FLAGSTAFF — As Coconino County residents begin to return to their homes in the aftermath of the Pipeline and Haywire fires, the County’s Flood Control District would like to make the entire community aware of the potential risk of flooding, and the steps the public can take to mitigate their property and be Flood Aware.
Residents may already be familiar with the 3 Step “Ready, Set, Go” wildfire system of preparedness and evacuation. For the risk of flooding, a similar, easy-to-remember system of “Ready, Set, Shelter” is helpful to prepare for and respond to flood events:
READY – Get Prepared
- Sign up for Emergency Alerts with Coconino County. The free Emergency Notification service provides alerts for emergencies such as wildfires, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flash flooding in the area. Sign up a cell phone number, email and/or home phone: http://www.coconino.az.gov/ready or call 928-679-8311
- Flood insurance remains the only way to address impacts to homes from flooding. The District strongly recommends all property owners consider purchasing flood insurance. Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover flood damage or recovery. Flood insurance is administered only through the National Flood Insurance program, and coverage begins immediately if the flooding results from a forest fire on National Forest lands. More info is online at www.floodsmart.gov.
- Place irreplaceable documents and other valuables in a location at least 2 feet off the ground in the home.
- Clear debris from roof gutters, downspouts and drains so water can flow and drain properly.
- Check the roof for leaks or damage. Pay special attention to areas where separation could occur, such as around the chimney or skylights.
- A sandbag wall can mitigate flood waters approaching homes.www.coconino.az.gov/How2BuildandInstallSandbagWalls
SET – Be Weather Alert
- Be aware that flash flooding can occur during periods of heavy or extended rain.
- Monitor National Weather Service alerts and updates and sign up for Emergency Alerts through Coconino County’s emergency messaging system.
- During inclement weather, always know where family members are – especially young children, disabled persons, and the elderly or infirm.SHELTER – Stay Inside and Shelter in Place
- When a Flood Alert is received, persons indoors or close to an indoor location should shelter in place immediately. Do not evacuate.
- Persons outdoors should relocate to the nearest high ground immediately.
Flood Mitigation – Sandbags
A properly built and maintained sandbag wall can prevent or reduce flood damage to a home. As the District’s current stockpile has been strained by efforts related to the Museum Flood response, we have mobilized multiple crews to produce a substantial amount of new sandbags in preparation for the upcoming Monsoon Season.
Given the limited timeframe and resources, the District and its partners are not able to assist with production and placement of sandbags at individual homes except for the elderly and disabled at this time. We encourage those who have secured their homes or who are not at-risk to identify and assist any family members and neighbors who might need assistance. The District is also working diligently to establish self-serve sandbag locations at various locations in potentially impacted neighborhoods.
Residents whose homes are identified for flood mitigation and who are elderly or disabled and cannot secure assistance through family or friends, must please contact the Call Center at 928-679-8525 and request assistance.
Coconino County Flood Control District will continue to use the 24/7 rainfall monitoring and flood alert system for the Shultz Flood and Museum Flood Area.
We realize there is a lot of information for residents to digest. The Flood Control District has extensive resources located at and will be continually updating its flood preparedness website as part of the Pipeline Fire response at www.coconino.az.gov/PipeLineFire. The District continues to take important steps to mitigate flood risk following the Pipeline Fire, which are also available at the website.