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Flood advice

Flooding is an emergency that can happen very quickly and suddenly and can have a major impact.  However, there are a number of simple things we can all do to make sure we are well prepared before a flood happens:

• Make sure you have the correct home insurance to cover flood damage
• Sign up to receive warnings via phone, text, email, fax or pager by telephoning the Environment Agency Floodline on 0845 988 1188
• Prepare an emergency kit with key essentials you will need in an emergency
• Make sure you know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water supplies in case required
• Move any important documents or precious family photograph albums upstairs
• Consider the needs of babies, children, elderly or disabled at home and what they would need in the event of flooding
• Keep a list of useful numbers, such as your insurance policy
• Consider ways to protect your home against flood damage. For example, by using plastic covers to seal airbricks, raising height of electrical sockets  

Steps to take if floods are on the way

If there are floods on the way, you should take the following steps:

• Contact Floodline on 0845 988 1188 for more information
• Switch off gas, electricity and water supplies if necessary and it is safe to do so. DO NOT deal with electricity supplies if you are standing in water
• Move your family and pets to higher ground
• If possible, fill your bath or other containers with clean water
• If you have sandbags, make sure they are in place

Following a flood, you should:

• Not return to your home until it is safe to do so
• Avoid floodwater as much as possible and keep children and vulnerable people away from it. Wash your hands if you touch floodwater
• Don’t eat any food that may be contaminated by floodwater and disinfect crockery, cutlery and work surfaces before using them again
• Contact your buildings and contents insurance company as soon as possible
• Beware of hazards in floodwater when you are clearing up
• Keep your gas and electricity supplies turned off until a professional has checked the system
• Call Floodline on 0845 988 1188 for further advice