Given the UK’s maritime climate, flooding can occur after storms and heavy rain at practically any time of the year. In its wake, it brings disruption and inconvenience at the very least but at its worst, the risk of damage to property and loss of life.
Included reasonably high on any prepper’s agenda, therefore, is a plan for dealing with and being prepared for a flood where you are.
How to prepare for a flood
We are fortunate in this country to have well-established channel of communication about flood risks and warnings that can be issued whenever those risks turn into reality:
Long-term risks
- for any location in the UK, for example, you can search the government website to discover its long-term risk of flooding from the sea and rivers, surface water, reservoirs, and ground water;
Flood warning service
- whether or not you live in a high-risk area, you can still sign up for flood warnings at any address in England, Wales, or Scotland – and receive these warnings day or night by telephone call, email, or text message;
Check for flooding
- if that’s not enough, you can make a real-time check on the current state of affairs to establish the flood risk over the next five days, the estimated levels of rainfall, groundwater, river, and sea levels;
- your local council can also advise and give warnings about any flash flooding – or surface water flooding – in your area.
Preparing for flooding
Once you’ve completed your initial preparation by setting up any flood warning arrangement and finding out how to check the current situation, you also need to know what to do if that risk of flooding becomes a reality:
- gather up and keep in a safe, dry place all your important documents – including insurance documents – so you can recover them quickly once the flooding subsides;
- it’s a good idea to keep digital copies of these important documents by photographing them onto your phone and emailing them to yourself, too;
- if you’re already into prepping, you’ll have prepared the emergency kit of supplies and equipment – such as food, water, first aid kit, and medication – that makes up your bug-out bag;
- if you haven’t done so already, make the small investment needed for an emergency weather radio;
- make sure you have plenty of bottles filled with clean drinking water – you’ll need to drink lots of it, advises the NHS, and as much as eight to ten glasses a day;
- for your defences against rising flood waters lay in a supply of sandbags – your local council can tell you where to get them, or ask at your nearest builders’ merchant or DIY store;
- advance preparation will have ensured that your drains and gutters are clear of debris and allow water to flow away smoothly; but
- Also consider investing in a sump pump so that you are ready to bale out if flood waters invade your home – Amazon advertises a wide range of such pumps.
What to do when floods strike
Although we’ll suggest some dos and don’ts, if you are ever in any doubt, remember that you can always contact the National Flood Forum or speak directly to a Floodline adviser – lines are open 24/7 on 0345 988 1188.
Action points
- if you are outside and get cut off by rising floodwaters get to shelter straight away and don’t try to wade or swim through the rushing torrents;
- these can be so strong that even vehicles will be easily swept away – so don’t try driving through either but move to higher ground and stay as far away as possible from lower-lying areas;
- if you get trapped in your car by a flash flood, stay inside it and only climb out onto the roof when water rises inside the vehicle;
- bridges, underpasses, riverbanks, and beaches are all highly dangerous places when there are floods – and water levels can rise alarmingly quickly;
- staying in your home is likely to be the safest place and move to the highest floor in the building but avoid climbing into the attic or any other room or space from which there is no clear escape route;
- be alert to the danger of electrical short circuits if water is rising to the height of power outlets and plug sockets – if you see any sparks or hear popping or snapping noises, get out of that room immediately and keep clear of any water;
- floodwater is contaminated and potentially toxic, so avoid as much contact with it as possible – and certainly make sure that neither children nor pets are tempted to drink it.
After the flood
If you had to evacuate your home, you’ll be keen to return as soon as possible but do so only when you’ve been notified that it is safe to do so.
You will need to be alert for some time yet to the possibility of new dangers as the waters subside and the clean-up operation begins. Downed power lines or electrical cables that are touching pools of standing water can still be – lethally – charged.
Contact your insurance company as soon as you are able, preferably with photos of the damage to your property and its contents. Make that contact before you start cleaning up or undertaking any repairs.
When you are ready to get down to cleaning up and making repairs, remember to wear protective clothing and continue to keep in mind that floodwaters are invariably contaminated and toxic.
If your home has a basement that has flooded, pump out the water gradually – roughly one third of the volume each day. If you pump all of the water out at once, you run the risk of the wet – and, therefore, fragile – walls collapsing and leaving your basement even more severely damaged.
Summary
These tips and suggestions about preparing for, weathering, and mopping up after a flood may help you, your family, and your friends survive the worst of the flooding and help you recover more quickly afterwards.
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