Flood Preparedness

Note: This document can be downloaded here.

Presented by the Wayne Office of Emergency Management
Published as a Community Service
By the Township of Wayne

Floods are an inevitable and natural part of life for those who live along or near streams and rivers. Historically serious flooding has occurred in the low lying areas of Wayne and it is important for people living in those areas to be prepared and to know what to do before disaster strikes. This guide has been prepared to assist residents in that preparation by providing measures which every resident and property owner may take to lessen the impact of flooding on their lives and property. All photographs in this handbook were taken in Wayne Township during the flood of late March early April, 2005.

This guide was prepared by the Township of Wayne Office of Emergency Management and is based on a number of source documents and resources. Neither the Township of Wayne nor its agents and employees make any warranty, expressed or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the completeness, accuracy or usefulness of information obtained from the various sources. In addition, the Township of Wayne does not endorse or recommend any product or category of products named herein: when individual manufacturers’ names are listed it does not mean that their product has a quality any higher than similar products made by other manufacturers which are not mentioned.

As a rule, almost every area adjacent to a river or stream may experience flooding at one time or another. Federal and State flood maps, historical records and personal experience make it possible to determine whether a property in Wayne Township is located in the floodway, the 100 year flood zone, 500 year flood zone or has little or no exposure to flooding.

The area closest to the rivers and streams is the floodway. The floodway encompasses the locations which actually become part of the river during a flood and which are subject to the most frequent inundations experienced in the Township.

The terms 100 year flood and 500 year flood are misleading. They do not mean that a flood will occur once every 100 or 500 years. Rather, they indicate that the flood elevation that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded each year. Thus the 100 year or 500 year flood could occur at much shorter intervals, even within the same year. The 100 year flood, which is the standard used by Federal and State agencies, is also used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as the standard for flood plain management and to determine the need for flood insurance. A structure located within a special flood hazard area shown on a NFIP map has a 26% chance of suffering damage during the term of a 30 year mortgage. NOTE: The major floods of 1984 and 2005 have been estimated by the Army Corps of Engineers as 75 to 80 year floods.

The Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration's Hazard Mapping Division maintains and updates the National Flood Insurance Program maps. Flood maps are the tools used by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to determine the flood risk homeowners face. If you are new to the area or wish to get a copy of the map for your area, go to FEMA.gov on the internet or call 1-877-FEMA map. The FEMA site also has a homeowners page to help residents locate and obtain copies of local flood maps and understand how to read them. You may also contact the Wayne Public Works Department at 973-694-1800 and the Wayne Office of Emergency Management 973-633-3560 to inquire about local flood history.

A Flood Watch or Flood Warningfor our area is issued by the National Weather Service.

A Flood Watch indicates that flooding is a possibility, not a certainty. The Wayne Office of Emergency Management monitors conditions on an ongoing basis and follows river level projections based on area river gauges whenever flooding is possible. When conditions indicate the potential for flooding the municipal departments and key members of the Local Emergency Planning Committee are placed on notice and continuous evaluation of all available information is begun.

When a Flood Warning is issued the weather service is telling us that flooding is imminent. When a Flood Warning is issued the Wayne Office of Emergency Management provides an advisory to Wayne residents. Information is provided on Cablevision channel 77, on the website waynetownship.com, on the Emergency Management emergency information telephone line at 973-694-5050 and under severe conditions via Reverse 911 telephone calls and emergency vehicle public address systems. Advisories are updated as predictions and conditions change.

The mainstream news media will also often supply up to date information. The National Weather Service transmits up-to-the-minute weather reports twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year on radio station KW035 on a frequency of 162.55 MHZ. When a Flood Warning is issued, additional information relating to our local rivers is often broadcast. To hear this broadcast requires a radio able to be tuned to this frequency. Special radios are available at very low cost in local branches of electronic chain stores, other retailers and catalog houses. Weather information is also provided on line at weather.com

Flood Warnings are relayed in terms of the water level in feet above sea level. For example, flood stage for Wayne is gauged on the Passaic River in Little Falls at 6.0 feet or 182 feet above sea level. If the river is expected to crest at 8.7 feet or an elevation of 184.7 feet above sea level and your home's elevation is 180 feet above sea level, you know that you will be seriously flooded.

 Emergency supplies to have on hand:

A flood watch indicates that flooding is a possibility, not a certainty.

Persons in a flood hazard area prone to flooding should prepare to secure their premises and move to safe ground.

Families should review evacuation plans. In the event you decide to evacuate the area before being officially advised to do so, advise local friends or neighbors of your destination in the event you must be reached.

If you are advised to move vehicles to higher ground at any time, you should do so immediately, as there is a high likelihood that street flooding will occur.

If you are under a Flood Warning: 

 Preparing to evacuate:

 Unless an unusually rapid rise in water levels occurs flood warnings and advisories will be issued well in advance of waters reaching flood stage. During periods of heavy rains those living in the areas of Wayne prone to flooding should seek all sources of information concerning flood potential. (See if you are under a flood watch or warning: above.)

A disaster such as a flood will usually prompt the declaration of a local State of Emergency through the recovery period. Under such a declaration, Emergency Management, Police and other first responders have broadened authority. Mandatory evacuations are enforceable by law.

The Wayne Office of Emergency Management will recommend evacuation through advisories and notifications when conditions or predictions indicate flooding is likely. This recommendation may come before mandatory evacuations are ordered. If authorities recommend evacuation do so as quickly and safely as possible.

Do not wait to for the validation of projections and warnings. It may become impossible to evacuate you at a later time. If you remain in your home after being advised to leave, you endanger the lives of your family members as well as the lives of emergency responders and volunteers who must try to evacuate you later when conditions have worsened and you have changed your mind.

In the event that you or a member of your household is trapped in your home without access to outside communication, a white or light colored sheet or towel hung outside an upper floor street facing window should be displayed to alert emergency services.

 Control and Security in the flood zone:

During a flood emergency the Office of Emergency Management will open the Emergency Operating Center (973-694-5050) located at 475 Valley Road, Wayne and coordinate all flood related resources from that location. O.E.M., in conjunction with the Wayne Police Department will also establish a Mobile Command Post adjacent to the flood zone from which all flood related first responder field operations will be directed. A perimeter will be established to isolate the impacted areas. The OEM/Police Marine Unit will patrol the affected areas using the OEM five ton trucks and boats when conditions permit. Emergency evacuation assistance will be dispatched through the Emergency Operating Center and the Mobile Command Post to the field units. Marine Units of the Wayne Fire Department and the Wayne First Aid Squad assist the O.E.M./Police Marine Unit in evacuation and rescue operations as well as providing fire protection and emergency medical services.

 For all Police, Fire or EMS Emergencies call 911.

 

 Do not return home until authorities have indicated it is safe. If your property is severely flooded and you anticipate making a claim on your flood insurance policy, begin recording the damage to your home by taking photographs and by making a list of damage with comments. Thorough documentation of loss is also required by the Internal Revenue Service if a casualty deduction is taken.

 

 Following the introduction of chlorine into the well, the well should not be used for at least 6 hours to 24 hours, after which the pump should be started and water discharges slowly through the storage tank and taps until the odor of chlorine is gone. If a definite chlorine odor is not detected in the water being discharged shortly after starting the process, the pump should be stopped and the well re-treated with the same dose of chlorine and the entire procedure repeated.

 General clean up tips:

During cleanup, wear rubber gloves, washable clothing, rubber boots.

After cleanup, thoroughly wash hands with soap and water. Wash clothing in hot water and detergent. Dry in dryer. Throw out cleaning rags. Place them in plastic bags. Sanitize boots with disinfectant.

A sanitary solution can be made by mixing one part chlorine bleach with ten parts water. Sanitize food preparation surfaces. To disinfect floors and other hard surfaces: remove soil, apply disinfectant. Mops should be soaked in disinfectant after use and washed in hot water. Cleaning equipment such as dust pans or buckets should be thoroughly rinsed in the disinfectant. Dispose of the disinfectant in the sink or toilet.

If an automobile was not removed prior to the flood and was submerged it is suggested that you:

It is the policy and intention of Wayne Township to continue to initiate, support and actively participate in any and all mitigation projects which will lead to flood relief for our residents and property owners. We have recently developed a new Hazard Mitigation Plan to compliment our Emergency Operations Plan and as this document is being written, we are initiating acquisition/relocation projects in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, The Army Corps of Engineers, the New Jersey Office of Mitigation, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. We encourage the active support of residents and property owners in these and all other mitigation initiatives.

Community Preparedness Toolkit