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Published Monday, August 02, 2010 in Local

Floods number-one cause of weather-related deaths

By Sarah Fay Campbell

The Newnan Times-Herald

Floods are the number-one cause of weather-related deaths in the United States.

While flood-related death has been traditionally associated with the Midwest and coastal areas, in the past year, Georgia has experienced deadly floods.

Nine people were killed in the September 2009 floods. Seven of the victims were driving a vehicle when they became trapped in the flood waters.

Approximately 100 Americans are killed each year by floodwaters; half of those deaths involve vehicles.

"Turn around, don't drown" is the message that the National Weather Service wants to get out to people who encounter floodwaters.

"You never know what is underneath" the floodwaters, said Jay Jones, Coweta's emergency management director.

You should never attempt to drive through floodwaters.

"Just because you see land on each side ... doesn't mean that it is that same level underneath the water," Jones said.

It takes just 18 inches of water to lift the typical car or SUV, said Jones. For some cars, it's even less.

And once that happens, "you're at the mercy of the stream," he said.

Just 6 inches of water can cause an engine to stall, leaving a vehicle stranded.

Even if the floodwaters don't look very deep, they may have already washed out a bridge or culvert, or created a sink hole.

Moving water is by far the most dangerous. It only takes 6 inches of rapidly moving water to knock the average man off his feet, said Drew George, training officer at Vital Care, which manages the Coweta County Emergency Medical Service.

"Once the vehicle starts floating, you have no control over it," he said.

Water that isn't moving can also be very dangerous. Sink holes can open up, and are completely invisible from the surface.

"It's what you don't see," Jones said.

During the flash floods that struck Coweta on July 26, a Newnan police officer attempted to drive through floodwaters in the area of Shenandoah Boulevard. His car got stuck in the waist-deep water. Luckily, the officer wasn't injured, but the vehicle was totaled.

Even though the dangers are clear, and well-documented, some people still drive through moving floodwaters.

"Some may feel like they need to get to family members," Jones said. Someone may not be able to get in touch with someone and decides to enter the floodwaters. "A lot of times, they will find that those people are safe and what they have done is actually created the emergency," Jones said.

"Just heed the warnings" and turn around, don't drown, he said.

If you do become trapped in floodwaters in your vehicle, the preferred course of action depends on what is happening, George said.

If the vehicle is stable, you can stay in it, but be prepared to flee at any moment. Once water reaches the doors, it may become impossible to open them. Don't get trapped with your windows up.

If the vehicle is unstable, filling with water or threatening to roll, get out as quickly as possible. Once you get out, though, "try to stay with your vehicle," George said, instead of attempting to swim through the rushing water.

Oftentimes, George said, people who are rescued are found on top of their vehicles, clinging to the luggage rack.

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