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Office of Emergency Management
Emergency Management Office Urges Drivers to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”
Richmond, February 10, 2008: The National Weather Service (NWS) and the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) are urging people to learn the dangers of driving into flooded roadways because drivers often underestimate the power of floodwater. Janette Walker, Senior Planning Coordinator, Fort Bend County OEM, notes that “floods are one of the most common hazards in Fort Bend County, and those traveling on the roads often do not take proper precautions to avoid danger.”
NWS and Fort Bend County officials also say that if your car or truck stalls in floodwater, the best advice is to get out quickly and move to higher ground. Better yet, when there's water on the road: “Turn Around, Don't Drown.” Walker indicates that “saving your life is as simple as choosing an alternate route.”
For the past 30 years, the national average for deaths during floods has been 127 each year. In Texas, the death toll from floods averages 15 victims a year. Nearly half of all flood fatalities are vehicle-related and the majority of victims are males, according to the National Weather Service.
These are the facts:
- Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control and possible stalling.
- Twelve inches of water will float many cars.
- Two feet of rushing water will carry off pick-up trucks, SUVs and most other vehicles.
- Water across a road may hide a missing segment of roadbed or a missing bridge. Roads weaken under floodwater and drivers should proceed cautiously after waters have receded, since the road may collapse under the weight of the vehicle.
Jeff Braun, Fort Bend County Emergency Management Coordinator, states that the “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” program is one of the many awareness programs promoted by emergency managers throughout the state. Braun emphasizes that “citizens should be especially cautious at night when it is much more difficult to recognize flood dangers, such as the depth of water on Fort Bend roadways.”Richmond,
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