After seeing a tweet by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate about some new FEMA widgets, I had to check them out. The widget “Are You Prepared For Flooding?” is a simple, effective way for public agencies and firms like Dewberry who support local, state, and federal hazard mitigation and emergency management programs to get useful information into the hands of the end-user families and businesses living and working in flood-prone areas. It provides links to very important information including real-time flood forecasting data as well as tips on how to prepare a flood emergency supply kit, develop an emergency plan, and learn about individual flood risk. Many of our clients are public agencies with a responsibility for preparing for, responding to, and recovering from floods. The agency websites are likely to be visited by the very home and business owners to whom this information will be most useful.

I was particularly intrigued by the Interactive Flood Risk Resources which include “cost of flooding” and “flood risk scenario” tools. The scenario tools explain—in plain language—the different causes and aspects of flooding, such as flash flooding, dams and levees, snow melt, and tropical storms.

The widget also contains links to FEMA’s social media outlets, which I have found are great ways to learn about emergency management.