Annex H. How to prepare for a flood

Transcription

1 Annex H How to prepare for a flood

2 Contents H.1 Introduction H.2 Know the risk of your property flooding H.3 Sign up for flood warning systems H.4 Ensure your contents and building insurance cover you for flooding H.5 Prepare your property for flooding H.6 Make a flood plan H.7 What to do if flooding is likely or imminent

3 H.1 Introduction H It s impossible to completely avoid flooding, but there are lots of things you can do to protect yourself and your property from flooding, and to reduce the impact of nuisance flooding. Many different organisations have produced useful information to help your prepare, and this document has been prepared to help you find those sources of information. H.2 Know the risk of your property flooding H Check the Environment Agency flood maps ( to identify if your property is at risk of river or coastal flooding. H Check the risk assessment (Annex D) too identify if your property is at risk of other sources of flooding. H Talk to neighbours and ask if the area has been the victim of historic flooding. However, just because an area hasn t flooded shouldn t been taken as evidence that it is not risk of flooding. H.3 Sign up for flood warning systems H The Environment Agency provides a flood warning service throughout England and Wales in areas at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. In Hampshire they also provide a flood warning service for flooding from groundwater. Visit or call for more information. H Check weather forecasts. The Met-Office weather warning system now includes a surface water flood risk warning when the forecast level of rainfall is likely to lead to significant surface water flooding. H Check if there is a neighbourhood flood plan. Speak to your neighbours or your Parish Council to find out if your area has a neighbourhood or community flood action plan. Your Parish Council will also be able to tell you if there is a local or community Flood Warden. H.4 Ensure your contents and building insurance cover you for flooding H If you are at risk of flooding, or have suffered from flooding in the past, you might find it difficult to get affordable flood insurance. Defra, working with a number of industry and independent organisations have produced the following guide which pulls together information from a number of different sources that should help you find a suitable policy. Obtaining flood insurance in high risk areas

4 H.5 Prepare your property for flooding H It s impossible to completely flood-proof a property but there are lots of things you can do to reduce flood damage. H If your property is flooded it can be costly in terms of money, time and heartache. While it's impossible to completely flood-proof a property, there are lots of things you can do to reduce flood damage. Actions you take could help: prevent water from short, shallow flooding from getting into the building delay flood water from getting into the building if flooding is more severe, giving you extra time to move your possessions to safety and evacuate limit the damage to walls, floors, fixtures and fittings if flood water gets into the building make it easier, faster and cheaper to clean up and dry out, so that you can get your life back to normal as soon as possible. H Whether you rent or own your home or business premises, the most important thing is to prepare now by buying and installing flood products in advance. Don't wait until flooding looks likely as you won t have time to buy or put the measures in place. H The Environment Website contains four leaflets that provide useful information to help you prepare your property for flooding. You can also explore their interactive flood house to get guidance on how to reduce flood damage to your property. The leaflets are: Prepare your property from flooding Flooding from groundwater How to reduce flood damage Flood protection products and services H All of these materials can be found on the Environment Agency website 2. H.6 Make a flood plan H Act now by planning what you would do in a flood. If you live in a flood risk area act now and plan what you would do in a flood. Don't wait until it happens, you may not have time

5 H Completing a flood plan will help you decide what practical actions to take before and during a flood, which will help reduce the damage flooding could cause. H Further information and a template are available from the Environment Agency website. 3 H.7 What to do if flooding is likely or imminent Move valuables, food and other possessions upstairs where possible. If you live in a Bungalow, Caravan, Prefab or any other dwelling without access to a second storey and you find yourself in difficulty alert the Emergency Services so you can be evacuated. If you are able to self evacuate and stay with family or friends inform the Emergency Services so your location is known. Turn off gas and electricity if flooding is definitely about to happen. Think about cooking without gas or electric supplies. Have a supply of drinking water in clean bottles or similar containers. Fill the bath and buckets with water for washing etc. Emergency pack - keep a battery radio and a torch (with spare batteries), necessary medication, emergency numbers, rubber gloves and your insurance policy in a safe place. Protect doorways and low level vents with sandbags or alternatives such as plastic bags filled with soil or gravel (Remember to unblock these vents before switching everything back on). Check that neighbours know about any flood warnings issued