Prepare your home for high winds and floodwaters before the next storm.

Visit Ready.gov/Flood and Ready.gov/Hurricanes to protect your home from damaging winds and floodwaters.

• Bring inside loose, lightweight objects like patio furniture, garbage cans, and bicycles.
• Anchor objects that are unsafe to bring inside like gas grills and propane tanks.
• Trim or remove trees close enough to fall on your home.
• Keep gutters and drains clear of debris.
• Consider flood insurance because homeowners and renters insurance does not typically cover flood damage.

As your budget allows, take these steps to protect your property from flood damage and manage your risks.

• Waterproof your basement.
• Stockpile protective materials such as plywood, plastic sheeting, and sandbags.

Know your flood risk. Learn whether you live, work, or travel through areas that are prone to flooding. Go to FEMA's Map Service Center , enter your address, and choose “Interactive Map” to see your flood zone. Speak to your insurance agent about how to protect your home and business with flood insurance.

For more information on how to protect your home from wind and water damage, review Prepareathon's Flood and Hurricane pages.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Community Emergency Response Team ( CERT ) Program Office, the American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign , and local fire departments have partnered to install 100,000 smoke alarms this summer and fall for local Sound the Alarm community events.

Partnering with these organizations could be a great opportunity for local CERT programs to attract and engage volunteers. The success of the partnership lies with individual programs, program managers, and volunteers!

Consider mobilizing your team for a local Sound the Alarm event. The Red Cross handles the training, logistics, communications, and liability. This opportunity is a simple and easy way for CERT programs to engage with their communities, make a real difference, and promote CERT!

Joining is simple! Follow these steps to sign up to be a Sound the Alarm volunteer:

1. Go to www.redcross.org/sound-the-alarm .
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your zip code to find a nearby event.
3. Scroll down again and click the region nearest you.
4. Scroll down again to “Volunteer Opportunities,” click the  event that works for you. Once you choose the event, fill out the short application.
5. Be sure to type “CERT team/program name” in the Group/Organization field so FEMA can recognize your participation.

Registration is open now!