Your Questions and Answers
Q: Where can I get sandbags?
A. A supply of sand and bags will be kept at the Island Fire Station
Q: How can I registered to be a volunteer?
A. Call or text a fellow member or send an email with your request to infor@ippa.life.
Q: How can I ask for assistance from the volunteers?
A. Call or text an existing member or email info@ippa.life. Requests and alerts will be monitored and answered until the threat of flood damage is over.
Q: What if I see an impending danger to people of property?
A: Like all life threating events one should call 911 for help from our local agencies. Thereafter let the IPPA contact alert program know of the situation to assist neighbors and public agencies if called upon. Less than life threating dangers should be reported to the proper agency and IPPA.
Q: How do I verify the elevations of my house location and surrounding properties?
A. Google Maps Pro has a free download app. Once you have it downloaded follow the directions to find your address. Your longitude, latitude, and elevation will be in the lower right-hand corner. If you need help doing this research, please reach out to the contact list and a volunteer will assist you.
Q. Can farmers right now use all the water they want for no or little cost to give an incentive to maximize use of flood releases?
A. Most water districts are not charging for the use of flood release irrigation, but each district may be different especially during these times where extra help may be needed seven days a week. Users should check with their districts as all the districts are part of the local agencies working together to reduce the river flows.
Q. Are there any properties along the channels that water can be diverted to for recharge or to reduce river flows?
A. The local agencies are working together to maximize the use of recharge basins and other open areas.
Q. Are there any programs to help residents who lose the use of their septic tanks to get portable toilets?
A. We have reached out to local and state agencies looking for assistance. One should not forget that the companies that own the portable bathrooms are part of our communities and if need one and cannot afford it you should ask for assistance from them or have us do it for you. You should not discharge waste on the ground or in surrounding seepage or flood waters as it can cause diseases and the pollution of wells.
Q. My house pad is above the flood plane but my well and septic leach lines are not. What do I do?
A. You can sandbag around you well and you will get some protection unless the water rises above the sandbag area which will then flood around the well. Most wells in Kings County after 2000 were required to be sealed at the well head and down into the ground in the perched strata. One must remember that if it floods around your well there is electricity out at the pump in the pressure box. If you get notice that there is a breach and water begin surrounding your house you should consider turning off the breakers to the services that will get wet, like you well. Your septic system will stop working at some point when your leach lines are submerged.
Q. If I decide to evacuate or I am ordered to do so should I turn off the main breaker to my house since my house plugs etc. will be exposed to water?
A. By turning off the main breaker before leaving, the low point for the electricity and water to touch will be the main electrical box which is several feet above your pad as compared to wall plugs etc. Most likely if there is a break or an evacuation PG&E will take steps to reduce the exposure of electrical shorts by cutting power in those areas. If you are going to shut off your main breaker before you leave, please know what you are doing by contacting PG&E or an electrician as we have several living among us. Never touch your electrical box while standing in water or being wet. Bottom line, do your homework.
Q. Since there are going to be many more mosquitoes this year because of all the water, especially stagnant areas, what should I do?
A. First protect yourself by staying covered, using protectant, and take steps to reduce the mosquitoes around your residence and animals. You should contact Kings County Mosquito Abatement for assistance if you have water sources that are causing mosquitoes in your area. Please consult your veterinarian about having your animals that can be vaccinated for West Nile, vaccinated as it could be much more prevalent this year. As always, the Kings County Environmental Health Department is a great source for information and resources in such matters.
Q. Is there a good overall evaluation plan in anticipation of or in case of an order to evaluate because of flooding?
A. The FEMA site here is excellent in several aspects of personal and community planning for evacuation.