Major rain events like what happened in Jonesboro in May and most recently in Baton Rouge, Louisiana will happen again. That message came from Carl Watts. He is with the National Flood Insurance Program Service, which works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He was in Jonesboro, presenting a program on the need for everyone to get flood insurance. He says careful considerations should be made.
"Reevaluate your risks by finding out if your are in a special flood hazard area or not and how close are you to flood hazard areas," said Watts.
Watts says Jonesboro is technically in a floodplain, but what matters is whether residents are in an area that is at higher risk for flooding. He tells about some common misunderstandings about flood insurance,such as the myth that homeowners insurance covers floods. He says you can get flood insurance anywhere, and it is a good idea to get a policy if you are renting. He says it is all about managing risks:
"Make sure you know your risk and make the best choice possible to protect your things."
He also says there are some changes coming in October that will affect homeowners as well as those who are in insurance, realty and banking.
He says residents can get more information about risks at floodsmart.gov.
