[header] How to prepare for a flood [title] Know your risk. [step] If you're new to an area, you can ask the county planning department whether your home is at risk for flooding. You can also check government sites for flood maps. 
Be sure to check back every so often; the maps are sometimes redrawn as conditions change. [substeps] The main factor determining your risk is whether you are in a floodplain or not, which you can check with flood maps.