FORT SMITH (KNWA/KFTA) – Rain has the potential to bring flash flooding to the River Valley overnight and into Friday morning. The Fort Smith Police Department issued a flood warning until noon Friday. Workers at the Fort Smith Coffee Company hope the rain stays slow and steady.
Whenever there’s heavy rain in a short amount of time, Fort Smith Coffee Co. general manager Michael Stevens said the drainage near Towson Avenue can’t keep up. The cafe has seen plenty of flooding since it opened just over five years ago.
Stevens said the store has seen flooding three or four times. Karina Labrada has been working at the store since May. She loves working at the cafe and said the workers and owners do everything they can when it’s crowded to keep everyone safe.
“We’re always cleaning and cleaning trying to make sure everything is safe for customers to still enjoy their coffee,” Labrada said.
According to Travis Cooper with Sebastian County Emergency Management, Towson Avenue, Pheonix Avenue, Old Greenwood Road and Kinkead Avenue are some of the most frequently flooded areas when flash floods hit.
It’s hard to know when you’ll be driving over high water until it’s too late. Cooper said you should keep a watchful eye when it rains frequently. His advice – slow down, try to stop and get up when you see high water. Then, report any high water on the road to the local police or emergency management.
Cooper also has a warning for residents about road barricades.
“Go around them. Don’t cross those barricades. The key factor is ‘get back, don’t drown’. We don’t want you to hurt yourself or your vehicle anymore,” Cooper said.
Whenever there’s severe weather in the forecast, whether it calls for heavy rain, thunderstorms or tornadoes, Cooper said you should always keep a preparedness kit ready in your car and home.
It should contain a flashlight, extra batteries, water bottle, a weather radio, an emergency blanket and high visibility vest.
If you need a safe place to hide during a tornado warning, most Sebastian County public school district campuses have tornado shelters built in. When the tornado sirens start going off, the shelters will open, according to Cooper.
