This is Flood Safety Awareness Week
March 15, 2012
By Staff
Floods are the most frequent and costly natural disaster in the United States.
With many communities throughout the region facing threats of spring flooding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service are again joining forces to observe Flood Safety Awareness Week this week.
“It is important that we take steps now to prepare for the impact floods could have on our homes, our businesses and our communities,” FEMA Region 10 Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, said in a March 8 press release. “We are encouraging individuals and families to take a few simple steps to protect themselves and their properties.
“These include learning about their risk of flooding, having an emergency preparedness kit, storing important documents in a safe place and purchasing flood insurance.”
Important tips for getting ready for a flood and cleaning up after can be found at www.ready.gov.
Flood losses are not typically covered by standard homeowner’s insurance policies.
However, flood insurance is available to property owners in communities participating in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.
The program makes flood insurance available to renters, homeowners and business owners through thousands of insurance agents in nearly 21,000 communities across the nation.
Flood coverage can be purchased for properties in and outside of the highest risk areas, but should be considered regardless of where you live. More than 20 percent of all flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas.
Learn more about flood insurance at FloodSmart.gov or by calling 800-427-2419 toll free.
Critical river safety skills course offered
Si View Metro Parks is offering a River Safety course from 9 a.m. to noon March 17, with instructor Kalli Willson.
The course covers river hazards, hypothermia, identifying safer places on a river, “river position,” self-rescue and universally recognized river signals.
Students will practice using throw ropes and learn how to assist others in a river emergency without endangering themselves.
The class is an outdoors, “rain-or-shine” course, but participants will not be in water.
Willson is a professional whitewater raft guide and whitewater rescue technician. Course fee is $25. Participants ages 14 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Register at www.siview- park.org or call 831-1900.
New support group begins for adults with mental illness
The Eastside affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness has started a new support group in Snoqualmie for individuals with mental illness.
NAMI Eastside support groups provide support, knowledge and understanding along with an opportunity for group members to share experiences, concerns and interests in a confidential setting. Meetings are led by NAMI members who have personal experience with the topic.
The Snoqualmie support group is free and open to adults living with mental illness. It will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. every Friday at the Snoqualmie Fire Department, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway.
This is a drop-in support group; pre-registration is not required.
Learn more by contacting Yolanda LePley at 829-2417 or yolandalepley@yahoo.com.
Find support groups in other East King County cities and learn more about NAMI Eastside’s education forums and services at www.nami-eastside.org.
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