LOWNDES CO – The Lowndes County EMA is partnering with GEMA/HS to encourage residents to prepare for potential flooding.

Release:

Lowndes County Emergency Management is collaborating with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) for Flood Safety Preparedness Week, which will be from March 10–14. The focus of this event is to encourage individuals, families, schools, and businesses throughout Georgia to prepare in advance for potential flooding.

“Floods and flash floods can reach full peak in only a few minutes,” said Ashley Tye, Director of Lowndes County Emergency Management. “We urge all residents to work through communication plans and safety measures at home to ensure they are prepared in the event of flooding.”

Lowndes County Emergency Management encourages all residents to take time to learn and implement all that we can during the FSPW. Each day there will be a different topic on which to focus. The topics to be covered are as follows:

• Monday, March 10 – Flood Safety and Awareness: Create a plan, build a ready kit and communicate with your household and community so you’re prepared in case of a flood.
• Tuesday, March 11 – Turn Around, Don’t Drown: Never attempt to drive through floodwaters. Two feet of moving water can carry away a full-sized car.
• Wednesday, March 12 – Types of Floods: The most common cause of flooding is water due to rain and/or snowmelt that accumulates faster than can be absorbed by soil or carried away by rivers.
• Thursday, March 13 – NWS Services: Take time to understand the products and services the National Weather Service (NWS) provides, including the new Flood Inundation Mapping (FIM) services, which will cover Georgia in Fall 2025, to update on changing weather and river conditions.
• Friday, March 14 – NWS Partner Services: Get ahead of the next disaster by knowing the important players before, during and after floods — including flood insurance. Many homeowner’s policies don’t cover floods. Be financially ready for a flood event by visiting fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program and remember, flood insurance takes 30 days to go into effect!

For more information and resources visit gema.georgia.gov/plan-prepare/ready-georgia and follow @GeorgiaEMAHS on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for preparedness tips and emergency information.