As we enter the wet weather season, we want everyone to know what to do and who to contact in the event of a flood.
Preparing for a flood:
Whilst it’s not possible to remove all risk of flooding, there are some actions that you can take to help protect your property and those who live there:
- Know the risk:
- Sign up for flood warnings: www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings
- Sign up to weather warnings: www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news-and-media/media-centre/subscribe-to-email-alerts
- Check the long term flood risk to understand how likely it is that a place could flood in the future, what factors could contribute to future flooding and where to get information about managing your flood risk: www.gov.uk/check-long-term-flood-risk
- Make a flood plan:
- The Environment Agency offers detailed advice on how to make a plan for your property: www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-flood-plan/personal-flood-plan
- Be prepared – the Environment Agency’s guide details how to prepare for a flood (www.gov.uk/prepare-for-flooding/protect-your-property), including:
- Making sure you know how to turn off your water, gas and electricity supply
- Checking your household building or contents insurance covers flooding – FloodRe may be able to help if you need support: www.floodre.co.uk/find-an-insurer
- Preparing a flood kit in case you need to leave your home
- Check your home is ready:
- Check your home and garden drains - are there leaves or other waste trapped in there? This could stop rainwater from draining away, so make sure you pull anything out.
- Check your flood protection equipment – ensure that any flood defences are working properly and ready for use.
- Check the drains on your road are clear. If there are any problems, please report it to us online at www.stoke.gov.uk/highways
- Drain your water butt – before wet weather comes, make space in your water butt by using water in the garden or to wash the car. Creating more room will help prevent too much rain getting into the sewers at once.
Who to contact during a flood:
It’s not always simple to know who to contact in an emergency, but by saving this information, you’ll be able to access the support that you need, when you need it:
- Emergencies: If there is risk of serious illness, injury or risk to life, call 999.
- Flooding in the road: If you see flooding in local roads, report it to us online at www.stoke.gov.uk/highways. For major roads, contact the Highways Agency on 0300 123 5000.
- Major river flooding (breaking banks): For help, contact the Environment Agency flood hotline on 0345 988 1188.
- Smaller river or stream flooding: Report it to us online - www.stoke.gov.uk/highways
- Sewer flooding: If you see sewer debris in flood water, like toilet paper or poo, get in touch with us straight away on 0800 783 4444.
Useful contacts:
- For general advice, call the Environment Agency’s 24-hour flood hotline on 0345 988 1188.
- The National Flood Forum has a helpline that provides general support before, during and after a flood, including home resilience and insurance. Contact the charity on 01299 403 055.
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