Tips for the upcoming monsoon season

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Josh Slavin
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  With the monsoon season fast approaching, members of the D-M community should be prepared for the rough weather.

A monsoon consists of hard rain with hail, severe lightning, strong winds, and flashfloods. Tucson is expected to experience monsoons from June to September.

"One of the main dangers of a monsoon is a flashflood which can pose several dangers while driving," said Staff Sgt. Kenneth Oliver, 355 Fighter Wing safety technician. "Four to six inches of rain is enough to cause a car or truck to lose control. Deeper water can also cause a vehicle to get stuck and require a tow truck to be removed."

The "Stupid Motorist Law" states that an individual who drives their vehicle on a public street or highway that is temporarily covered by a rise in water level, including groundwater or overflow of water, and that is barricaded because of flooding is liable for the expenses of any emergency response that is required to remove from the public street or highway. The driver or any passenger in the vehicle that becomes inoperable on the public street or highway or the vehicle that becomes inoperable on the public street or highway, or both.

A couple of tips for monsoon safety:

· Always check the weather before going out, especially for extended periods of time.
· To protect your home from flooding use sandbags to divert water from gathering.
· Should a street light or power line fall near a home or car the best thing to do is call 911.
· Stay clear of any lights or power lines that have fallen because they could still be carrying an electrical current.