Flood Emergency Preparedness When You Live Alone

Floods can rise faster than you expect. When you live alone, advance preparation and a clear communication plan are your most important safety tools.

Download Free Learn More

Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the US — and just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet.

The Challenge

No one is home to help you move belongings, sandbag doors, or assist with evacuation.

Communication lines fail during floods, leaving isolated solo residents without emergency contact.

Delayed evacuation decisions when living alone can trap you in rising water.

Returning home after a flood exposes you to hidden electrical hazards and contaminated water with no one to help you assess the damage safely.

How I'm Alive Helps

Prepare a go-bag and know your flood zone and local evacuation routes before a flood happens.

Use I'm Alive to send a status check-in to your contacts at key points during and after a flood event.

Establish a pre-arranged shelter destination with a friend or family member so your I'm Alive contacts know where to find you if you evacuate and lose communication.

Before and During a Flood

Know whether your home is in a flood zone by checking local authority flood maps. If it is, consider flood barriers and document your belongings with photos for insurance. Prepare a go-bag with medications, documents, phone charger, water, and food for 72 hours. Keep it near the door so you can leave within minutes. Never walk or drive through floodwater. Turn around, don't drown — water depth and current speed are impossible to judge visually.

Communication and Recovery

Tell a trusted contact your evacuation plan: which route you will take and where you will shelter. Check in with them when you arrive safely. Use I'm Alive to send updates during a flood emergency. Your contacts can see your status without relying on phone calls that may not connect. After returning home, photograph damage before cleaning up for insurance purposes. Do not use electrical appliances until a qualified electrician confirms the property is safe.

What to do if no one hears from you

During a flood, the danger to someone living alone is not only the rising water but the isolation that follows if you are cut off, stranded, or injured while evacuating. If your phone loses signal or power, your family may have no idea whether you got out or are trapped on an upper floor. Deciding now who will raise the alarm, and giving them your plan, prevents your silence from being mistaken for safety. Set a check-in with I'm Alive before flood conditions arrive and add your emergency contacts. Check in when you shelter in place and again when you reach higher ground or an evacuation centre. If you miss a scheduled check-in, the app alerts your contacts automatically so they can escalate to emergency services. I'm Alive is a check-in, not a tracker: it does not follow your movements. Any location you share during an alert is used only for that emergency and deleted after 72 hours. Give your contacts the details that let them act fast: your address, whether you have a car, which evacuation route you intend to take, and the destination where you plan to shelter. Agree that if you stop responding during a flood warning, they should contact local emergency services and report you as potentially stranded rather than waiting to hear back. Water rescue is time-critical, and for a solo resident the person watching for your missed check-in may be the one who gets a boat sent to your street. Keep a charged power bank so you can keep checking in even if the power fails.

Take the Living Alone Safety Assessment Get Free Emergency Contact Card

Get safety tips delivered to your inbox

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I evacuate during a flood?

Leave immediately if local authorities order evacuation. If not ordered but water is rising, leave early — roads flood quickly and escape routes close fast.

What should be in a flood go-bag?

Water (3 days supply), non-perishable food, medications, copies of key documents, phone charger and power bank, warm clothing, and cash.

Is it safe to drive through shallow floodwater?

No. Just 12 inches of moving water can carry away a small vehicle. Never drive through flooded roads.

How do I protect my home before a flood?

Install check valves on pipes, use water-resistant materials in lower floors, elevate electrical systems, and use flood barriers or sandbags at entry points.

How does I'm Alive help during a flood?

You can send a quick check-in update to all your trusted contacts at once, letting them know your location and status without having to make multiple phone calls.