Website Helps Homeowners Protect Against Flood Damage

If you don`t have proper insurance, it could cost you and your family thousands of dollars. That is why it`s so important to know if you are at risk. "I really haven`t given it much thought really," Johnny Bonomo, a Bossier City resident, said. Bonomo has lived in a high flood area for years, but, like many homeowners he does not have flood insurance. "Flooding as you know if you`ve ever had water in your home does major damage in a short period of time," Sandy Davis, director of the Caddo Bossier Office of Homeland Security, said. The Office of Homeland security monitors water levels in bayous and rivers throughout the Ark-La-Tex. "We have to be aware of what`s going on with the waterways before the flooding takes place and we have a series of gages throughout both parishes," Davis said. There`s a website that can help homeowners determine whether their home is at risk. It`s called floodsmart.gov . You enter your address and it will tell you your risk for flooding. Floodsmart.gov even features insurance agencies near your area who sell flood insurance. Because the Caddo Bossier Office of Homeland Security monitors water levels so closely, homeowners in Caddo Parish, Bossier City and Shreveport can qualify for discounts on flood insurance of up to 40 percent. For more information, contact a licensed insurance agent. Here`s a link to the website: www.floodsmart.gov Reported by Alexis Wiley, awiley@ktalnews.tv