Tools available to help communities educate residents about local hazards
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 24, 2014) — Gov. Steve Beshear has declared September “Disaster Preparedness Month” with the theme being “Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare.”
Kentucky is prone to natural hazards such as flooding, tornadoes, earthquakes and landslides.
“Flooding is Kentucky’s leading natural disaster, causing more than $43 million in damage annually,” said Peter Goodmann, Division of Water director. “Kentucky’s nearly 90,000 miles of rivers and streams provide a valuable natural resource for citizens and communities in the Commonwealth, but there are inherent risks associated with these waters. It is common during flood events for water treatment systems, wastewater treatment plants, and even dams and water supplies to be affected by floodwaters.”
DOW offers tools and resources to assist communities in developing their disaster preparation plans, such as alerting residents to hazard-prone areas, such as floodplains and dam inundation zones.
Kentuckians considering a disaster plan should ask themselves the following questions:
- Do you live or work in a flood zone or dam inundation zone?
- Are you protected by a levee system?
- If you or your community encounters flooding during an evacuation, do you have an alternate route?
- What happens if your water or wastewater treatment system, or the public water supply source, is damaged or lost during a disaster?
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