NOUS42 KCHS 151000
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-160500-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EDT TUE MAR 15 2011 
 
...FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK TOPIC - TURN AROUND DONT DROWN...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED MARCH 14 THROUGH 18 FLOOD
SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WILL 
FEATURE A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL TOPIC EACH DAY DURING THE AWARENESS 
WEEK. THE TOPIC FOR TODAY IS TURN AROUND DONT DROWN...TADD FOR SHORT.

TADD IS A NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO WARN PEOPLE OF 
THE HAZARDS OF WALKING OR DRIVING A VEHICLE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS. EACH
YEAR THERE ARE MORE DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH FLOODING THAN ANY OTHER SEVERE
WEATHER RELATED HAZARD. MORE THAN HALF OF ALL FLOODING DEATHS ARE FROM
VEHICLES BEING SWEPT DOWNSTREAM...MANY OF WHICH ARE PREVENTABLE.

UNFORTUNATELY...THE DESIRE TO REACH ONES DESTINATION IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT
OF TIME IS THE CAUSE OF MANY VEHICLE-RELATED FLOOD DEATHS. IF A FEW SIMPLE
SAFETY RULES WERE ALWAYS FOLLOWED...THERE WOULD BE MANY FEWER FLOOD DEATHS
IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE MAIN REASON FOR SO MANY FLOODING DEATHS IS THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE
UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF WATER. SURPRISINGLY LITTLE WATER IS NECESSARY
TO CAUSE A VEHICLE TO FLOAT OR LOSE TRACTION. MOVING WATER IS EVEN MORE
DANGEROUS AS IT CAN SWEEP A VEHICLE TOWARD DEEPER WATER VERY QUICKLY.

DURING HEAVY RAINFALL...AVOID AREAS THAT FREQUENTLY FLOOD. CHOOSE ROADS
THAT ARE LESS LIKELY TO FLOOD AND NEVER DRIVE THROUGH WATER OF UNKNOWN
DEPTH. DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO PLAY NEAR DITCHES AND STORM DRAINS. NEVER
ATTEMPT TO WALK THROUGH FLOWING WATER. IF YOUR VEHICLE LOSES TRACTION IN
WATER...TRY TO BACK OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT 
NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE FLOOD DANGERS.

MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE FOR 
VITAL WEATHER RELATED INFORMATION. 

$$