DTAC Bulletin

DTAC Bulletin

DTAC Bulletin: Flood Preparedness and Resources

This issue of the DTAC Bulletin provides guidance for flood planning and preparedness, and information for helping to deal with the stress that may occur during and after a flood. 

Flood Preparedness Resources

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 98 percent of U.S. counties have been affected by a flooding event. In 2019, parts of the Midwest experienced major flooding that damaged roads, farms and other businesses, and homes. As the 2020 rainy season approaches, it is important that disaster behavioral health professionals, as well as individuals and families, prepare their communities and themselves for flood events. The following resources provide guidance for flood planning and preparedness and information for helping to deal with the stress that may occur during and after a flood.

Flood Resources The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides information and resources for families and caregivers of children to assist them before, during, and after a flood event. The web page also links to several resources that focus on coping, Psychological First Aid, and activities for children.

Flood Resource List In this list, the U.S. Department of Education’s Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center presents its fact sheet series focused on flood preparedness for education agencies. There are fact sheets customized for K–12 schools, institutions of higher education, and state education agencies. This document also lists resources on developing a flood-related annex to a disaster plan, data sources on flooding, and sources of flood alerts and communications.

How To Prepare for a Flood Developed by FEMA, this guide prepares individuals for all aspects of flood events. It explains the risks of floods and how to protect yourself and your property. It also gives information about documenting damages and utilizing flood insurance.

Help Improve SAMHSA’s Disaster Services and Products As a subscriber to this newsletter, you are invited to participate in a short, web-based survey to provide the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) with feedback about your experiences with our products and services. The survey should take no more than 15 minutes. Complete the survey by clicking on this link, or copy and paste the URL https://iqsolutions.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bjYCSJDUQAGi1h3 into your web browser.