PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EST TUE MAR 22 2005

THE NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED MARCH 21 THROUGH 26
FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. THE NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
CHARLESTON WILL FEATURE A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL TOPIC EACH DAY DURING
THE AWARENESS WEEK. TODAYS TOPIC: TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

TURN AROUND DONT DROWN IS A NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO
WARN PEOPLE OF THE HAZARDS OF WALKING OR DRIVING A VEHICLE THROUGH
FLOOD WATERS.

WHY IS TURN AROUND DONT DROWN SO IMPORTANT?

EACH YEAR...MORE DEATHS OCCUR DUE TO FLOODING THAN FROM ANY OTHER
SEVERE WEATHER RELATED HAZARD. THE MAIN REASON IS THAT PEOPLE
UNDERESTIMATE THE FORCE AND POWER OF WATER. MORE THAN HALF OF ALL
FLOOD RELATED DEATHS RESULT FROM VEHICLES BEING SWEPT DOWNSTREAM...OF
THESE MANY ARE PREVENTABLE.

WHAT CAN I DO TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT IS THIS SITUATION?

FOLLOW THESE SAFETY RULES:
MONITOR THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS
SOURCE FOR VITAL WEATHER RELATED INFORMATION.

IF FLOODING OCCURS...GET TO HIGHER GROUND. GET OUT OF AREAS SUBJECT
TO FLOODING. THIS INCLUDES DIPS...LOW SPOTS...CANYONS AND
WASHES.

AVOID AREAS ALREADY FLOODED...ESPECIALLY IF THE WATER IS FLOWING
FAST. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOWING STREAMS. TURN AROUND DONT
DROWN

ROAD BEDS MAY BE WASHED OUT UNDER FLOOD WATERS. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH
FLOODED ROADWAYS. TURN AROUND DONT DROWN

DO NOT CAMP OR PARK YOUR VEHICLE ALONG STREAMS AND WASHES...
PARTICULARLY DURING THREATENING CONDITIONS.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO
RECOGNIZE FLOOD DANGERS.