The City of Austin encourages you to prepare for flooding. Turn Around, Don't Drown!

Before a Flood:

• Clean out drains and gutters.
• Keep drainage easements clear; do not dump debris into creeks.
• Gather supplies to last for several days, including non-perishable foods, water, and cleaning supplies.
• Keep a charged cell phone or battery-powered radio handy for weather updates.
• Sign up for regional emergency notifications at WarnCentralTexas.org.
• Store important documents in a watertight container and create password-protected digital copies.
• Move valuables to higher levels in case of flooding.
• Make a family and pet emergency plan; consider whether you want to stay at home or find shelter with friends or family.
• Prepare an emergency kit with essentials like food, water, medications, documents, and first aid supplies.
• Turn off electricity and gas if you decide to leave your home and it is safe to do so.

During a Flood:

• If you must travel, stay away from creeks, trails, culverts, ponds, and drainage infrastructure.
• Check for road closures on ATXFloods.com as roads may flood before homes.
• Never drive through high water or around barricades.
• Slow down on wet roads; water covering roads is hard to see at night.
• Avoid contact with floodwater due to health risks, including hazardous materials and bacteria.
• If water is rising, get to higher ground.

After a Flood

• Return to your home only when local authorities have advised that it is safe to do so.
• Do not cut or walk past caution tape that was placed over doors or windows to mark damaged areas or if a building inspector has placed a color-coded sign on your home.
• This site may be unsafe for children and pets, consider leaving them with a relative or friend while you conduct the first home-safety inspection of your home after the disaster.

Before entering your home

• Make a careful and thorough inspection of your home’s structural elements:
• Check the outside of your home for loose power lines, broken or damaged gas lines, foundation cracks, or missing support beams.
• Don’t force a jammed door open. It may be providing support to the rest of your home.
• Smell for gas. If you detect natural or propane gas, or hear a hissing noise, leave the property immediately and get far away from it. Call the fire department after you reach safety.
• If you have a propane tank system, turn off all valves and contact a propane supplier to check the system before using it again.

Digital Resources

• Sign up for emergency notifications from WarnCentralTexas.org to receive important information during emergencies.
• Follow @ATXFloods on X for information about flooding.
• Visit ATXFloods.com for real-time road closures.
• Visit ATXFloodSafety.com for preparedness information.

Austin 911

• If you need emergency assistance, call 911.

Austin 3-1-1

• To report current flooding issues, downed or malfunctioning traffic signals, or debris in the roadway, report the issue on the Austin 3-1-1 mobile app, or call 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000.

Additional Resources: You can find the Neighborhood Preparedness Guide and additional preparedness information to help keep you safe at ReadyCentralTexas.org.