Natural disasters are chaotic. Furious. Unpredictable. Life-changing, even. While there’s not always time or resources available to prep when disaster strikes, it pays to make smart decisions. If that means protecting your home as best you can or evacuating, that’s what you do.

One man in Texas prepared for a battle with floodwaters while his neighbors thought he was crazy— sort of like how people view doomsday preppers that stock up on canned goods, water, and gas masks. He paid them no mind. Last June, when heavy rains caused the Brazos River to crest in east Texas, residents had been advised to evacuate as waters rose. Not everyone left.

Randy Wagner squared up against Mother Nature with wits and an unconventional contraption. He got his own dam— not a man-made concrete one or a sturdy one built by beavers, but one made of plastic. He and his family decided to ride things out in their house as flood waters surrounded them. Normally, you’d think such a decision would end in tragedy or with rescuers having to step in and save the day.

But his purchase of an AquaDam turned out to be wise.  Randy dug online and found out the small company had a location in Louisiana. Driving there from his home in Rosharon, he shelled out $8,300 and bought peace of mind along with his inflatable dam. Randy told news station KHOU that the thought of having to move his family to an emergency shelter and losing his home was heartbreaking.

With the help of a couple guys, he set up the barrier on his property. In the video below, he said people teased him about it, but ended up being impressed. Citing the cost of rebuilding versus the cost of the Aqua Dam as the basis for his decision, it was a no-brainer to him. Out of the thousands of homes damaged in the flood, his was left standing intact.

Pictures of the house show that it looks like an island surrounded by a giant snake. The murky waters, which rose above 2 feet around the AquaDam, stayed put. Even the grass in Randy’s yard was still green!

According to the company’s website, the AquaDam is a portable, reusable unit that’s filled up with water to form a pressurized barrier against moving water. Made from plastic and a special fiber, it fights water with water. It’s also built for multiple uses, but repairable if damaged.

Find out how Randy put the AquaDam together by clicking on the clip below. Just like in the old fable of the ant and the grasshopper, his preparations paid off well for him in the end. Those that laughed his actions off were surprised and amazed by what he did.

Flood damage is devastating and forces many into permanent relocation. This homeowner provided his own insurance by taking a risk on something he never tried before, and was happy he did. Have you ever had to face a natural disaster like a flood? Were there any unconventional provisions you made to protect your family or property? Share with us in the comments!