PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
600 AM CST THU FEB 28 2008

...CONTINUING SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN TEXAS... 

...TURN AROUND...DON’T DROWN...

IN 2006...13 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES IN TEXAS AS THEY TRIED TO DRIVE INTO FLOODED AREAS.  

FLASH FLOODING IS THE NUMBER ONE STORM RELATED KILLER IN THE UNITED STATES AND TEXAS. WHY? 
MOST PEOPLE FAIL TO REALIZE THE POWER OF WATER...THEY WANT TO GET HOME AND THEY THINK THEY 
CAN MAKE IT.  

OF THESE DROWNINGS...MANY ARE PREVENTABLE SIMPLY BY NOT DRIVING OR WALKING ONTO FLOODED ROADS. 
MOST VEHICLES LOSE CONTROL IN SIX INCHES OF WATER AND CAN BE SWEPT AWAY IN 18-24 INCHES OF WATER.  
REMEMBER...WHEN APPROACHING A FLOODED ROADWAY...TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN.

THE NATIONAL 30 YEAR AVERAGE FOR FLOOD DEATHS IS 127. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DATA ALSO SHOWS 
THAT NEARLY HALF OF ALL FLASH FLOOD FATALITIES ARE VEHICLE-RELATED...THE MAJORITY OF VICTIMS ARE 
MALES AND FLOOD DEATHS AFFECT ALL AGE GROUPS. 

FOLLOW THESE SAFETY RULES... 

1. MONITOR THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE FOR VITAL WEATHER RELATED 
   INFORMATION. 

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

3. AVOID AREAS ALREADY FLOODED...ESPECIALLY IF THE WATER IS FLOWING FAST. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS 
   FLOWING STREAMS. 

                 TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN. 

4. ROAD BEDS MAY BE WASHED OUT UNDER FLOOD WATERS. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. 

                 TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN. 

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

6. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE FLOOD DANGERS. IF YOU ARE UNSURE 
   THAT THE ROAD IS CLEAR...
   
                 TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN...CALL YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 
OFFICE...OR VISIT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SRH/TADD ON THE INTERNET.