Q: I think a loved one with disabilities or mobility issues might be affected. What should I do ahead of the flooding?
A: If you have family, friends, or neighbors with special needs, help them with these extra precautions. People with disabilities often require assistance and additional lead time in order to prepare for a disaster. Register with fire departments or volunteer centers, identify multiple evacuation routes at home, carry emergency health info and contacts at all times, carry an alternate means of communication like a dry-erase board or writing tablet and markers, and an escape chair for those who are mobility impaired and stock additional emergency supplies including medications
Q: I am elderly/disabled – who can I call for help or assistance?
A: Elderly and/or disabled people should get help from a personal support network (friends, family, neighbors) in preparing for flooding just like everyone else. Have a way out, ensure that mobility needs are met (including checking that equipment is in good working order), stock supplies like a NOAA Weather Radio, cell phone, 3-5 day supply of food, fresh drinking water, and extra medications. You can also contact 1-800-SENIORCARE (800-736-4672).
Q: Can I turn off my own power?
A: Customers should not attempt to disconnect their electric service on their own. Contact Wisconsin Public Service to perform this step safely.
Q: Who do I contact if my basement is flooded?
A: If you don’t have flood insurance, you should think about getting it now to protect yourself financially against flood damage. If you have flood insurance, contact your flood insurance agent. Normal homeowner’s insurance does not cover flood damage.
Q: How do I get flood debris and floodwater cleared from my property?
A: Different municipalities will have their own policies for disposing of flood-damaged items. Contact your local municipality for more information.
Q: Will someone knock on my door and get me if I lose a cell phone signal?
A: There is no way for first responders to know if someone does not have cell phone service. First responders make every attempt to notify individuals of an impending evacuation. Sometimes it is just not possible to get to everyone, that is why it is important to stay informed by signing up for CodeRED, having a NOAA Weather Radio, and staying tuned to your favorite local TV/radio stations.
Q: What is the danger to me and my family if the house is flooded, and who will let us know if we need to leave?
A: First responders make every attempt to notify individuals of an impending evacuation. Sometimes it is just not possible to get to everyone, that is why it is important to stay informed by signing up for CodeRED, having a NOAA Weather Radio, and staying tuned to your favorite local TV/radio stations.
Q: My house is in the line of a flood right now. What steps should I take/who do I contact?
A: Remove items from your basement in advance of flooding; have a plan, and be prepared. Stay out of floodwaters and do not go into any room with water in it. If you have an emergency, call 911.
Q: Will FEMA or the State of Wisconsin pay to repair or replace my damaged home or property?
A: Typically, no. In Brown County, the amount of damage caused by weather-related events has historically not been high enough to apply for financial assistance from the State of Wisconsin or FEMA. Occasionally a municipality can apply to the State of Wisconsin for some disaster-related reimbursement, but that is for Municipal expenses.
Q: Who do I call for financial recovery? Who will pay to clean and repair my flooded house or property?
A: If you have flood insurance, contact your flood insurance agent. Typically, in Brown County, the amount of damage caused by weather-related events is not high enough to apply for financial assistance from the State of Wisconsin or FEMA. It is very important to have insurance (especially flood insurance), as the property owner will be responsible for damage to their property.
Q: If something happens to my property, who is going to pay for it? Who will pay to repair or replace my damaged or destroyed business property and equipment?
A: The property owner is solely responsible for their property and business equipment. This is another reason why it is important to protect yourself financially against flood damage by getting flood insurance.
Q: How do I get sandbags set up to protect my home or business? Where do I get sandbags?
A: You can purchase sandbags from many local home improvement stores. You can also contact your local municipal Department of Public Works to make the assessment if sandbags are needed and will function properly. They will then contact the Brown County Department of Public Works to attain sandbags.
Q: What is a flood?
A: Flooding is an overflow of large amounts of water onto normally dry land. Flooding happens in many ways due to the overflow of streams, rivers, lakes, or oceans, or because of excessive rain or runoff.
Q: Am I in a flood plain, and how do I find out?
A: Utilize our floodplain lookup tool on the main Flood page to find out.
Q: What steps can I take right now to limit the effect of the expected flooding issues?
A: Check out our Flood Preparedness Page for more details.
Q: Do I need to store up drinking water in advance of the flood, and why?
A: It is always a good idea to prepare an emergency kit for your home. These kits contain necessities and other items to help your family take care of itself for at least the first 72 hours. Papers, Purses, Pills, Pets, Phones, Prescriptions. Think about those items amongst others; food & water (for both people and pets), first aid, batteries, etc. Check out Ready.gov for more.
Q: Who should I call if I lose power, sewer, or water?
A: Customers experiencing a power outage should contact Wisconsin Public Service at 800-450-7240 to report their outage. Customers also can report an outage to WPS at wisconsinpublicservice.com or on the WPS mobile app. For sewer and water, call your utility provider.
Q: Is it safe to go in my flooded basement? What if the power is on?
A: Residents should never enter flooded areas of their homes without first having their electric and natural gas service turned off by WPS. Floodwater can damage appliances such as furnaces or water heaters which creates hazardous conditions.
Q: Is there a radio station I should be tuned in to? Can I sign up for alerts?
A: You should stay tuned to your favorite TV & radio stations for news updates. You can sign up for CodeRED alerts through the Flood homepage. It is also a great idea to have a NOAA Weather Radio.
Q: My property is eroding or flooding, what can I do?
A: Many possible options exist to address eroding or flooding issues. The appropriate actions for a particular property are often situational and site-specific. The best option for a property experiencing eroding or flooding issues can range from do-nothing, implementation of site management best practices, relocation of a house, and when absolutely necessary, construction of shore protection structures.
Q: Who can I contact to help with a shoreline project?
A: A professional coastal engineer, geologist, and/or qualified contractor can all be helpful in selecting and implementing an appropriate set of actions for your situation.
Q: How can I incorporate a nature-based approach into a shoreline project?
A: Depending on the site, restoration of natural coastal defenses like beaches, dunes, and wetlands could be incorporated into a shoreline project. In almost all cases, maintaining or re-establishing deep-rooted and native vegetation near the shoreline and on coastal slopes can help. Vegetation has multiple benefits, as it helps better hold the soil against erosion, slows runoff, and removes potentially destabilizing water from the soil. A no-mow buffer of at least 10 feet from the shore and edge of a bluff is also a good idea.
Q: How Can You Prevent a Basement Backup?
A: Use a Backflow Preventer. Do you know what a Backflow Preventer is? It’s a device that can help prevent a sanitary sewer backup in your home. To learn more, check out an informational video from NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District here.
Also, Don’t Treat Your Toilet Like a Trashcan: Flush Only the “3Ps.” (Pee, Poo, Toilet Paper). Are you flushing wipes (including those labeled flushable), feminine hygiene products, dental floss, cotton balls, and anything other than the “3Ps” in your toilet? Are you pouring grease, fats, and oils down the drain in your kitchen sink? These items can clump together in your home’s pipes, and congeal and cause a backup in your basement. These items also inhibit the proper functioning of the infrastructure to keep the wastewater process flowing. During times of floods, this can increase the potential for sewer backups and overflows.
Also, Don’t Treat Your Toilet Like a Trashcan: Flush Only the “3Ps.” (Pee, Poo, Toilet Paper). Are you flushing wipes (including those labeled flushable), feminine hygiene products, dental floss, cotton balls, and anything other than the “3Ps” in your toilet? Are you pouring grease, fats, and oils down the drain in your kitchen sink? These items can clump together in your home’s pipes, and congeal and cause a backup in your basement. These items also inhibit the proper functioning of the infrastructure to keep the wastewater process flowing. During times of floods, this can increase the potential for sewer backups and overflows.
Q: How Can I Do My Part to Help My Community’s Wastewater Treatment Systems During Times of Flooding? Can the Laundry and Dishes Wait?
A: In times of flooding, water going down the drains can stress the already over-burdened underground pipes in our community. These pipes include those from your residence, which are connected to your municipality, which is connected to the sewerage district. While sanitary sewer and storm water pipes should not be interconnected, excess clear water or storm water does get into the sanitary sewer system. Clear water and storm water that enters into the sanitary sewer system is an occurrence called Inflow and Infiltration, or I&I. Our community’s water resource recovery utility, NEW Water, sees upwards of 3x the normal flow of water in the sanitary sewer during times of flooding. The utility treats on average 41 million gallons of water per day. During major wet weather events in 2019, the utility was inundated with upwards of 150 million gallons per day -- and that’s not because people were flushing their toilets more often.
Q: What Causes Excess Water to get into the Sanitary Sewer System?
A: Sump pump connections to the sanitary sewer line which are illegal (or incorrect). Leaky pipes out in the community (including residential laterals) due to root intrusion, aging infrastructure, and more. Improper connections between storm water and sanitary sewer systems.
