FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF)- With heavy rain in the forecast for the rest of the week, North Texas Emergency Management teams are prepared to keep everyone notified and safe.
Maribel Martinez Mejia with The Fort Worth Emergency Management Division says all of the city’s respond teams are on standby.
“This includes Fort Worth Fire, Police and MedStar and Parks and Rec,” she said. “They are ready to activate our emergency response at a higher level if needed if the storms develop and we have severe weather. They will handle any debris, activate our storm sirens and get our storm spotters to give us reports back,” said Martinez-Mejia.
She said they have also have the Fort Worth Fire Department Swift Water Rescue and Dive Teams ready as North Texas prepares for flash flooding also.
Mejia said you can check out the City of Fort Worth’s real time flood warning information online and it will let you know what roads have high water or are closed.
Val Lopez with TxDOT said flash flooding is the leading cause of weather related deaths in Texas.
He said if you see water on the roadways, “turn around don’t drown.”
“As little of 6 inches of water can cause your vehicle to lose control even if you’re in a big truck or SUV,” said Lopez.
Lopez said North Texas will get a lot of rain this week and it’s best to stay off the roads as much as possible. “If you must drive, be aware of the road conditions, check for flash flooding alerts and avoid driving at night when you can’t see puddling on roads,” said Lopez.
Lopez said his team will also help clear debris which will help open up any draining outlets to make the roads safer.
He said they are also making sure construction areas are draining properly and the goal for new construction is to enhance drainage overall.