Flood
Hazards in Lauderhill
The
residents of Lauderhill are located in the heart of
Broward County. It offers a vibrant mix of diverse
cultures. City facilities include several beautiful
parks, a sports complex, several community centers,
public swimming pools, and so much more. But we also
need to keep in mind that along with these benefits come
natural hazards. Flooding is one of the most common
risks to our residents. Most of Lauderhill is located
within a Special Flood Hazard Area as determined by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Tropical
storms and hurricanes are a way of life here in South
Florida. Localized heavy rainfalls can cause flooding
due to the poor drainage qualities of our soil. It was
found that of the twenty-seven reported repetitive
losses within our City, almost 90% of them were caused
by a storm event. From Tropical Storm Gordon in 1994 to
the most recent Hurricane Wilma, these events can cause
serious property damage.
Flood
Safety
Practice these tips to ensure safety during a flood:
1.
Pay attention to
evacuation routes.
Local radio and TV stations will broadcast forecasts
and emergency warnings. Have an emergency evacuation
plan in place for you and your family.
2.
Do not drive through a
flooded area.
Watch for road barriers and do not drive around
them. They are there for your protection; the bridge
may be washed out.
3.
Do not walk through
flowing water.
Six inches of water if moving fast enough, can knock
you off your feet. Currents can be deceptive.
4.
Stay away from power lines
and electrical wires.
Water carries electrical current. Report downed
power lines to Florida Power & Light at
1-800-4OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243). Teach your kids
about the hidden dangers of electricity.
5.
Have the power company
turn off your electricity.
Some appliances, like TVs, keep electrical charges
even after they've been unplugged. They will need to
be taken apart, cleaned, and dried before it will be
safe to use again.
6.
Look before you step.
Broken glass, nails, bottles, stairs covered with
mud after a flood are hazardous and can be very
slippery.
7.
Be alert for gas leaks.
Inspect any damage with a flash light instead of
candles, lanterns, or open flames. Be sure that the
gas has been shut off and the area has been
ventilated.
Flood Insurance
The
City of Lauderhill participates in the National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP). That allows local insurance
agents to sell a NFIP flood insurance policy to
homeowners under rules and standard rates set by the
federal government. Any house in Lauderhill can be
covered by a flood insurance policy. Remember to not
wait for the next flood to buy insurance. Most of the
time there is a waiting period before the policy goes
into effect.
Everyone is trying to cut expenses in today’s economy.
However, flood insurance is a fairly inexpensive way to
make sure the investment in your property is protected.
Anywhere it rains, it can flood. We have been
experiencing some very heavy rain storms over the last
several months. That’s great for the landscaping as well
as our drought condition but water can only seep into
the ground at a certain speed. No matter how much
drainage is provided, your property can still flood. The
City of Lauderhill takes great care in making sure there
are no clogged drainage systems by constantly cleaning
storm drains, lowering swales along the roadways, and
removing debris from canals and waterways to ensure
adequate flow. Our City participates in the National
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) which helps property
owners financially protect themselves by offering flood
insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners.
We are currently a class 9 community which means, as a
resident of the City, you qualify for a 5% discount on
your flood insurance policy. If you have a drainage
problem, concern, or question, we encourage you to call
our department at (954) 730-2960. For more information
on the NFIP, you can visit
www.floodsmart.gov which is also listed on our
website under City Links.
Property Protection Measures
There
are several ways that you can help to protect your
property from damage by a flood before it happens. If
there is a definite threat, you can take these emergency
measures to help mitigate that damage:
1.
Place sandbags or plastic
sheeting in front of doorways and other low points
around your home.
2.
Elevate furniture.
3.
Move the most valuable
items to a higher level.
4.
Create floodway openings
in areas not be lived in such as the garage doors.
5.
Seal off sewer lines to
the home to prevent the backflow of sewer waters.
More
permanent changes can be made to a building as well:
1.
Re-grade the lot to keep
the water away from the structure.
2.
Build a berm with dirt or
small floodwall around your property.
3.
If your house has a
crawlspace, move all items subject to damage out of
harm's way so water can flow into the crawlspace
without causing problems (wet flood proofing)
4.
Dry flood proof which
means to add watertight closures over the doors and
make the walls waterproof.
5.
Elevate electrical boxes,
water heaters, washers and dryers, and air
conditioners.
6.
Install backflow
preventers.
7.
Install professionally
made storm shutters that are rated to withstand
hurricane winds.
Natural and beneficial functions of our floodplain
Flooding from hurricanes and storms is essential and a
natural occurrence which increases soil fertility,
creates wetland, rejuvenates spawning gravel, creates
barrier islands, promotes aquatic habitat, creates fish
habitat and bank stability, promotes plant
establishment, and the evolution of channels and
shoreline features such as dunes. The seasonal rains we
experience are a part of the normal function of the
floodplain zone. The water flow is critical to
maintaining vegetation when it moves sediment and
nutrients from rivers, ocean or lakes onto the
connecting floodplain. The vegetation that grows along
our canals helps stabilize the banks and provide habitat
for wildlife as well as control erosion and
sedimentation. It improves water quality by filtering
pollutants. It is very important that we maintain our
floodplain.
We are
pleased to announce a new storm water pump station. It
is located at Gateway Park between 55th and 56th Avenues
just north of Sunrise Blvd. The pump station was
commissioned in June 2009 with the purpose of reducing
flooding in Central Lauderhill, specifically in areas
adjacent to 55th and 56th Avenues. In these areas all
surface water (from rains) is directed to the canal
which is then pumped to the So.
Florida Water Management District’s C-12 canal just
south of Sunrise Blvd. out of our City.
We are
constantly striving to keep our community safe and
improve our floodplain management system.
Flood
Warning System
Flood
warnings are forecasts of impending storms and are
broadcast to the public by the NOAA Weather Radio (click
here to see NOAA information Sheet (LINK), commercial
radio, TV stations, and local emergency agencies. Our
hurricane season runs from June 1st through November
30th. The following radio and TV stations carry
advisories for our area:
WSVN
Ch. 7, WCBS Ch. 4, WTVJ Ch. 6, WBFS Ch. 33, WPLG Ch. 10,
WLRN, Ch. 2,
Broward
County Emergency Management Division, NOAA Weather Radio
at frequency 162.550,
Lauderhill Operated Radio WQFL 1630 AM, WIOD 610 AM,
WINZ 940 AM, WDNA 88.9 FM, WAXY 790 AM,
WQBA
1140 AM, WAMR 107.5 FM, WRTO 98.3 FM
Broward
County provides a very comprehensive Hurricane
Preparedness Guide. This information can be found at the
following website:
http://www.co.broward.fl.us/Hurricane/HurricanePreparednessGuide/Pages/Guide1.aspx
By paying attention to weather alerts, you'll have
enough warning time to protect your property or
evacuate. You can also sign up on the Broward County
Vulnerable Population Registry for residents that were
disabled, frail or bad health to help first responders
get to you faster:
http://www.co.broward.fl.us/registry/pages/default.aspx
Floodplain Development Permit Requirement including
Substantial Improvement/Damage Requirements
Our
regulations require that a permit be pulled from the
Building Department before you build on, alter, re-grade
or fill on your property. It is needed to make sure that
those projects do not cause drainage problems on the
property. New buildings must meet the same criteria. Our
building code requires that all substantial improvements
to buildings meet the same requirements. That means that
any combination of repair, reconstruction, or addition
to a home must have a permit. If you see building or
filling without a City permit posted, contact the
Building Department at (954) 730-3060.
Drainage System Maintenance
Our
City's drainage system is routinely maintained by our
Storm Water Division. This means that all storm drains
and canals are cleared of debris and sprayed for weeds.
A drainage system consists of storm drains, canals, and
storm water pipes. This system is designed to move water
during a storm and help prevent flooding. Dumping
debris, soil erosion and overgrowth of vegetation can
prevent the system from functioning as it should. Do not
dump or throw anything into ditches, storm drains,
canals or lakes. This is illegal. Keeping grass
clippings and other debris out of the storm water drains
will help maintain the health of the drainage system. If
you see someone dumping anything into a storm drain or
water body, call the Department of Environmental &
Engineering Services at (954) 730-2960 or the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection at (904)
807-3300.
Flood
Zone Maps and Elevation Certificates
To find
out what flood zone your property is located in, contact
the Department of Environmental & Engineering Services
at (954) 730-4204. You can also visit a website at
http://gis.broward.org/website/flood/search.htm to
get your flood zone information. Copies of all elevation
certificates and Letters of Map Amendments can be
obtained there as well. If you have a flooding or
drainage problem, the City will investigate it. Call
(954) 730-2960 with any questions. FEMA can be reached
at (800) FLOODSMART.GOV (1-888-379-9531) for any
additional questions. This is the official site of the
NFIP.
