Barry W. lives in Ascension Parish, Louisiana on a two-acre property.
His house is about three miles away from the Mississippi River and located within a special flood hazard area.
Years ago, his house was in the path of Hurricane Isaac.
Before the storm, Barry and his friends worked around the clock in shifts – three shifts with six men on each shift.
Using tractors and sandbags, the men built a levee around Barry’s house that kept 18 inches of water from flooding his home, saving him from weeks of cleanup.
The sandbags had been provided by the local government and were filled by inmates at a nearby correctional center.
They were incredibly effective because they were wrapped in plastic sheeting after being filled with sand.
Barry was able to save his house thanks to the sandbags and the help of his friends.
He showed that sandbags, when filled and properly stacked can hold back flood waters.
“I just hope telling my story helps somebody else,” Barry said.
Now, the key to his success was that the sandbags were wrapped in plastic and stacked in a staggered pattern.
They were tucked on top of each other to create a seal from the weight of the sand.
When it comes to natural disasters, flooding is one of the hardest things to prevent.
Rising water can destroy homes and entire communities.
But even with advancements in technology, simple sandbags are one of the most effective solutions for preventing flooding.
Why sandbags work:
Sandbags are usually made of heavy-duty materials like burlap or polypropylene. When they are stacked in staggered layers they can form a protective wall.
When the bags are filled with sand, they become heavy and dense, making them relatively stable and hard to move out of place.
Since they are heavy, they can withstand rushing water and redirect it.
They can also prevent soil erosion, and even provide protection against bullets.
Best use of sandbags:
Since they are easy to deploy, sandbags are the ideal method for last-second preparation.
As long as you have the bags and sand, you can make it work.
To protect your property from flooding, you can place sandbags around the perimeter of your house to create a barrier.
Of course, there might be some water that seeps through so it’s a good idea to have a water pump to remove water.
Also, when it rains it’s a good idea to walk around your property to look for the most vulnerable areas.
Some places might have higher water than other areas, so you may need to build the sandbag wall higher in certain places.
You can also use sandbags for self and home defense, which will talk about in just a minute.
Where to get sandbags?:
Sandbags can be found at most hardware stores.
If you are preparing for a natural disaster, your local government might offer sandbags to community members.
Before you go out and buy sandbags, check with your local municipality to ask if they offer sandbags for free or at a discounted rate.
Sometimes they will even provide filled bags that all you have to do is transport.
If you live near a beach some cities will allow residents to fill sandbags at the beach to reduce costs.
Filling sandbags isn’t brain surgery.
Shovel sand, fill bag.
The most important thing is to leave a bit of room in the bag so you can tie it off, because the bags need to be sealed to prevent leaking.
How to set up before a storm:
Before setting up sandbags you want to examine your property to determine areas where water builds up.
You want to build up more sandbags in critical areas such as doorways and window wells.
Fill the sandbags about two-thirds full to allow stacking and settling.
Place the sandbags in a staggered pattern overlapping each other.
You can stack multiple layers of sandbags so they’re high enough to protect against the amount of expected water.
Then, plan to watch and monitor the sandbags after they are set in place.
Because once the water starts coming you might need to add or reposition sandbags if there is leaking.
Sandbags for home defense:
Sandbags aren’t just for preventing flooding.
They can also protect you against bullets.
People have done lots of testing to determine how much sand it takes to stop a bullet.
And it’s estimated that as little as six inches of sand can stop a handgun round.
In other words, the same sandbags used to stop water could potentially stop bullets.
And they can be deployed during social unrest if you are worried about your house.
Bottom line, sandbags are an inexpensive and effective way to protect your property against natural disasters or civil strife.
