Some Prepare For Possible Flooding

“If it rains hard for a couple weeks, I'll get little trickles here and there,” said Jarrod Benson, a Mason City resident. “Just in the basement where the walls meet the floor.”

Even though Benson says he doesn't usually get bad flooding, he's pretty prepared anyway. “I have my sump pump plugged in right now and I have a water alarm in my basement so if the floor starts to get wet it goes off,” he said.

And experts say if you're at risk for rushing water, you should be too. “First and most important thing if they are in a flood area they need to get flood insurance,” said Steve O’Neil, the Emergency Management Coordinator for Cerro Gordo and Franklin counties.

O'Neil says right now they're mostly expecting parks and other low lying areas to be at risk. But it doesn't hurt to be ready anyways. “Especially if you live in a waterway you know it's always possible,” he said.

He says emergency management is also prepping for possible flooding. “First from snow melt, ice jams and then we worry about normal heavy spring rains and then some of the thunderstorms and that that can come through,” he said.

They're staging training scenarios and stockpiling supplies.“And see if we can get some areas staged with extra sandbags pumps and some of the things we might need if we do have a major flood event,” he said.

While Benson is prepared, he says it's not worth worrying about whether or not it will flood. “Well I'm not happy about the rain and the snow melting at the same time, but I try not to think about it because I can't do anything about it,” said Benson. “I just try to put it out of my mind and if it happens I'll just have to deal with it.”

Another quick tip if you're at risk for flooding: O'Neil says it's a good idea to raise appliances, clothing or other basement items up if you think you might take on some water. He says you should also consider storing documents in a plastic container.