ARE YOU FLOOD-READY?

Flooding has always been an intrinsic part of life in Australia. It’s the price of living in such a wild and beautiful country and one that likes to remind us that nature cannot and will not be tamed.

Widespread flooding last year devastated communities across a number of states and territories causing untold disruption and racking-up a damage bill into the billions.

The floods that swept the east coast in early 2022 have been described as the third costliest natural disaster in the history of the country.

From a road transport perspective, this has affected countless businesses and disrupted supply chains nationwide, driving up the cost of all manner of items from insurance premiums to potato chips.

INSURING AGAINST A LOSS

Insurance can be a minefield when it comes to flooding because of the definitions used by insurers.

When Australian insurers define flood damage, they refer to a ‘normally dry’ area being breached by water that has escaped from a river, lake or canal. This usually happens when rivers break their banks or when levees are breached, engulfing local lands and properties. Flooding that comes from rainfall is typically classified as ‘storm damage.’

The easiest way to know the difference between flooding and storm damage is to remember that water coming into your house from the ground level is considered floodwater, whereas water pooling on the roof and leaking, or coming in through a window or damaged wall is storm damage.

The reason this distinction is important is that flood insurance is much more difficult to obtain than other forms of property insurance. Depending on your location, the cost of flood insurance can be eye-watering.

Most policies will not cover flood damage as standard and in the past, this has left many homeowners and businesses high and dry (pardon the pun).

It is absolutely essential, therefore, to ensure that you are correctly insured. Insurance companies regularly test the water that has damaged a property to find the source of flood damage to determine whether it’s rainwater or floodwater from a waterway.

PROTECTING YOUR LIVELIHOOD

If you make your living through your truck, you should be aware of anything that can take that away. Flooding can strike in an instant and cause damage at an almost unbelievable level.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) have prepared a useful guide to the risks that floods pose to heavy vehicles.

The Post Flooding Safety Check runs through how floodwater and associated debris can affect a truck’s components, electrical systems and brakes and how to perform some basic checks on the road.

The main advice for trucks that have been affected by floods is to get the vehicle thoroughly checked out by a qualified technician.

BE WEATHERWISE

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has a three-step plan for preparing for flooding whilst out on the road. The steps are…

1. Ask
2. Learn
3. Plan and prepare

ASK

As you’ll often find with a preparation plan, its power is in its simplicity.

When they tell you to ‘ask,’ this means finding out about the history of the area your truck is in. Has it flooded before? How often has it flooded? How likely is it to flood again and what have others in the area done?

The best people to ask are neighbours, locals or the State Emergency Service (SES), who are a resource for your protection that will be delighted to assist.

LEARN

When the BoM suggests that you ‘learn,’ they mean that you should familiarise yourself with the total flood warning system and all that it entails. You should also be aware of weather warnings and what the severity of each means to you, your business and your safety.

PLAN & PREPARE

This is reasonably self-explanatory and is a natural progression from asking and learning. If you live in a high-risk area, you must have a flood action plan which includes an evacuation plan and a checklist. The BoM has many resources which will help you get flood ready and lend some much-needed peace of mind.

THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

While some trucks can handle the difficult conditions better than others, be aware of your vehicle’s limits.

At the end of the day, the best form of protection is simply not being there when the worst happens.

The first rule of self-defence is to run away because trying to stand your ground unnecessarily against mother nature rarely works.

If you are caught, the best thing you can possibly do is to know your way out and as the Scouts say: be prepared.

If you’re interested in the safety of your truck, make sure you understand the dos and don’ts of load safety.