Flood Action Week [November 22-28] has brought the release of a new analysis from the Environment Agency, which suggests that 60 per cent of households living in flood prone areas do not believe that they will be affected.
The findings have been enough for the Environment Agency to warn the public against complacency and call on those in flood prone areas to prepare by protecting their properties where possible, with the Met Office having indicated that a wet winter is likely.
The Environment Agency’s research suggests that around 30 per cent of people living in areas with a risk of flooding have not yet prepared, amounting to some 1.5 million households out of over 5.2 million properties that are at risk of flooding in England.
As part of Flood Action Week, the Environment Agency and M3 Floodtec - a manufacturer of flood protection products - have called on the public to research their flood risk online, sign up for flood warnings and be ready to act if flooding occurs.
The Environment Agency’s executive director of flooding, Caroline Douglass, commented: “Now is the time for us all to be vigilant, not complacent, about flooding.
“Our previous investment programme protected 314,000 properties from flooding. Our flood defences have helped to protect nearly 200,000 properties during flooding incidents since 2019, and we’re investing millions into building new schemes and making repairs to keep communities safe.
“Yet we can’t prevent all flooding - climate change is only increasing that risk – and today’s figures show that while some people are prepared, many are not. It’s vitally important for the public to go online and check if they are at risk, sign up for Environment Agency warnings, and know what to do if flooding hits.”
The agency has deployed 250 mobile pumps and 6,000 trained staff across the country in readiness for flood mitigation, while the government has invested £5.2 billion into flood defences to protect 336,000 flood prone properties.
During heavy rain in October, 79 households experienced flooding, while 3,300 others staved off disaster thanks to flood defences.
M3 Floodtec, based in Worcestershire, has been actively involved in preparing such safeguards against flooding. Among its wider array of services is consultancy support across the full lifecycle of every projects it takes on, and over the years the company has earned a strong reputation for designing, installing and maintaining effective flood mitigation measures.
M3’s team covers the whole of the UK as well as Europe and the Middle East with a suite of registered designs and patent-protected flood-defence products.
This year, M3 has completed several notable flood protection projects, including one on behalf of the Forged Solutions Group, based in a flood risk zone in the city of Sheffield.
M3 Floodtec CEO Peter Marchant told The Parliamentary Review: “Our vision is to provide world-class flood-defence protection to the general public, business owners, local authorities and councils, housing associations, infrastructure providers and operators and the Environment Agency at an affordable price and, above all, to offer an unparalleled level of customer service. Our drive is to develop intelligent and passive systems that provide solutions to dealing with flood situations faced by people all over the country.
“Unfortunately, flooding is making the headlines a lot right now for all the wrong reasons, and it is causing untold damage. People need to be very aware of the risks of flooding.
“Meanwhile, our standing as specialists in methods and technologies for protecting property from flood damage put us in a unique position to help.”
All of M3’s products used across its many projects - including its anti-flood airbricks, PVC Defender Double Patio Flood Doors, Defender Flood Windows, Defender Barriers and more - have been tested to the latest BS 851188 standards and awarded the relevant Kitemark Certificates.
If you are from a household which is at risk of flooding, the Environment Agency recommends the following steps:
If there is a flood alert – prepare by packing medicines and insurance and other important documents and visit the flood warning information service.
If there is a flood warning – act by moving family, pets and belongings to safety. Turn off gas, water and electricity.
If there is a severe flood warning – survive immediate danger by following the advice of emergency services or calling 999 if needed.
Photo by Chris Gallagher on Unsplash
