Preparing for a flood

Practical advice on what to do to

protect you and your property
We are the Environment Agency. Your flood warning service
Get the service that’s right for you
It’s our job to make people aware of
We offer a different flood warning service depending on where
flooding from rivers and the sea, provide you live.
flood warning services and build and Find out if you can sign up to our free 24 hour Floodline Warnings
Direct service. You can select to receive warnings by phone, text,
maintain flood defences. email, fax or pager.

This leaflet contains useful information In some areas we also give flood warnings using:

to help you reduce the effects of flooding • Sirens – usually a wailing sound only activated when a flood
is about to happen.
on you and your property. • Loud hailers – a vehicle will drive around repeating the flood warnings.

Other places to get the latest flood update

• www.environment-agency.gov.uk/flood
• Teletext Page 159, BBC Ceefax Page 419 and Digital Ceefax Page 405.
• Local weather, news and travel bulletins.

Published by:
Environment Agency
Rio House
Waterside Drive, Aztec West
Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4UD call Floodline on
0845 988 1188 *
Tel: 08708 506 506**
Email: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
www.environment-agency.gov.uk

© Environment Agency Open 24 hours a day

• Find out what flood warning service is available where you live.
All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced
with prior permission of the Environment Agency.
• Get practical advice on what to do before, during and after flooding.
November 2007 • Get your Quickdial number for easy access to local warnings.
**BT calls cost up to 8p/min plus 6p set-up fee from your home. *BT calls cost up to 4p/min plus 6p set-up fee from your home.
Other providers and mobiles may vary. Other providers and mobiles may vary.
Environment Agency Preparing for a flood  3
 your flood pla n
Know how to turn off
your gas, electricity
and water mains supplies
Start preparing today before a flood happens.
Use this checklist as your flood plan.

1. Check your insurance cover 3. Prepare a flood kit of 4. Know who to contact 6. Think about what you
• Check your buildings and essential items (please tick) and how would want to move to
contents insurance policy. Copies of your home • Agree where you will safety during a flood
• Confirm you are covered insurance documents. go and how to contact • Outdoor pets
for flooding. A torch with spare batteries. each other. • Cars
• Find out if the policy A wind-up or battery radio. • Check with your council • Furniture
replaces new for old, and if pets are allowed at
Warm, waterproof clothing • Electrical equipment
if it has a limit on repairs. evacuation centres.
and blankets. • Garden pot plants and
• Don’t underestimate the • Keep a list with all your
A first aid kit and prescription furniture
value of your contents. important contacts to hand.
medication. • What else? ........................
Bottled water and non- 5. Think about what you ..........................................
2. Know how to turn off your can move now
gas, electricity and water perishable foods.
mains supplies Baby food and baby • Don’t wait for a flood.
care items. Move items of personal
• Ask your supplier how value such as photo
to do this. This leaflet including albums, family videos
• Mark taps or switches your list of important and treasured mementos
with stickers to help contact numbers.
to a safe place.
you remember. Keep your flood kit handy.

4  Environment Agency Preparing for a flood Environment Agency Preparing for a flood  5

 know your flo od
warning codes Monitor local news
and weather forecasts
Four codes are used for flood warnings. They can be
issued in any order, usually ending with an ‘all clear’.

What it means What it means What it means What it means

Flooding of low lying land Flooding of homes & Severe flooding is expected. Flood watches or warnings
and roads is expected. businesses is expected. There is extreme danger to are no longer in force for
Be aware, be prepared, Act now! life and property. Act now! this area.
watch out.

What to do What to do What to do What to do

• Monitor local news and • Move cars, pets, food, • Collect things you need • Keep listening to
weather forecasts. valuables and important for evacuation. weather reports.
• Be aware of water levels documents to safety. • Turn off gas, electricity and • Only return to evacuated
near you. • Get flood protection water supplies if safe to do so. buildings if you are told it is safe.
• Be prepared to act on equipment in place. • Stay in a high place with a • Beware sharp objects and
your flood plan. • Turn off gas, electricity and means of escape. pollution in flood water.
• Check on the safety of water supplies if safe to do so. • Avoid electricity sources. • If your property or belongings
pets and livestock. • Be prepared to evacuate • Avoid walking or driving are damaged, contact your
• Charge your mobile phone. your home. through flood water. insurance company. Ask their
• Protect yourself, your family • In danger call 999 immediately. advice before starting to
and help others. clean up.
• Listen to emergency services.
• Act on your flood plan. • Act on your flood plan.

6 Environment Agency Preparing for a flood Environment Agency Preparing for a flood 7
 Flood protection equipment can help stop flood
water. Follow manufacturer instructions to put
these in place when you get a flood warning.

Plastic covers to seal airbricks Further steps to protect • Fit stainless steel or Lay rugs
These can stop flood water your property plastic kitchens instead
coming in through your airbricks. There are things you can do of chipboard ones. instead of fitted
to your property that will make • Position any main carpets on your
Sandbags it easier and cheaper to clean parts of a heating or ground floor
Your local council may provide up after a flood. However, ventilation system,
these during a flood, but they these are likely to cost more like a boiler, upstairs.
may be scarce. You can buy to put in place and take longer
• Fit non-return valves to all
your own sand and bags, or to do.
drains and water inlet pipes.
fill pillowcases and plastic • Lay ceramic tiles on your
bags with earth. Be aware • Replace wooden window
ground floor and use rugs
that following a flood they will frames and doors with
instead of fitted carpets.
be contaminated by sewage synthetic ones.
in the water. • Raise the height of electrical
sockets to 1.5 metres above
ground floor level.
Floodboards
These fix to frames around • Use lime plaster instead
windows and doors. They of gypsum on walls.
can be washed, stored and
used again.

tempor ary flood

Always remove flood protection
equipment once the flood
water has gone. This will
help your property dry out.

protection equipment
8  Environment Agency Preparing for a flood Environment Agency Preparing for a flood  9
 useful numbers
Your important flood telephone numbers.
For more information
These organisations have advice,
information and services to help you
protect your property from flooding.
For support and advice contact
The British Damage Management
Association (BDMA)
Fill this out and keep this leaflet with your flood kit. For general insurance queries contact www.bdma.org.uk
The Association of British Insurers 07000 843 2362
Environment Agency Floodline 0845 988 1188* www.abi.org.uk
For health information contact
Quickdial number 020 7600 3333
Health Protection Agency
Local authority emergency helpline For flood products and www.hpa.org.uk
Insurance company 24-hour services contact 01235 822 603/742
number and policy number National Flood Forum (Blue Pages)
www.floodforum.org.uk For weather and travel
Local radio station frequency for information contact
news alerts and weather updates 01299 403055
Met Office www.metoffice.gov.uk
Family and neighbours The Construction Centre
0870 900 0100
www.theconstructioncentre.co.uk
Bank phone number and details Highways Agency
01926 865825
Work phone numbers www.highways.gov.uk
For information on flood resistance 0845 750 4030
Doctor’s surgery and resilience contact
Traffic Wales
Local police station CIRIA www.ciria.org/flooding
www.traffic-wales.com
020 7549 3300
Vet/kennel/cattery 0845 6026020
Local hotel or B&B
Gas supplier and meter number
Electricity supplier and meter number
Water supplier and meter number
call Floodline on
Electrician
Plumber
0845 988 1188*
Open 24 hours a day
Builder • Find out what flood warning service is available where you live.
*BT calls cost up to 4p/min plus 6p set-up fee from your home. • Get practical advice on what to do before, during and after flooding.
Other providers and mobiles may vary. • Get your Quickdial number for easy access to local warnings.
10  Environment Agency Preparing for a flood Environment Agency Preparing for a flood  11
Would you like to find out more about us,
or about the environment?
Then call us on
08708 506 506** (Mon-Fri 8-6)
email
enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
or visit our website
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
incident hotline 0800 80 70 60 (24hrs)
floodline 0845 988 1188*
* BT calls cost up to 4p/min plus 6p set-up fee from your home.
Other providers and mobiles may vary.
** BT calls cost up to 8p/min plus 6p set-up fee from your home.
Other providers and mobiles may vary.

Environment first: This report is printed on paper made from 100

per cent previously used waste. By-products from making the pulp
and paper manufacture are used for composting and fertiliser, for cement
making and for heat conversion.

FLHO1007BNET-E-E