WC Wisconsin News

As spring approaches and snow and ice starts to melt, there are several things to remember as part of Flood Safety Awareness Week.

According to a campaign to raise awareness about flood emergencies Ready Wisconsin, water from all the melting ice and snow can find its way into homes, WEAU 13 News reported. Flood Safety Awareness Week was held through March 4.

“We got a lot of calls this week actually,” Jeff Rye, owner of Chem Master Restoration, told WEAU 13 News. “Melting snow, water leaking in just caused from ice dams on roofs. It’s been a busy year already.”

Rye went on remind Wisconsin residents to have their gutters cleared and to make sure their downspouts are hooked up.

“Because that’s going to carry the water away from your house,” Rye told WEAU 13 News. “If you don’t catch some of this, yeah, it could turn to mold, a lot of water damage.”

He also recommended that homeowners check to make sure their sump pump is plugged in and working correctly.

“The sump pumps, you know, sump pumps,” Rye said. “Somebody bumped it or unplugged it to plug in Christmas lights, and they forgot to plug it back in, and then here comes spring, and they have a flooded basement.”

Sam Simmons, emergency management program assistant for Eau Claire County, said that it's the time of year for residents to be prepared for winter thaws, which brings risks at home and on the road.

“It can be a risk any time of the year after it storms, after there’s rain, but really early spring is the first time we pay attention to flooding itself, and that’s why we kind of want to get ahead of it and (get the) message out now,” Simmons said, according to WEAU 13 News.