Flood Warning & Evacuation Plan

Transcription

1 1.00 Planning and Procedures for Staff / Management This Evacuation Plan records the contingency measures that have been drawn up to provide maximum safety to the management and staff using Esperanto Way during a major flood event. The plan will be disseminated to the emergency services to ensure responding agencies are aware of Greenhill s preplanned emergency measures. Aim To enable a safe and well organised evacuation of management and staff of Esperanto Way, during a major flood event. Objectives To safely evacuate management and staff of Esperanto Way, during a major flood event; To reduce the risk to life; To reduce financial loss during a flood event; To set security procedures during a flood event Source of Flooding 2.01 The main risk to the site is from Fluvial Flooding. Heavy rainfall in the catchments area around the Orb Industrial Estate could cause a rapid rise in the river levels resulting in the flooding of the lower levels of the site Flood Warning from the Environment Agency 3.01 FLOOD LINE WARNINGS DIRECT SERVICE The management- have signed up to the automated flood warning service provided by the Environment Agency, The possibility of flooding in the River Usk will trigger an automatic, 24 hour warning service to the Office on telephone number ut of office hours this service must be relayed to Mr Darran Watts, Karl Lewis and Dan Craufurd to ensure 24 hour cover The warning service relates to the likelihood of flooding affecting the roads, property and bridges in the area and is not specific to Esperanto Way. This service is the best available at the moment and may trigger concern that is not specifically relevant to Esperanto Way, however this will give the management current information on the Environment Agency evaluation of conditions in the area and serve as a warning to management staff to monitor potential flood conditions It will therefore be the responsibility of the management staff to regularly check rising water levels both visually and by keeping contact with the following: Floodline: Web Site and Telephone In addition to the automated direct service, staff should obtain further information by consulting the Environment Agency website (wvw.environmentagencv.gov.uk/flood) and/or phone Floodline on Information on this telephone number is up dated every 15 minutes. The Environment Agency will be in contact with the Meteorological Office but another source of information will be available on the website(

2 4.00 Environment Agency Flood Warning Levels 4.01 If flooding is forecast, warnings are issued using a set of four easily recognisable codes Each of the three codes indicates the level of danger associated with the warning, The codes are not always used in sequence: for example in the case of a flash flood, a Severe Flood Warning may be issued immediately, with no other warning code preceding it. The New Flood Warning Codes are as follows:- Flood Alert Flooding is possible. Be prepared. Two hours to two days in advance of flooding. Be prepared to act on your flood plan. Prepare a flood kit of essential items. Monitor local water levels and the flood forecast on our website. Flood Warning Flooding is expected. Immediate action required. Half an hour to one day in advance of flooding. Move family, pets and valuables to a safe place. Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if safe to do so. Put flood protection equipment in place.

3 Severe Flood Warning Severe flooding. Danger to life. When flooding poses a significant threat to life. Stay in a safe place with a means of escape. Be ready should you need to evacuate from your home. Co-operate with the emergency services. Call 999 if you are in immediate danger. Warnings no longer in force No further flooding is currently expected in your area. When river or sea conditions begin to return to normal. Be careful. Flood water may still be around for several days. If you've been flooded, ring your insurance company as soon as possible Making Staff Aware Of Risks and Procedures 5.01 All staff must be made aware of the Flood Evacuation Plan listing actions to be taken in the event or the likelihood of flooding, All staff will be notified of flood risks and Flood Safety Procedures, notices will be displayed in the office in areas of constant or regular use, such as staff rooms, kitchen areas and main entrance Preparation For Flood Event Put procedures in place for staff to receive flood warnings and train staff in the procedures to be followed Make up a flood kit for staff - including key documents, torch, mobile phone, rubber gloves, waterproof clothing, first aid kit and ensure blankets are available

4 Make a list of useful numbers that staff may need as described earlier plus the emergency services Ensure all staff know how to turn off electricity and water. Ensure adequate warning is given to any other occupiers before these services are switched off Make sure you have adequate insurance Personal Safety In A Flood Event 7.01 The actions described in the following sections should be carried out with personal safety considered first and foremost. If any of the actions cannot be carried out without undo risk then they should be ignored in favour of protecting people. All members of staff and users of the site should bear in mind the following:- Stay safe in a flood Floods can kill, don't try to walk or drive through flood water - six inches of fast flowing water can knock you over and two feet of water will float your car. Manhole covers may have come off and there may be other hazards you cannot see Never try to swim through fast flowing water - you may get swept away or be struck by an object in the water Don't walk on river banks or cross bridges if possible - they may collapse in extreme situations or you may be swept off Avoid contact with flood water if possible - it may be contaminated 8.00 Response To Flood Warnings 8.01 Three directors have been identified to receive and respond to flood warnings via the Floodline Direct Service with at lease one director in attendance within the office during normal business hours The following procedures should be followed in order to protect the users of the property and minimise the damage flooding can cause. It is taken for granted that the directors will be more vigilant during flooding periods and will monitor information provided by the local radio and tv stations as well as liaising with the emergency services Flood Alert: Dissemination of Flood Warning Information:- Alert other members of staff and users of the property, in particular those most vulnerable such as those with impaired hearing or sight or with restricted mobility Directors to monitor the weather forecast, EA Website and river levels in order to enable a prompt response to flooding Prepare the Flood Kit, contact numbers and secure insurance documents Ensure sandbags and plywood boarding is readily available if required 8.04 Flood Warning: Protecting the property: Be prepared to cut off electricity and water supplies to the property Weigh down manhole covers to prevent them lifting and leaving a hazardous hole Move anything not fixed down into a safe location, e.g. dustbins etc. Instruct operatives to install sandbags and plywood boarding on doors to reduce the impact of flooding

5 8.05 Move vehicles to higher ground to avoid damage: 8.06 Electricity and water : Plug sinks / baths and weigh them down with something heavy and put' sandbags in toilet bowls to prevent back flow Unplug all electrical items and store as high as possible and turn off gas water and electricity at their isolation points 8.07 Reduce flood water getting into properties : Cover doors, windows and airbricks with plywood, sandbags or similar - but ensure buildings are ventilated: 8.08 Furniture and Appliances Raise furniture and large appliances up on bricks or blocks Move furniture away from walls as this helps when drying your property later Roll up rugs and store them as high as possible Hang curtains over rails so they are kept above flood water Leave internal doors open 8.09 Important documents Keep important documents in a sealed bag, and in a location safe from flood water If information becomes available during this warning, indicating a further deterioration in the weather forecast or if directed by the emergency Service or visual signs of flooding locally to the premises, the directors will make the decision to close the premises 8.11 Severe Flood Warning: In the event of a severe Flood warning being received during office hours the procedures outlined above will be implemented and all staff will be told to exit the building and make their way home using the designated safe access route away from the flood risk area. If a severe flood warning is issued out of office hours the directors will contact staff to prevent them going to the office with key staff requested to implement the flood prevention measures outlined above if feasible to do so Safe Exit Route: 9.01 Due to the flood risk within the area, it has been agreed that there will not be a proposed off site meeting point. It has been agreed that staff will be instructed to make their way home via the Transporter bridge from Stevenson Street. In the event of the Bridge being out of order staff are to travel down Stevenson Street to the junction with Corporation Road, turning left along Corporation Road to the junction with the Southern Distributor Road which can be used to travel to higher ground Darran, Karl or Dan will call staff to ensure that the staff have travelled home safely After a Flood Commission immediate emergency pumping/repair work where appropriate to prevent further damage. Open doors and windows to ventilate properties

6 Find out where you can get help to clean up. Check with your local authority or health authority in the first instance Contact the electricity and water company. Have the power supplies checked before you use them to make sure they have dried out. Wash taps and run them for a few minutes before use. Throwaway food which may have been in contact with flood water. Contact the local Environmental Health department for advice. Keep a record of the flood damage (especially photographs or video footage) and retain correspondence with insurers after a flood Call your insurance company Emergency Helpline. They will be able to provide information on dealing with your claim Restock emergency supplies An advice guide to repairing and restoring flood damaged property, 'After a Flood', is available from Floodline ( )