Flood Preparedness Checklist: The Home Kit and the Two Car Rules That Save Lives (2026)

Short answer: Floods kill more people in the US than any other weather event, and most of those deaths are in vehicles. Flood preparedness is two kits: a home kit that assumes the water and power are gone for days, and a car rule that you never drive into moving water. Waterproof your documents, stage backup power above the flood line, know your route to high ground, and leave early. Six inches of moving water will knock you down; two feet will float your truck.

The two rules that save lives

1. Turn around, do not drown. Most flood deaths are drivers who thought they could make it. You cannot see the road under the water or whether it is still there.
2. Leave early. Roads close before the water peaks. If a warning is issued for your zone, the time to go is now, not when it reaches the porch.

Flash flood, river flood, atmospheric river

A flash flood comes in minutes from a thunderstorm or a burn scar, with almost no warning. A river flood builds over hours or days and can be forecast. An atmospheric river is the California version: days of rain that saturate ground, overload drains, and cause both. The El Niño 2026-27 forecast makes atmospheric rivers the flood to plan for this winter in Southern California.

Before flood season

• Know if you are in a flood zone and your evacuation route to high ground. Two routes, since one will close.
• Clear gutters, drains, and culverts on your property.
• Stage sandbags if you are downslope or near a creek.
• Move valuables and the kit above the expected water line: second floor or high shelves.
• Photograph every room for insurance; store the photos off-site.
• Check flood insurance. Standard homeowner policies do not cover floods, and new policies have a waiting period.

The home flood kit

• Waterproofed documents: ID, insurance, deeds, prescriptions, photos, in a sealed pouch inside a dry bag that floats.
• Backup power, kept high and dry: a POD X XTREME for phones and the car, a Star Power 600 for the router and medical devices. Flooded substations mean outages that outlast the water.
• Light: a headlamp per adult and a tripod area light. No candles around flood-damaged wiring.
• Water: stored drinking water, because floods contaminate the supply. One gallon per person per day for a week, plus a filter.
• No-cook food for a week and a manual can opener.
• First aid: the Ultimate kit, plus prescriptions.
• Tools: a folding shovel for mud and drainage, gloves, a axe for a downed limb, rubber boots, tarps.
• Signal: a whistle and LED flares that work wet.
• Battery weather radio, cash, a battery carbon monoxide alarm if you run any fuel appliance.

The car in a flood

• Never drive into water covering the road. Turn around.
• If water rises around a stopped car, get out and to high ground immediately; a car in moving water is a trap.
• Keep the jump starter in the car; floods drain batteries through shorted electronics.
• Keep the tank above half and know two routes out.

After the water

• Assume all floodwater is contaminated. Boots and gloves for cleanup.
• Do not turn power back on until an electrician clears flooded circuits.
• Photograph damage before cleaning for the insurance claim.
• Watch for mold within 48 hours; dry everything you can.

Frequently asked questions

How deep does water have to be to move a car?
About one foot of moving water will move most cars; two feet will carry away trucks and SUVs. Six inches will knock an adult down.

Does homeowner insurance cover floods?
Usually not. Flood coverage is a separate policy, often with a 30-day waiting period, so buy it before the season.

What should I grab if I have to evacuate a flood?
The go-bag, the dry bag with documents, prescriptions, the jump starter, and pets. Leave everything else; things are replaceable.

How do I keep power during a flood?
Keep a jump starter and a power station above the water line and charged. Flooded substations cause outages that last after the water recedes.

Build your flood kit with the kit builder or shop survival kits and backup power. Every POD X product carries a 3-year warranty with free registration. Follow NWS and local emergency guidance first.