Amanda Bowen, emergency manager for Doña Ana County, talks about preparing for flood events and how to stay safe. Here is a transcript of her conversation with KC Counts:
KC Counts:
Amanda, we talked, maybe around this time last year, during monsoon season when we see these kind of torrential rains come down, all in a short time. And in this case, we're expecting heavy rainfall to continue over a couple of days. Maybe you can tell us what your main concerns are in a period of time like this.
Amanda Bowen:
Sure. Flash flooding is one of our biggest hazards in Dona Ana County, and I think the biggest concerns we typically have are for our Colonia areas because there's not a lot of infrastructure that can guide the water and keep it from inundating homes. Life safety is obviously our biggest priority in any situation, but looking at our different communities, oftentimes they're hit hardest and the infrastructure isn't as good at kind of capturing the floodwaters as comes down. So we're trying to prep all of our areas, the Colonias and the inner city of like Las Cruces and Anthony's Inland Park and those, just to make sure we're as prepared as possible, but always just worried about homes getting inundated and people being affected in that way.
KC Counts:
As we're having this conversation, it's kind of the beginning of the rainfall. And so by the time folks are listening to our conversation, there could be very different conditions. Tell me about the ways that Doña Ana County has for some of those areas like Vado, like Rincon, where we know we have those problem spots?
Amanda Bowen:
Sure. So Doña Ana County works all year on mitigation projects to ensure that we can do as much as possible to make floodwaters less of an impact to our community members as possible. That our flood commission works round the clock trying to improve all of the flood infrastructure. Specifically, they've been working in Vado, La Union and the previous years hatch, there's a lot of infrastructure improvements that have been taking place that happen all the time. Those tend to take a long time to implement, to go from planning phase to actual execution and completion can sometimes take five years or longer if funding isn't available. But those are things that have kind of our started big picture, a long time out. Closer to a rainy season like this, as the monsoons are about to hit, we do a lot of prep and planning with our residents. We try to push out information about what you should do in a flood incident, things you can do at your home to prepare and make sure that our residents know what kinds of things that they can plan for. And so things like that or sandbag distribution and stuff like that, letting the community know how to use those sandbags appropriately and then prepping our partners that help during the response phase.
KC Counts:
Yeah, let's talk about some of those partners, what kinds of resources are at the ready around the county to respond to these types of situations.
Amanda Bowen:
Our responders are really amazing. We have not only our typical first responders who are out in the field, whether it be police, sheriff's department, the firefighters, and the Sea Valley search and rescue team, but we also have specialty teams throughout the county that do swift water rescue training as well. And those guys are at the ready and they prep for these kinds of things. They actually deploy out to other communities and support as well. And so they're constantly doing training, ensuring their equipment is up to date. And so for us, preparedness with those responders is really reaching out, ensuring that they have everything they need and making sure that all the connections and contacts are made in advance.
KC Counts:
We think of fire stations and community centers as kind of those places to go for resources like sandbags. Is that going to be the case for folks across the county or are there some specific points where you would want people to go for those kinds of things?
Amanda Bowen:
Sandbags are available right now at the fire stations both in the city of Las Cruces and in the greater county. The county staffed fire stations have sandbags at them, as well as some of the communities have them in specific locations. Anthony City Hall. Hatch City Hall has them as well as La Union has them at their water department.
KC Counts:
I think we think of people trying to drive through flooded roadways as one of those, you know, number one hazards, right? So we know better. We know it, but what happens to us when we approach that intersection and, you know, I've got to get home and so we try to drive through it. Let's take someone, beyond just, you know, turn around, don't drown. Beyond that, how do we get our heads in the right space to do the right thing?
Amanda Bowen:
I think sometimes it's tempting just to try to chance it. Maybe you're underestimating the depths of water, but any water that's running over the roadway can move vehicles. And so it's better to turn around. It's better to return to high ground, make sure that you are keeping, are in the safest place possible so you don't become part of a rescue. And so a lot of the county has low-lying roadways and low-lying areas that cross it. The way that our infrastructure has moved water traditionally is to take it to low spots. And so making sure you're kind of aware of where that pooling might happen and try to get where you're going and stay there would probably be a best bet for this evening just to avoid any of that consideration of trying to cross the roadway. But if you can't see to the bottom of the puddle, you probably shouldn't be driving across it. even if a vehicle in front of you was able to. If it is swift moving water, you want to steer clear of that altogether.
KC Counts:
All right. What else do you want people to know about the next couple of days just to stay safe and how to get resources if they need them?
Amanda Bowen:
I would say that stack up on sandbags, put those in doorways. We're not trying to make a fortress around your property. We're just trying to protect water from coming into your home. So if you're using sandbags, pick those up at a fire station or at a local hardware store near you. Go ahead and put those at doorways and entrances. Then if you do notice that water is starting to accumulate near you, go ahead and move to high ground and wait it out there. If we have problem areas, we will be opening some evacuation centers. So those will be pushed out to cell phones via an alert. So be on the notice for alert.
KC Counts:
Okay.
Amanda Bowen:
Keep aware of, you know, if we're telling you to leave, there's a good reason for that. We have some information that maybe water is moving quickly and we need you to be in a safe place. So heed any emergency warnings. If someone comes to your door, please do relocate with them. That way we can make sure that everybody stays safe. We don't want any property to be affected, but we'd rather property be affected and our people if at all possible.
KC Counts:
Well, Amanda Bowen, thanks so much again for taking the time to help share this important information. We appreciate it.
Amanda Bowen:
Thank you very much. I appreciate your help.
Here's some additional information from The New Mexico Department of Transportation:
Flash flood and severe weather driving tips
- Turn around, don’t drown. Never drive through a flooded roadway or around barricades. Water may be deeper or moving faster than it appears, and the roadway beneath the water may be damaged or washed away.
- Never enter a flooded arroyo or low-water crossing. Arroyos and normally dry washes can fill rapidly, even when rain is falling miles away.
- Obey road closures and barricades. They are placed for your safety. Never move, drive around or ignore a barricade closing a flooded or damaged roadway.
- Slow down and buckle up. Wet pavement increases stopping distance and the risk of hydroplaning. Reduce your speed and always wear your seat belt.
- Increase following distance. Leave additional space between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead to allow more time to react and stop.
- Use your headlights. Turn on your headlights during rain and low-visibility conditions so you can see and be seen.
- Do not use cruise control. Maintaining direct control of your speed can help you respond more quickly if your vehicle begins to lose traction.
- Watch for debris and roadway damage. Heavy rain can wash rocks, mud, branches and other debris onto roadways and can undermine pavement.
- Treat dark traffic signals as four-way stops. Storms may cause power outages. Approach intersections cautiously and be prepared for signals that are not operating.
- Avoid unnecessary travel during the heaviest storms. When possible, delay travel until conditions improve.
- Stay informed. Check weather forecasts and road conditions before traveling and never attempt to check a phone or mobile device while driving.
If visibility becomes too poor to safely continue driving, find a safe location completely off the roadway and away from areas prone to flooding. Do not stop in travel lanes, beneath overpasses or in low-lying areas where water may rise quickly.
NMDOT crews will monitor roadways throughout the weather event and respond to flooding, debris and other hazards as conditions allow. Drivers should never assume a roadway is safe simply because water appears shallow.
Motorists are encouraged to check current road conditions before traveling at NMRoads.com or by calling 511.
NMDOT remains committed to the safety of the traveling public and asks everyone to use patience, caution and good judgment during severe weather.
Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
