Flooding – Emergency Actions and Incident Response
Preparation
You can’t beat good preparation! As its often said: “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best!”
A personal Flood Plan will help you think about the key things that need to be done, bought or located. This Environment Agency template should help, but any preparation needs to be done well in advance. CFAG have also produced some local guidance and the Environment Agency provides lots of useful advice
Mitigation
If the water levels are rising, there are 3 main courses of action:-
- Minimising water ingress. We hope that any high water levels will be short-lived, fit flood protection barriers if you have them.
- Emergency Actions to minimise risks – especially electrical systems see link
- Protecting property and buying time. Decide what’s important, either take it upstairs or raise it off the ground (eg. putting on a table or chairs). In many cases a few inches will make a big difference!
Crondall has houses of many ages, so your neighbours may be completely unaffected! Do ask for help – early! The more help you have the more you can do. Consider moving vehicles and vulnerable people to lower risk places.
Do remember that flood water may contain sewage and other bio-hazards, gloves and regular hand washing are recommended.
Emergency Actions
Your exact actions will depend on your situation, location and the specific design features of your house, but in general:-
- Fit barriers and monitor the efficacy of seals
- Starting pumping if necessary
- Consider shutting off power before water reaches any wiring
Emergency Contacts
Please do check your personal emergency contacts, as these days people often take gas, power and other services from a range of providers.
- Thames Water: over filling sewers: http://www.thameswater.co.uk/ 0800 316 9800
- Environment Agency: https://www.gov.uk/floodsdestroy 0845 988 1188
- Hart (Environmental services): http://www.hart.gov.uk/sewers-drainage,
- Hampshire County Council – Emergency Planning Unit 01962 846846
- Southern Electricity – Power failures and emergencies 0800 783 8866
- Transco – Gas leaks and emergencies 0800 111 999
- South East Water: http://www.southeastwater.co.uk/contact-us , 0333 000 0365
- Southern Water – 0845 278 0845
- CFAG e-mail to the “committee”: floods@crondall-pc.gov.uk
Incident Reporting – if you don’t tell, people don’t know!
Please make sure that you report flooding incidents to the most appropriate authority (depending on its source). The Parish Council (through CFAG) will help and guide you. Please also copy us in, it all helps to build a wider picture of what has happened.
Numbers count!! Most agencies work on the basis of the number (not severity) of incidents reported and hence residents affected.
It also helps to take photos of the peak floods, where water is coming from and where it is collecting/blocking.
If you’re out and about and spot a potential problem, please do report it to the relevant authority and include CFAG (floods@crondall-pc.gov.uk )
Cleaning up
To be completed.
If you have any suggestions for improvement to this page, please do let us know.