Flood safety

If your home floods, follow the safety precautions below.

Before a flood

• Unplug electric appliances if they are expected to be under water.
• Individually shut off the valves to gas appliances if they are expected to be under water.

Stay safe

• Never walk through a flooded home or building until gas and electric service are disconnected.
  
• Standing water can snuff out pilot lights on hot water heaters and furnaces. If this occurs, natural gas may collect in your home, creating the risk of an explosion.
• Even a small amount of water on the floor of your basement can put you at risk for electrocution. While electricity is often needed to run the sump pumps and wet-vacs that help remove water from the basement, the risk of electrical shock is too high.
• Safety experts suggest using a generator to power your sump pump or wet/dry vacuum instead. Generators also come with safety concerns, so learn more about generator safety before operating one. Never run extension cords through water.
• When you are ready to reconnect your service, call your power company. Be sure to have a certified electrician inspect your system for damage before calling to be reconnected. Have your furnace and water heater inspected by a professional.
• NEVER handle electric appliances or any other electric equipment, such as a circuit breaker, with wet hands or while standing on a wet surface. Water and electricity can be a deadly combination.
• Avoid walking in flooded backyards if water is touching utility equipment like ground-mounted transformers.