Advice - Flooding

Environment Agency's Flood Awareness Campaign

Do you know if your home is at risk from flooding? Can you register for an advance warning telling you that rivers in your local area are rising and flooding is possible? Would you know how to protect yourself, your home or business if flooding did happen? Now is the time to find out.

Environment Agency: Flood - what you need to know

Flooding - Advice from the Council's Emergency Planning team

General preparation and response advice to these types of incidents can be found below.

Two types of flooding occur regularly in our area; Major rivers overflowing (Fluvial flooding) and Flash Flooding.

For more information on the flooding of major rivers where you live, to find out if your house is at risk and information on how to obtain flood warnings, please contact the environment agency, details are as follows:

Website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Environment Agency
General enquiry line 0845 933 3111
Emergency hotline 0800 807 060
Floodline 0845 9881 188

Current Flood Warnings (Environment Agency website)

Preparation advice

Over the last few years the risk of flooding has increased significantly, no one can stop flooding altogether but we can be prepared by taking a few precautions:

• Make sure you know how to turn off your electricity, gas and water;
• Prepare a list of local numbers of electricity, gas and water companies;
• Flood Kit - keep a battery radio and a torch with spare batteries, necessary medication, emergency contact telephone numbers, rubber gloves and your insurance policy in a safe place;
• Think about cooking without gas or electricity supplies;
• When choosing furniture, floor coverings etc, keep in mind how they may be affected by water and the need to be able to move them easily.

In the event of flooding

DO...

• Stay calm.
• Check that neighbours know about any flood warnings issued. If you know that you live in a flood risk area, you may be able to subscribe to the free environment agency automated flood warning system.
  Switch off gas, water and electricity.
• Move people and animals to a place of safety. Provide a litter tray for pets and have pet carriers available if possible.
• Unplug electrical items and store them upstairs if possible. For larger appliances such as fridge/freezer it may be necessary to raise them on bricks.
• If you can, move furniture, rugs, valuables or sentimental items upstairs
• Have a supply of drinking water in clean bottles or similar containers.
• Fill the bath and buckets with water for washing etc.
• Listen to the local radio for up to date news on the flood.
• Have spare clothes, wellingtons, waterproofs, torch, batteries, radio and food readily available.
• Reduce flood water coming in your home. If possible, cover doors, windows and airbricks with either plywood, sandbags or metal sheeting. 
• If you need to be evacuated because of severe flooding or damage, contact the police or dial 999.
• Remember  to lock up if you leave your property.
• If flooding traps you, stay by a window and try to attract attention.

DON'T...

• Throw rubbish into watercourses or leave debris on the banks - it can add to the flooding problem.
• Try to walk or drive through flood water, there may be hazards you can't see such as raised manhole covers.
• Use domestic water supply until you are advised it is safe to drink.
• Use the flood water for drinking, food preparation or washing or bathing - the water will be contaminated with sewage and other pollution.
• Use any foodstuffs that have been in contact with flood water.

If using sandbags, put a large sheet of heavy-duty plastic between them and the wall of your house. This makes a better defence than sandbags alone. Do not forget that water will come through the airbricks if they are not protected.

A number of firms sell flood shields which can be fitted to doors and airbricks. These are quite expensive, but effective. However, neither these or sandbags will prevent underground seepage, which may lead to flooding from below if river levels remain high for a long time.

After a flooding incident

The following help and advice will help you get back to normal as quickly as possible after a flood. When floodwater recedes, it may leave a muddy deposit, as well as the distress of clearing up there may be structural damage to your property.

Remember that while sandbags help to keep water out, they will also keep it in as the water goes down.

The yellow pages lists details of qualified assistance such as plumbers and electricians as well as suppliers of cleaning materials and equipment. This can be found under "flood damage".

It may be necessary to contact utility suppliers to reconnect supplies.
Always wear rubber gloves to clean surfaces or move objects that have been in contact with the floodwater - the water will have been contaminated with sewage and other pollution.

Do not use electrical circuits or equipment exposed to flood water until checked by a qualified electrician.

Dispose of damaged goods until your insurers have had a chance to inspect them.

Insurance

It is most important to seek the best possible insurance cover for your home and contents - it is too late to consider this after a flood.

Contact your insurance company immediately if your home has flooded, the majority of household policies provide insurance cover for flooding. If you are a tenant and have taken out contents insurance, household contents, fixtures and fittings should be covered; it is normally the responsibility of your landlord to provide building insurance. However you are advised to check your policy.

If you are uninsured you will most likely be responsible for covering all costs of flood damage. Remember to keep records of flood damage (photos etc).

Cleaning Up

Do not re-enter your house until all floodwater has been removed. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service may be able to help you with pumping floodwater out of your house. Remember others may also need this help so you may have to wait your turn. Remember there is no point pumping out rising water it will come straight back in.

If traffic is causing waves to further flood your property contact South Yorkshire Police, alternatively if flooding is being caused by a public sewer, in the first instance contact Yorkshire Water.

It is also recommended the following measures are taken:

• Ventilate your building after flooding - less damp is less damage. Did you know it takes a house brick about one month per inch to dry out?
• Put on protective clothing before starting any clean-up.
  Remove all soft furnishings and fittings that are damaged beyond repair.
• Remove dirty water and silt from the property including the space under the ground floor if you have wooden floors. This space may need pumping out.
• Wash down all hard surfaces with hot soapy water.
• Use a domestic disinfectant (following manufacturer's directions as to concentrations) to wash over all hard surfaces after cleaning.
• Clothing, bedding and other soft/fabric articles including children's toys etc should be laundered at the highest temperature as indicated on manufacturer's instructions.
• Other soft furnishings that have been contaminated and cannot be put in a washing machine will have to be professionally cleaned or if this is not possible may have to be disposed of.
• Seek advice from the Council about clearing up if you have any doubts.
• Seek professional advice if your property is damaged.  

If floodwater has damaged your property

If you are the property owner and insured, your insurers will most probably appoint a structural engineer or loss adjuster to carry out an assessment of your property and arrange repairs. If you are uninsured you may have to arrange this yourself. If you are a tenant, you may be responsible for the repairs, depending on your property owner. Contact the citizens advice bureau for further advice.

If your home is uninhabitable, and you are insured your insurers may help you arrange emergency accommodation, if you are uninsured or a tenant and are made homeless in an emergency, contact the council's neighbourhood and adult services section.

Reducing the Risk of Infection

General advice on protecting health following flooding and sewage contamination of the environment:

• Do not use food which the floodwater has reached. It may be contaminated.
• Any utensils which have been in the floodwater must be cleaned and boiled in fresh water before use.
• Experience from previous flooding has shown that any risk to health is small. You do not need any booster immunisations or antibiotics.
• Floodwater and sewage often leaves a muddy deposit that may contain bacteria and other micro-organisms. Most will be harmless but some of these germs may cause gastroenteritis (tummy upset) if ingested.
• If anyone in your family does become ill you should deal with it in the way you normally would.
• Use protective clothing such as wellington boots and household rubber gloves if involved in the clean up to minimise the risk of infection. Cover any cuts with waterproof plaster. The single most important precaution is washing your hands after any contact with flood water or sludge and particularly before eating or preparing food.

Gardens and play areas

Do not let young children play on affected areas until they have been cleaned down and restored to their normal condition. Children should always wash their hands after playing outdoors, especially before eating or preparing food.

Garden vegetable produce

Do not eat garden or allotment vegetables that have been covered by sewerage or floodwater. Although any health risk is small, it is better to dispose of any contaminated produce and start again.