With April designated as Flood Awareness Month, Calvert County Government urges residents to take proactive steps in understanding and preparing for flood hazards. Calvert County is susceptible to various flood risks throughout the year, such as storm surges, heavy rainfalls and coastal flooding.

Flooding is the most prevalent natural hazard in Maryland. Armed with the right information and tools, residents can be prepared for when flooding strikes:

·         Make a Plan: Have a household emergency plan that includes emergency contacts, a meeting place and communication plan with others in your household, and how to meet any special needs.

·         Build a Kit: Assemble an emergency kit with essentials like water, food, medications and important documents.

·         Stay Informed: Sign up for local alerts and monitor weather updates.

·         Property Protection: Consider flood insurance, ensure equipment like sump pumps operate correctly, elevate utilities and use sandbags or other barriers to mitigate floodwater damage.

·         Report Flood Prone Areas: Report nuisance tidal flooding, precipitation-caused flooding and coastal storm damage using the MyCoast Maryland mobile app or website. Citizens are reminded to always follow safety precautions when making flood reports: do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters, and stay off bridges over fast-moving water, which can wash bridges away without warning.

A centerpiece of this year's Flood Awareness Month is a series of educational videos set to be released every Tuesday in April on the county's YouTube channel. These videos will cover topics such as floodplain awareness, floodplain mitigation planning, floodplain community ratings and the National Flood Insurance Program.

In addition to the video series, Calvert County is making updates to critical resources aimed at bolstering the community's resilience to flood hazards. Later this April, the county will unveil an updated flood hazard map that will provide residents with more detailed, accessible information on flood risks in their specific areas. Furthermore, updates to the Calvert County Flood Mitigation Plan and an improved Community Rating System (CRS) rating are on the horizon. These enhancements promise to bring valuable benefits to the community, including reduced flood insurance rates through the CRS program, in recognition of stronger protections and preparedness measures against flood hazards.

Residents are encouraged to learn more about the county’s floodplain management efforts by visiting www.CalvertCountyMd.gov/Floodplain.

Find information on Calvert County Government services online at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov. Stay up to date with Calvert County Government on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CalvertCountyMd and YouTube at www.youtube.com/CalvertCountyGov.