March 18-22 is National Flood Safety Awareness Week Posted at
3:20 p.m. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are
partnering to improve awareness for National Flood Safety
Awareness Week this week, March 18-22. The goal is to improve
understanding about flood risk among individuals, families,
businesses and communities. Knowledge and the right precautions
can protect families, homes and finances. Floods are the most
common hazard in the United States. However, not all floods are
alike. Floods typically occur when too much rain falls or snow
melts too quickly. Chunks of ice from a thawing river can block
its normal flow and force water out of its banks. While some
floods develop slowly, flash floods develop suddenly. Hurricanes
can bring flooding to areas far inland from where they first hit
the coast, as we witnessed two years ago from the devastating
impacts of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, and last year
from Hurricane Sandy. T