Floods

While most property managers are familiar with the threat of heavy rains and the impact that they can have on causing external flooding conditions, internal system failures also can create flooding events that can be equally damaging. Internal flooding can occur from sewer system back-ups, broken or leaking water lines, failing sump pumps, and basement walls not properly water proofed. When flooding occurs, property managers need to act quickly by locating the source of the water infiltration, take appropriate action to control or eliminate the water intrusion, ensure all electrical equipment that could create a shock-hazard in the wet areas is shut down and quickly begin to dry out the areas affected to limit the possibility of water damage or mold.

When dealing with external flood threats, pre-planning can offer several benefits in reducing potential damage to the building and limit the amount of time (and money) needed to recover from extensive flood events. While floods may occur with little to no warning, there are steps that can be taken to minimize the damage when you do receive flood warnings. First and foremost is ensuring that all occupants know how to safely evacuate the building, or when evacuation is not possible, know where within the building to safely await assistance. Once the occupants’ safety is addressed it is time to focus on limiting damage to the building. Begin with relocating building contents to floor levels that are above the anticipated flood levels, de-energizing electrical equipment serving portions of the building that may become flooded to reduce shock-hazard, protecting points of entry with sand bags or other methods of limiting water intrusion, and preparing pumps and hoses to extract the water.

If history teaches us anything, the significant increases in the frequency of floods, rising flood level during major events, and the expansion of the flood zones mapping, building owners should consider the possibility of flood-proofing their most vulnerable facilities. Owners can contact their local emergency agencies to determine which buildings are located in flood zones and discuss the various options for flood-proofing their buildings. Owners should also conduct a self-assessment of their buildings to identify equipment, records, or power sources that should be relocated above the anticipated flood level. It’s also important to know that when planning new construction or conducting substantial improvements to an existing property, building departments will require the design to be constructed to resist the effects of flood hazards and the established anticipated coastal and/or riverine flood loads in your area.

Additional Resources

  • BOMA International's Flood Checklist: Adapted from BOMA International’s Emergency Preparedness Guidebook: The Property Professional’s Resource for Developing Emergency Plans for Natural and Human-Based Threats, available now at https://www.techstreet.com/boma.
  • FEMA's Prepare Your Organization for a Flood Playbook
  • 2011 Flood at 8501 West Higgins—Lessons Learned: Courtesy of BOMA/Chicago