Preparing for Flooding
Readers will doubtless be familiar with the images in the news showing the terrible damage to property and lives caused by flooding in England and Wales over the summer. We all hope that this will never happen to us. However, flooding is becoming increasingly common in Scotland and, unfortunately, many have seen at first hand the effects of flooding on their homes and businesses in Perthshire in recent years.
As part of its annual flood awareness campaign, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is urging people who live and work in flood risk areas to use their free national flooding advice service, Floodline, if they are concerned about flooding. |
|
|
Floodline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing useful information and guidance on what you can do before, during and after a flood, as well as up-to-the-minute flood alerts. The Floodline service can be contacted by telephoning 0845 988 1188 or logging on to the SEPA website at www.sepa.org.uk/flooding.
Be Prepared
Being prepared in advance can help reduce the damage and distress that flooding can cause. For example, if you’re unsure if your home or business may be at risk of flooding then the SEPA online flood map at www.sepa.org.uk, can provide you with an indication of the risk of flooding in your area.
Although the agency cannot totally prevent flooding there are some small actions that we can all do to reduce the impact.
Flood Kit
Preparing a family flood kit may seem strange, but in the unfortunate situation of being flooded, having a torch, first aid kit, important contact numbers and insurance details in one place will be essential.
It’s important to know where to turn off the electricity, gas and water and check whether your insurance policy covers you for flood damage. Knowing where water may enter your home or business, for example through doors or air vents, is also important.
There are a range of household flood protection products that can be purchased to help keep water out. Many of these can be bought from DIY stores and information on these can be obtained through Floodline.
You can’t always stop flooding from happening, but by being prepared, you can reduce the impact it can have on your life, should it happen.
|
