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Protect people first, then protect devices and data. If flooding is possible, back up irreplaceable files, disconnect and relocate portable electronics only while it is safe, keep paper records in a waterproof container, and prepare backup power for communications. Never enter floodwater to retrieve equipment, touch wet electrical gear, or reconnect a water-exposed device until qualified professionals and local authorities say it is safe.
The steps below are general U.S. preparedness guidance. Flood depth, contaminated water, building wiring, local codes and the type of equipment involved can change the correct response.
What to do before flooding is imminent
Use the time before evacuation or rising water to reduce exposure and preserve access to information. Moving a laptop to a higher floor can reduce the chance of direct water contact, but it does not make the laptop floodproof. A backup protects the files independently of the computer, but it does not protect the computer itself.
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Write down the equipment and information needed to keep your household or small organization functioning. A practical list may include:
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- Phones, laptops, desktop computers and tablets.
- External backup drives, USB media and network equipment.
- Chargers, cables, docking stations and power adapters.
- Medical, accessibility or communications equipment that has an electronic component.
- Work files, identity documents, insurance records, financial information, photographs and other irreplaceable data.
Rank items by safety and recovery value rather than by purchase price. People, pets, medicines and emergency communications always come before property.
2. Back up irreplaceable files before the threat is immediate
CISA advises backing up data to a secure external hard drive or a properly vetted cloud service. Start while you still have reliable power and internet access; waiting until an evacuation warning can leave large files unfinished or accounts inaccessible.
For an external drive, complete the backup, verify that the important folders are present, then disconnect the drive. Store it away from the flood-exposed area and, where practical, keep a recovery copy in a different location from the original computer. A drive sitting beside the computer is not an independent backup if both are exposed to the same water.
For cloud storage, use a reputable service with strong account security, a unique password and multi-factor authentication. Confirm that you can sign in from another device and that recovery methods, such as a current telephone number or recovery codes, are available. Cloud files remain remotely reachable in many outages, but that benefit depends on account access, a working device and an available internet connection.
Organizations should adapt CISA’s resilience practices by keeping an offline, encrypted backup and testing that backups are both available and intact. Households can use the same principle: a backup is useful only if the files can be opened or restored when needed.
3. Keep documents protected separately from electronics
Put passports, deeds, insurance papers, medical information and other critical paper records in a waterproof document container. Ready.gov recommends waterproof storage for important documents. Make password-protected digital copies as an additional recovery option.
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A container intended for papers should not be described as protection for a laptop, phone, hard drive or submerged electronics. Unless the exact product and conditions have been verified, a pouch or box does not establish a waterproof rating for powered equipment.
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Store extra batteries, charging cables, a portable phone power bank or another emergency charging device with your evacuation and emergency supplies. Ready.gov recommends extra batteries and charging devices, but does not establish a universal power-bank capacity or flood-resistance rating. Keep these items dry and accessible before an evacuation order, not in a basement or low cabinet that may flood first.
5. Move portable equipment when it is safe
FEMA advises moving furniture, rugs, electronics and other valuable belongings to upper floors, or at least off the floor of the ground level. If there is advance warning and no danger in doing so:
- Shut down portable computers and other equipment normally.
- Unplug chargers and accessories only from a dry location and with dry hands.
- Place equipment on an upper floor or another area above the expected water path.
- Keep devices away from windows, roof leaks, sinks and other sources of non-flood water.
- Leave enough time to evacuate; do not delay departure to save property.
Do not carry equipment through water, climb into an unsafe structure or approach a breaker panel that may be wet.
6. Treat building-level elevation as a mitigation project
Raising a portable laptop onto a shelf is a household action. Elevating a furnace control, service panel, outlets, generator connection or other fixed electrical component is a building-mitigation project. FEMA explains that elevating equipment above potential flood levels can reduce direct contact with water, but there is no universal elevation height that suits every property.
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Have planned work evaluated against expected flood levels, wiring safety and local building requirements. Use local authorities and qualified electrical or flood-mitigation professionals for design and installation. Do not improvise modifications to energized systems.
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Choosing a backup that can survive a flood affecting your home
An external drive and a vetted cloud service solve different parts of the problem. CISA supports both approaches rather than naming one universally best choice.
| Consideration | External drive | Vetted cloud service |
|---|---|---|
| Location of the copy | Can remain outside the flood-exposed location if stored elsewhere; vulnerable if left beside the original device. | Usually held remotely, so a local flood may not reach the provider’s copy; the service’s own resilience is outside your control. |
| Access during local disruption | Can be restored without local internet access, provided you have a working computer and power. | Requires account access, a compatible device and internet connectivity to download files. |
| Security and recovery | Can be encrypted and kept offline; losing the drive or its encryption key can block recovery. | Requires a strong password, multi-factor authentication and working account-recovery methods. |
| Maintenance | Must be connected for updates and then disconnected for separation from malware and local hazards. | Can update automatically, but you must review synchronization, storage limits and account alerts. |
| Restoration confidence | Test by opening representative files from the drive. | Test by signing in and downloading representative files to another device. |
For especially important information, use more than one recovery path: for example, an encrypted offline drive stored away from the property plus a cloud copy. Keep the copies synchronized enough to reflect current work, and periodically test that the files are readable.
What to do during a flood
Follow evacuation instructions
Leave when authorities instruct you to leave. Do not go into moving or standing floodwater to rescue a phone, computer, drive or charger. Water can hide electrical hazards, unstable floors, open drains, debris and contamination. A device is replaceable; an electrical injury is not.
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Keep away from wet electrical equipment
Ready.gov’s flood guidance states: “Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water.” This includes appliances, extension cords, outlets, power strips, computers, chargers and breaker panels. Do not assume that a device is safe because it is switched off; water may have reached energized parts or wiring.
Shut off power only when it is safe
Ready.gov advises turning off electricity to prevent electric shock only if it is safe to do so. Follow emergency instructions and use a qualified professional when there is any doubt. Never wade through water to reach a service panel, and never touch a panel or device while standing in water.
Prioritize communications and life safety
Use a dry, charged phone to receive evacuation and utility updates. Conserve battery power by reducing screen brightness and closing unnecessary applications. Do not risk entering a flooded room to retrieve a charging cable or power bank.
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What to do after water exposure
Do not power on equipment “just to check”
Water-exposed electrical equipment can remain dangerous after the visible water recedes. FEMA warns that submerged electrical equipment may pose a fire risk if it is not inspected and cleaned or replaced before power is restored. Do not reconnect a laptop, desktop, monitor, television, appliance, power strip, charger or battery pack that has been wet.
Do not place a wet device in service because it appears dry on the outside. Water can leave conductive contamination and corrosion inside connectors, batteries, circuit boards and power supplies. Household drying methods do not establish that the equipment is safe.
Use qualified assessment and local instructions
Keep people away from damaged electrical equipment and follow utility, fire-department, building-official and local recovery instructions. Have affected equipment assessed, cleaned or replaced as appropriate before power is restored. The correct decision depends on the device, how deeply and how long it was submerged, whether the water was contaminated, and whether electrical components were energized.
Do not attempt to open energized equipment, remove a flooded service panel or bypass a tripped protective device. A qualified electrical or repair professional can determine whether an item is suitable for controlled cleaning, requires component replacement or should be discarded.
Document damage safely
From a dry and authorized location, photograph or list damaged equipment for insurance and recovery records. Record model numbers, serial numbers and approximate purchase dates if they can be obtained without handling unsafe equipment. Keep receipts and digital records in the protected document system you prepared before the flood.
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Recovering data when devices are damaged
Restore from a known-good copy
Once you have a safe, inspected computer and stable power, restore files from the backup that was created before the flood. Start with essential identity, financial, medical and work data. If the backup drive was also exposed, do not connect it to a computer merely to test it; have it assessed or use another recovery copy.
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- Different Sizes: The waterproof bags with lanyard contain three sizes: Large: 15.9" x 10.6"; Medium: 12.4" x 7.1"; Small: 9" x 5.1". You can choose different sizes according to your needs
- Water-Resistant: Our dry bag has the overall waterproof capability with PVC material. The Matte and transparent surface allows you to use a cell phone without opening the bag
- Multiple Seals: Use seamless professional technology, not easy to tear. Sealing strips, Fold down protection, and magic tape gives your items multiple protections. It can prevent water, humidity, dust, sand, and snow from damaging your valuables
- Wide Range of Uses: HEETA file holder suitable for outdoor and indoor use. The waterproof bag can be used as a waterproof document holder, mobile phone bag, document bag, etc. It can also be used when you are walking, hiking, fishing, swimming, and camping
- Note: Please perform a waterproof test before using these bags. Put a piece of paper in the waterproof bag and put it in the water to check whether the paper gets wet after 30 minutes. WARNING: Risk of Cancer and Reproductive Harm from 2exposure to Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthlate [DEHP]. See www.P65 Warnings.ca.gov.
Check the backup before relying on it
Open representative documents, photographs and project files. Confirm that filenames, dates and folder structure are present. For organizational data, maintain the offline encrypted backup and follow CISA’s recommendation to test backup integrity and availability regularly. Testing is also useful for households because it exposes missing permissions, forgotten passwords or incomplete synchronization before an emergency.
Secure accounts during recovery
Change passwords if a device may have been lost, stolen or accessed by another person. Use multi-factor authentication and sign out of sessions on missing equipment. Keep recovery codes in the protected document set, not only on the device that was damaged.
Common mistakes and safer alternatives
| Mistake | Why it fails | Safer alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving the only backup beside the computer | One flood can destroy both copies. | Keep a separate offline copy away from the flood-exposed location and test it. |
| Putting a laptop in a document pouch | Document containers are not automatically rated for electronics, immersion, batteries or connectors. | Move the device to a genuinely higher, dry location when safe; preserve files with independent backups. |
| Entering water to reach a breaker | Floodwater and electrical systems can cause shock or hidden injuries. | Shut off power only from a safe, dry location and follow emergency guidance. |
| Switching on a wet device after it dries outside | Internal contamination, corrosion or damaged power components may remain. | Keep it disconnected until qualified assessment, cleaning or replacement is complete. |
| Assuming cloud storage works without preparation | Account lockout, lost recovery methods or an internet outage can block access. | Verify sign-in, multi-factor authentication and recovery options before an emergency; retain a separate copy when needed. |
| Delaying evacuation to move property | Rising water and unstable structures can make a previously safe task dangerous. | Set a stop time and leave immediately when authorities direct you to evacuate. |
A practical flood-readiness checklist
Before a warning
- Identify essential devices, chargers and irreplaceable files.
- Back up data to a secure external drive, a properly vetted cloud service or both.
- Disconnect and safely store external drives between backup sessions.
- Verify that important files can be opened and that account recovery works.
- Place paper records in a waterproof document container and create password-protected digital copies.
- Keep power banks, extra batteries and charging cables with emergency supplies.
- Learn which fixed electrical components may need professional elevation under local rules.
When flooding is possible
- Follow official alerts and prepare to evacuate.
- If safe and time permits, move portable electronics and valuables upstairs or off the ground-level floor.
- Keep backup media and documents out of basements, garages and other low locations.
- Do not modify wiring or approach wet electrical systems.
During and after flooding
- Stay out of floodwater and put people, pets and communications first.
- Do not touch wet electrical equipment or equipment while standing in water.
- Turn off electricity only if it can be done safely and as directed.
- Do not reconnect or test water-exposed equipment.
- Obtain qualified inspection and follow utility and local recovery instructions.
- Restore files from a known-good backup and record damage without entering unsafe areas.
Questions readers commonly ask
Does moving a computer upstairs guarantee it will survive?
No. Elevation reduces the chance of direct contact with floodwater, but leaks, humidity, contaminated water, falling materials and unsafe handling can still damage equipment. Independent backups protect the data even when the device cannot be saved.
Should I put an external hard drive in a waterproof bag?
Do not assume a generic bag makes a drive floodproof. Keep the drive disconnected and store it in a dry location outside the expected flood exposure. Maintain another recovery copy when the data is critical.
Can I dry and reuse a phone that fell in floodwater?
Do not power it on or charge it after water exposure. Floodwater may contain contaminants and may have reached the battery or charging circuitry. Follow local safety guidance and obtain qualified assessment or replacement.
How high should electrical equipment be elevated?
There is no universal height supported for every property. The appropriate level depends on expected flood depth, building design, electrical layout and local requirements. Use FEMA guidance and qualified local professionals for a site-specific plan.
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