04/13/2026
Sharing from stronach fire, well written good information that would help our residents
🚨 FLOOD SAFETY ALERT — STRONACH TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT 🚨
Fire Chief Fred R. LaPoint | Stronach Township Fire Department
We are currently under a Flood Watch here in Manistee County through Wednesday morning, and I need everyone in our area to take this seriously. We've had significant rainfall combined with heavy snowmelt over the past several weeks — the ground is saturated, waterways are already running high, and more rain and thunderstorms are expected beginning tonight with increasing severe weather potential through Wednesday.
Please read this entire message. There's something here for everyone.
🏠 BASEMENT FLOODING — WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO
I've heard from several residents experiencing water in their basements — including in areas that don't typically flood. This is exactly the kind of situation that can turn fatal fast if you make the wrong move.
⚡ ELECTRICAL HAZARDS — THIS IS THE BIG ONE:
If there is standing water in your basement, STOP before you take another step down those stairs.
Do NOT enter flooded basement spaces if there is any possibility of electrical energization. Extension cords lying in water, outlets at or below the waterline, a sump pump plugged into a wall — any of these can energize the water and you will not know it until it's too late.
Shut off the electrical power to your basement at the breaker panel BEFORE entering — and make sure the breaker panel itself is not in the flooded area. If the panel is in the basement and underwater or at risk, do not touch it. Call your utility provider and request an emergency disconnect.
When in doubt, call us. That's what we're here for.
Use a non-contact voltage tester if you have one before touching any surface or water. If you don't own one, assume the water is energized until proven otherwise.
Rubber-soled boots alone are NOT sufficient protection against an energized water source. Do not rely on them.
🔥 GAS APPLIANCES AND PILOT LIGHTS:
If water has risen high enough to reach your water heater, furnace, or any gas appliance:
Do not attempt to relight pilot lights while standing in or near floodwater.
If you smell gas — get out immediately, leave the door open, do not operate any switches or open flames, and call 911 and your gas utility from outside.
Once the water recedes, do not attempt to restart gas appliances yourself. Have a qualified technician inspect and restart them. Water intrusion into gas appliances can cause delayed ignition, incomplete combustion, and carbon monoxide hazards.
Run a battery-operated CO detector in your home during and after flooding events — carbon monoxide is odorless and kills quickly.
🧹 AFTER THE WATER RECEDES:
Document everything photographically before cleanup for insurance purposes.
Wear protective gear — floodwater is not clean water. It carries sewage, chemicals, and biological hazards.
Run dehumidifiers and fans aggressively — mold can begin establishing within 24–48 hours.
Have your electrical system inspected before restoring power to flooded circuits.
🚗 ROADS AND MOVING WATER — TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN
This is not a suggestion. It is life-safety guidance backed by hard data.
Six inches of moving water can knock a person off their feet.
Twelve inches of moving water can carry away a small vehicle.
Two feet of rushing water can sweep away most SUVs and trucks.
You cannot judge the depth or current speed of water covering a roadway. The road surface beneath may be compromised or washed out entirely.
If you encounter a flooded road — turn around. No destination is worth your life. No shortcut is worth your family getting that phone call.
Be especially aware of low-water crossings, culverts, and bridge approaches — these are the highest-risk points during flood events.
🚣 RIVERS, CREEKS, LAKES, AND WATERWAYS — A DIRECT WARNING TO OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS
I know many of you love our waterways. Kayakers, canoeists, anglers, and recreational boaters — this message is specifically for you:
Do not go out right now. Full stop.
Here's why:
Current speeds have increased dramatically beyond what the water's appearance suggests. What looks like a manageable run is moving far faster and with far more force than normal conditions.
Debris is moving with the current — submerged logs, trees, fencing, and other large objects are invisible hazards that can pin, capsize, or trap you instantly.
Water temperatures are dangerously cold due to snowmelt runoff. Cold water shock can cause involuntary gasping and muscle incapacitation within seconds of immersion — even strong, experienced swimmers are not immune. Hypothermia can incapacitate in minutes.
Strainers — debris caught against fixed objects like bridge pilings or fallen trees — are among the most dangerous and least survivable hazards in flood-stage water. The hydraulic force pressing against them is impossible to overcome.
Swiftwater rescue is extraordinarily dangerous for responders. Please don't put my crews in that position.
If you are on the water and conditions change — get off immediately and move to high ground.
📋 GENERAL FLOOD PREPAREDNESS — BEFORE IT GETS WORSE:
Move valuables, important documents, and medications to the upper floors now.
Know where your main water shutoff, gas shutoff, and electrical panel are located.
Keep your phone charged and have a battery backup or hand-crank weather radio.
Check on elderly or mobility-limited neighbors — they may need help and may not reach out.
If you are told to evacuate, go. Do not wait to see how bad it gets.
📞 IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY — CALL 911
Do not wait. Do not try to handle a life-threatening situation alone.
Stronach Township Fire Department and your local fire departments are monitoring conditions and prepared to respond. Stay safe out there. We'll get through this together.
— Fred R. LaPoint, Fire Chief & Paramedic
Stronach Township Fire Department
Stronach Township, Manistee County, Michigan
