped flood hazard area.
2. Ask your landlord whether the property has flood insurance. Standard renters insurance does not cover flood damage to your belongings.
3. You can buy your own flood insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program or private insurers. There is typically a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins.
4. Even outside a mapped flood zone, flooding can happen anywhere it rains. Low-lying areas near washes are particularly vulnerable in Arizona.