by Walter W. Murray, survival expert
Last weekend, the world got to see first-hand what happens when a nation’s infrastructure is ignored by the establishment for decades. The Oroville Dam crisis in California was a huge wake-up call.
The government has ignored the warnings for years, but it is undeniable — American infrastructure is literally crumbling around us.
The heavy rains in California are being blamed for the flooding and chaos caused for those residents who live near the dam — but in reality, it is a lack of paying attention. Residents who weren’t aware were caught totally off-guard.
It was the unsuspecting residents who were forced to flee their homes with no warning and no supplies, only to be trapped in HOURS of traffic.
Experts warned of an “imminent failure” for the emergency spillway that was already sending thousands of gallons of water down the hillside. The words struck fear into nearly 200,000 people who would be slammed with a wall of water should the spillway have collapsed. Fear resulted in panic… and people who were trying to flee didn’t get any farther than the highway. The highway and roads leading away from the expected devastation were clogged, trapping tens of thousands in an area that was going to be flooded.
President Donald Trump has made it one of his goals while he is in office to make strides in repairing the failing infrastructure all across the United States. This one close call has opened the eyes of many and it has become painfully apparent that something needs to happen—now. It may be expensive in the short-term, but isn’t the safety of our families worth it?
Here are some fast facts about flooding in the United States and why you need to be prepared, even if you think you are immune from flooding.
- Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States
- In just a little over a year span, 234 people were killed by flooding
- Flooding takes the lives of about 82 people a year, bumping it to the second highest death rate caused by a natural disaster just behind extreme heat
- The average claim for flooding damage is $46,000
- People who live outside of designated flood plains make up one in every five flood claims every year (proving anybody is vulnerable)
- There are more than 80,000 dams in the U.S. — with a third of those labeled as having a significant risk to life and property if they failed
- There have been several dam failures in the past several decades, showing just how vulnerable the infrastructure is
Flooding is far too common for you to ignore. No matter where you live, you need to be prepared.
When a flood warning comes across your phone on your weather app or the news puts out a warning, you’ll be ready!
If you happen to find yourself in the same shoes as those near the Oroville Dam, here are some things you can do to get out alive.
- Know where you live and prepare beforehand! You need to know how you would be impacted by a dam failing. Plan accordingly, buy flood insurance, and be ready to bug out at a moment’s notice.
- If the failure is imminent, lock your house up, turn off all utilities at the main source and get out. Grab your personal documents like birth certificates, passports, banking information and insurance information.
- Head for higher ground, but never walk through standing water. A mere 6 inches of water can be enough to sweep you off your feet and drown you.
- If flood waters rush in and you are in your car, get out. Get away from the car and look for something solid to hold onto. Just six inches of water is enough to disable your car — and two feet of water will sweep a car into the flood waters.
- Do what you can to get out of the water if you are caught in the flood. The current will be strong and there could be debris that will hurt you. There could also be chemicals in the water that can cause you injury. NEVER drink the water.
The most important tool to survival is knowledge. Being prepared and informed about your risks beforehand will help keep you and your family safe if (and when) something like the Oroville Dam crisis hits.
By preparing before, you won’t be the person caught on the highway.
You’ll be the person that’s safe.
— Walter W. Murray is a reporter for The Horn News. He is a survival expert with decades of experience in prepping and the author of “The Case For The Coming Totalitarianism”.