People urged to prepare for flooding

Local emergency response officials are urging residents of flood-prone areas to plan and prepare for potential flooding.

“Basically, what we’re telling people the best thing they can do to help responders is to be able to take care of themselves for 72 hours, to have a plan about what they will do in the event there is flooding that impacts their home or business,” said Cindy Mullaney, deputy director of the Flathead County Office of Emergency Services.

Based on well-above-average snowpack alone, the National Weather Service predicts most rivers and streams in Northwest Montana will approach or exceed flood stage.

The peak runoff is not expected until late May to early June, but that forecast is dependent on how the weather unfolds over the next few weeks.

“We’re kind of in that precarious position where the Weather Service has said there will be flooding, but we don’t know if it will be minor or major flooding,” Mullaney said. “It depends on what the weather does.”

Mullaney was among the emergency planners who attended a Thursday flood planning meeting organized by Bigfork residents.

So far, Mullaney said, that’s the only organized citizen effort she is aware of.

“I haven’t heard of other groups doing that, but we have individuals who are,” she said.

Mullaney offered some of the advice she has been sharing with people who inquire about flood preparedness.

People should have a supply kit that includes bedding, clothing, nonperishable food, one gallon of water per person per day, prescription medication, a flashlight, glasses and access to a radio.

They also should pay attention to media reports.

And if they own pets or livestock, they should have an advance plan to evacuate their animals prior to a flood event.

The county does not have trailers to haul animals, so advanced relocation is strongly urged. The county does, however, arrange locations for animals to be taken to if necessary.

There was interest among the Bigfork group to do advance sandbagging, but Mullaney advises people not to be too hasty.

“Once you fill a sandbag, then it’s never good again. We’re trying to hold people from doing that until it’s really needed,” said Mullaney, who noted that sandbags cost 30 cents to $1 apiece.

“If active flooding is going to occur, then the county will make sandbags available,” she said. “We do have a good supply.”

The county has about 40,000 sandbags that would be distributed to accessible locations if necessary. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has about 200,000 at Libby Dam that would also be available if needed.

But so far, there is no way to know how serious flooding might get.

There is a training session Tuesday in Bigfork to teach people how to prepare 72-hour emergency packs. Lana Nelson, a food specialist, will teach the session starting at 6 p.m. in the music room of Bigfork High School.

The training is geared to individuals and churches, according to organizer Dr. Bruce Nelson. “Each church is asked to send someone to the meeting so they can go back and have the church make packs,” Nelson said.