What is one of the essential steps for controlling flooding during an emergency?

Ensuring water-tight integrity is a fundamental aspect of controlling flooding during an emergency. This step involves making sure that all openings, like doors, hatches, and portholes, are secured and sealed properly to prevent water from entering the vessel or structure. Maintaining water-tight integrity is crucial because it minimizes the inflow of water, which can lead to increased flooding and potential loss of buoyancy or structural integrity.

When water-tight integrity is compromised, even a small breach can lead to significant flooding problems, overwhelming any pumping systems or emergency measures in place. Establishing and maintaining barriers that protect against water intrusion is thus vital for effective flood control.

The other options relate to important aspects of flood control but build on the underlying principle of maintaining structural integrity. While using portable pumps is critical for removing water once it has entered and having a water removal plan is vital for a systematic approach to dealing with flooding, ensuring water-tight integrity is often the first step in preventing the situation from worsening.