The Environment Agency (EA) is currently
testing new flood technology as part of a training exercise involving 1,000 members of staff, designed to test that the orgainsation is ready to respond more flexibly and quicker to floods in the future. In addition, the group has reached a winter-ready milestone for all communities affected by flooding in winter last year, with the same level of protection afforded to regions affected that they had before the winter 2015/2016.
Chief executive of the EA Sir James Bevan said: "Our £65 million repair programme means flood-affected communities will be protected again. Meanwhile,between January and June 2016, we completed over 120 schemes, better protecting nearly 48,000 homes from flooding. But there is no such thing as 100 per cent protection against flooding. It's everyone's responsibility to be prepared and in next month's Flood Action campaign we'll call on everyone to play their part."
If the last few years are anything to go by, businesses and homeowers alike need to be as prepared as they can in case their local areas are affected by floods. Not only does this involve increasing flood prevention measures such as flood-proof doors, but you'd also be wise to invest in
disposable workwear and high vis clothes so that if you do have to head out to deal with flooding, you can be seen easily. Remember that emergency situations can arise very quickly so having the right kind of personal protective equipment to hand would certainly be a good idea.
Flash floods are increasingly becoming a concern here in the UK, although it seems that some are not as worried about the risk that this poses as they perhaps should be. As
the Guardian explains, flash flooding actually poses a greater threat to railways, roads and properties than coastal or river flooding but it was left out of the government's National Flood Resilience Review that was published last month (September).
This kind of flooding is likely to increase as a result of climate change, bringing with it more frequent and more intense rainstorms. On September 16th, half a month's worth of rain fell in just a few hours, which resulted in flooding of roads, stations and homes, with a derailment also occurring in Watford as a result. Buildings were flooded, motorways closed, train services were delayed and thousands of homes found themselves without electricity as a result.
In Oxfordshire and Berkshire, social media pictures showed incredibly waterlogged train stations, such as Newbury and Didcot Parkway, with the latter seriously affected with water rising up stairwells and
ticket barriers partially submerged.
In situations such as these, if you are called out to deal with various problems, it's vital that you remember that safety should always come first. Make sure you know exactly what your responsibilities are and that you are fully able to carry them out. You don't want to put yourself in danger and cause even more problems as a result - which is why it's so vital that you have the right kind of equipment at your disposal to ensure you can do your job properly and to the best of your ability.