Are you Prepared?
Around 5 million people, in 2 million properties, live in flood risk areas in England and Wales – are you one of them?
With climate change causing more extreme weather and sea level rise, flooding is a growing concern for those in the Kent area. It is becoming increasingly important for people to find out if their homes and businesses are at risk and to be prepared.
Even if you don’t live in a flood risk area, flash flooding can happen when there is very heavy rainfall and/or problems with water mains or sewers. Thinking ahead and planning for what could happen makes common sense. This is why the Environment Agency and other public bodies work closely together, through the Kent Resilience Forum, to make sure arrangements are in place to deal quickly and efficiently with a major flooding incident.
So what action can you take, should the worst happen?
- If you do live in a flood area, keep some plywood, sandbags or metal sheeting in the house to cover doors, windows and airbricks.
- Know where to turn off your gas, electricity and water supplies at the mains and to keep a list of useful numbers to hand, including the numbers for Floodline, the council, emergency services and your insurance company.
- Ensure that sentimental items, such as family photo albums that cannot be replaced and important personal documents, like passports, birth and wedding certificates are kept upstairs away from floodwater.
If you find yourself in an emergency, don’t forget to Go in, stay in, tune in for regular advice and updates on the situation on local radio and media websites.