With a strong storm threatening heavy rainfall and flooding heading to Santa Barbara County this week, local leaders are reminding residents to check whether they have flood insurance and whether they are in a flood zone.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is issuing the reminders ahead of Flood Preparedness Week, which spans from this Saturday to Oct. 25. The board plans to vote on a resolution for Flood Preparedness Week during Tuesday’s meeting in Santa Maria.
The county is also reminding property owners that they can receive up to 20% off on flood insurance because of new flood maps adopted by the county earlier this year.
“Where it rains, it can flood. No home is entirely safe from a flood event,” said Lael Wageneck, a public information officer for the county.
“Unfortunately, many property owners do not find out until it’s too late that their homeowners insurance policies do not cover flooding. While the rainy season is still months away, it’s never too early to get flood insurance.”
The county is also reminding residents that insurance policies can sometimes take up to 30 days to kick in.
The new maps were developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2024. They replace recovery maps that FEMA developed after the Thomas Fire and 2018 debris flow.
The Board of Supervisors approved the new FEMA maps in July. The new zones were originally released to the public in March 2024.
The new flood zones have been updated to account for changing landscapes and have used new technology to more accurately reflect the region. Under the new maps, some parts of the unincorporated areas of Montecito, Carpinteria and the Santa Ynez Valley were included in the flood regions.
Other properties were removed from flood zones entirely. Because of the changes, smaller properties and development projects may no longer be required to go through permitting reviews from the Flood Control District.
To learn more about how to obtain flood insurance, prepare a home and more, residents can visit floodsmart.gov. The site also allows users to flood maps by region or address by clicking here.
Homeowners can learn how to document and insure their properties at ready.gov.
For more information on how to prepare for floods, visit Readysbc.org to sign up for local alerts during emergencies or visit the National Weather Service website.
When floods do occur, the NWS recommends avoiding driving through or walking along running floodwater. Residents are also reminded not to drive past signs and barriers blocking roadways with running water.
“People underestimate the force and power of water. Many of the deaths occur in cars swept downstream,” according to the National Weather Service. “Just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult, and 12 inches of water can carry away most cars.”