Nor'easters and, to a lesser extent, hurricanes are a fact of life in Saco. Nor'easters are less glamorous than hurricanes and are not always included in weather watch and warning systems.

Several nor'easters have caused significant damage to Saco properties, most notably the blizzard of 1978, the "no-name" storm of 1991 and more recently the Patriot's Day storm of 2007. Severe wave action toppled several homes during these storms and caused major damage to many others.

Nor'easters can occur at any time of the year, but are more prevalent in the winter months. Nor'easters differ from hurricanes in that they cover a larger area, have less intense winds, and move more slowly. While a hurricane may last for several hours, a nor'easter may last for several days with at least one high tide at its peak resulting in the most severe flooding.

Before a storm threatens find out if your home is subject to flooding by checking with the local Code Enforcement Officer. The Dyer Library has copies of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps, which identify properties subject to flooding. Contact your insurance agent. If you are in the flood plain, we recommend that you purchase flood insurance. A separate policy from standard home-owner's insurance is required for protection against flood damage. People frequently do not realize this until it is too late. A contents only flood insurance policy is available for renters.

Have a site plan prepared of your property, showing your house with all decks and out-buildings such as sheds and detached garages. Should your home be damaged by a flood, you will need this plan to repair the damage, which will save you six to eight weeks of reconstruction time.

Get an Elevation Certificate on your home. In most cases, this is required before a building permit can be issued. An Elevation Certificate may help you get a better rate on your flood insurance because house elevation is part of the criteria. Relocating your furnace, water heater and electrical breaker panel from the basement to your first floor may be worth up to a 50% reduction on your premium.

Complete an inventory of your personal property. This will help obtain insurance settlements and/or tax deductions for losses. Be sure to take pictures and list descriptions. Store these and other important papers in your safe-deposit box or in waterproof and fireproof containers in another location away from your home. A second copy kept at a relative's home may also prove invaluable.

Consider the Following Suggestions:

• LEARN to recognize Saco's warning signals and what you should do when you hear them. LISTEN to local radio and television stations for emergency instructions, and post frequencies and stations. LEARN your children's school and/or day care center and your work site's emergency plans. DECIDE on an alternate location to meet if an emergency happens while your family is away from home and cannot return. The shelter will be the Parks and Recreation facility (the former Maine Armory) on Franklin Street in Saco. POST all emergency plans and phone numbers at home and work. LEARN your community's evacuation routes, especially important in low-lying areas where flooding could make roads impassable.
• What are flood warnings? NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) distributes flood warnings to the public by NOAA Weather Radio (locally found at 157.55 megahertz on your high-band radio receiver) commercial radio and television, and through local emergency management agencies. The warning message tells the expected degree of flooding and the expected maximum tide height at specific points during a flood.
• How you will be notified. If there is an emergency, you will be notified by one or more or more of the following warning signals:
  • A voice message over loudspeakers on police, fire or other emergency vehicles
  • A notification on your television or radio
  • A door-to-door notification by emergency management or public safety personnel
  • A pre-recorded phone message from the City via the reverse E911 system
• hat to do if you hear a warning. The Emergency Alert System is a direct link between you and public safety officials. Emergency information and instructions will be given to you. You will be advised of any actions that may be directed for your protections and safety. After you have been alerted, tune your radio or television to one of the flowing Emergency Alert System stations:
  • WCSH Channel 6
  • WGME Channel 13
  • WMTW Channel 8
  • WBLM 102.9 FM
  • WGAN 560 AM
  • WPOR 101.9 FM
• How to be prepared. Early nor'easter and hurricane warnings provide time for you to lessen the damage to your property and promptly evacuate if necessary
• When a storm watch is issued: For emergency instructions, monitor storm reports on your radio or television. Refill needed prescriptions. Check battery-powered equipment and purchase extra batteries. Fuel your vehicle. To prevent flying glass, board up windows, or protect them with storm shutters. Bring outdoor possessions inside or tie down securely. If you are going to a shelter, make arrangements for all pets to be safe. Pets are not allowed in shelters.
• When a storm warning is issued: Follow the instructions of Emergency Management, police and fire authorities. Do not use local emergency lines unless you have an actual emergency. Listen to radio and television, and manned City vehicles with loud-speakers.
  
  If you are advised to evacuate, do so promptly. Tide levels which do not recede at the normal time of low tide are a big danger sign. Only if time permits, move important papers, valuables, clothing and other contents to upper floors, or take them with you in your car. If conditions are dry and safe, turn off electricity at the main switch.
  
  If you have to leave, do so before roads flood; washouts may be hidden under water. Do not attempt to cross flooded streams or roadways on foot or in a vehicle. It takes very little moving water to carry an automobile away.
  
  If you have to go to a shelter, take a survival kit. This kit should include all your family's needs including medications, eyeglasses, infant needs, dietary foods, chairs, blankets, games, etc... Most important: Driver's license or other identification, insurance policies, property inventories, special medical information. NOTE: Pets, alcohol or weapons of any kind are not allowed in shelters. Please follow instructions of shelter workers. Stay in the shelter until local authorities tell you it is safe to return to your home.
• How flood insurance works. Call your insurance agent or broker immediately if your home, apartment or business has been damaged by a flood. The agent will submit a loss form to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) then an adjuster will be assigned to inspect your property as soon as possible.
• What flood insurance costs. Rates to determine the cost of flood insurance are complicated, but Saco residents enjoy a 10% discount on their flood insurance premiums due to the flood plain management efforts of the City. Be sure to see your insurance agent for your exact cost. You or your insurance agent may contact the Building Inspector for a map determination of what flood zone your property is in. If you have internet access, you can check your property simply by linking to the GIS maps and turning on the Floodplain layer. The web address is www.sacomaine.org/
• Flood insurance is a bargain! If you live in the floodplain, there is a 26% chance you will be flooded during a 30 year mortgage versus a 1-2 % chance of a fire.
• How to protect your home. Every year, flooding causes more property damage in the United States than any other type of Natural disaster. A large number of existing homes continue to be susceptible to repetitive flood losses. This cycle of repetitive loses can be broken. Saco officials and residents are working to make Saco a disaster resistant community. Join us as a Project Impact partner to learn what you can do to be prepared in the event of a disaster. Throughout the country, there are numerous examples that illustrate practical, cost-effective methods for reducing or eliminating damage caused by flooding. Flood loses can be reduced by taking temporary measures such as boarding up windows and doors and moving furniture and equipment to higher floors or elevations. Move hazardous materials out of basements, sheds or other areas that may be flooded.
• The Design Manual For Retrofitting Flood-Prone Residential Structures. FEMA publication 244 presents permanent retrofitting measures that can be incorporated into an existing house to reduce or eliminate flooding. These measures include elevation, relocation or sealing of a structure, use of levees and floodwalls, and protection of utilities. This manual can be ordered free of charge by writing to:
  
  Federal Emergency Management Agency
  Publications Division
  P.O. Box 7027A
  Washington, D.C. 20024
  
  Or, visit the Dyer Library, 371 Main Street, Saco or the Building Inspector's Office at Saco City Hall where this manual and many others on flood protection methods are available for viewing. Before any construction is done to a building in a flood hazard zone, owners or contractors should contact the Building Inspector at 284-6983 for advice and suggestions on retrofitting techniques. Site visits are also available upon request.
• When do I need a Flood Development Permit? All properties located in Zone A or Zone V on the flood insurance rate maps are subject to the Floodplain Development Regulations of the City of Saco. Before undertaking any development in either of these zones, you or your builder must contact the Building Inspections Department. Zoning Board of Appeals or Planning Board approval may also be necessary. Development activities subject to these regulations are any changes to improved or un-improved lots including, but not limited to buildings or other structures, dredging, filling, grading, paving, and excavation. Saco authorities may levy a fine and obtain a court order to have the owner correct the construction if built without a permit or if not built in accordance with the approved plans.
• Saco's Floodplain Development Requirements; What you need to know. The substantial improvement requirements are as follows: If the cost of reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvements to a building, over the lifetime of the structure beginning at the time of the first improvement equals or exceeds 50% of the building's market value, then the building must meet the same construction requirements as a new building. Substantially damaged buildings must also be brought up to the same standards. This may include elevating the building to at least one foot above base flood elevation.
• Drainage system maintenance. Streams, channels, catch basins, and detention and retention basins can lose their carrying capacities as a result of dumping debris, sedimen-tation, and growth of vegetation. When a drainage system looses a portion of its carrying or storage capacity, overbank flooding occurs more frequently and floods can reach higher elevations. If you have knowledge of damaged drainage valves or blocked ditches, report it to the Department Of Pub
• Natural and beneficial functions of floodplains. Boaters should not speed while traveling on the Saco River or other navigable channel. This can cause erosion to marsh banks. Kinney Shores, Bay View and Ferry Beach goers should be careful to travel only on designated pathways through the dunes. Walking on any dune or vegetation weakens the protection factor of the dune which can increase the risk of flood damage.