Flooding

Flooding Emergencies

IN AN EMERGENCY AND WHERE THERE IS THREAT TO LIFE CALL 999

If you are able to, let your local emergency co-ordinator know.

If a significant amount of water is entering your property, but there is NO threat to life

For Main Rivers:

Call the Environment Agency Incident Hotline 0800 80 70 60 (24 hours) and let your local emergency co-ordinator know.

For Other Sources of Flooding:

Call 101 and let your local emergency co-ordinator know.

To Report a Blockage in a Main River:

Call the Environment Agency Hotline: 0800 80 70 60

If there is no immediate risk from the blockage, tell the Environment Agency this or let
your local co-ordinator know

Please remember that the emergency services can only pump out water over 6” deep and will only attend if there is a threat to life. They must prioritise their work to help the most vulnerable.

Remember:

  • Do not enter flood water unless you have to;
  • There may be obstacles beneath the surface;
  • Flood water can be contaminated;
  • The Fire Service cannot pump water UNDER 15cm/6” in depth. Do NOT call them to pump water from around your home or on your floor. ONLY call them if there is a threat to life.

Community Flooding Co-ordinators & Volunteers

Following a number of flooding incidents across the Parish, Old Cleeve Parish Council was involved in setting up community networks of volunteers in 2013 and is a member of the West Somerset Flood Group. The Council also now has its own emergency sheds (funded by CRISP) and a limited supply of sandbags for use by the volunteers in preparing for flooding. Because of this work, our Parish qualified for property-level flood equipment to be installed on a number of properties. This was  funded by the Environment Agency and by Somerset County Council. It has helped to make our Parish more resilient.

Some of our flood risk is from rivers and the sea, but there are also locations around the Parish where surface water can be a problem. We have worked with SCC and with WSC to keep road drains as clear as possible, but they can block very quickly if there is intensive rain.

With co-ordinators in Washford and Roadwater the teams work across the Parish, mainly to help keep drains clear on critical stretches of road, to keep an eye out for possible problems, and to help individuals prepare where this has been requested. The co-ordinators can also liaise between the community and the authorities if required.

The flood co-ordinators are also happy to support you by directing you to the right authority to provide help. Some useful links are provided above.

NB. If you have a problem, the volunteers will always try to help, but please do understand that they are volunteers and may not be available or qualified to deal with the situation. If there is a serious situation, it will be the emergency services, and not the volunteers, who will be in charge.

What the Flood Co-ordinators & Volunteers Can Do (if available)

  1. Arrange to supply a limited number of sandbags (10 per household) in an emergency (providing there is no risk to the volunteers).
  2. Check those at risk are OK.
  3. Send someone to help you put up your own flood protection if you are unable to do so yourselves (please contact the general co-ordinator to discuss this, do not wait for an emergency).
  4. Notify the emergency services, in confidence, of potentially vulnerable households in the event of a flood (if you would like to be included on this list, please let us know).
  5. Liaise with the emergency services to let them know what is happening on the ground.
  6. Arrange for village community spaces to be opened up to receive people if they have had to leave their homes.

What the Flood Co-ordinators & Volunteers Can’t Do

  • Be everywhere at once;
  • Put themselves at risk;
  • Prevent floods.

Local Flooding Co-ordinator Contacts

Non-urgent help and advice or to volunteer:

  • Washford, Bilbrook, Old Cleeve: Phil Gannon tel 01984 640892
  • West Somerset Flood Group – acting chair: Brenda Maitland-Walker tel 01643 822 587/or email brendamw49@gmail.com

Emergency Co-ordinators (when a flood alert or flood warning is in force):

Washford, Bilbrook, Old Cleeve: Phil Gannon tel. 01984 640892
Roadwater: (please call in this order)
Mary Coles, Orchard Mead tel. 01984 640976 or email mary.vanderhook@gmail.com
Jill Wicks, Hillgrove tel. 01984 640263/mobile 07929 890801or email jillwicks52@btinternet.com
Chris and Nancy Marshall tel. 01984 640620 or email n.marshall100@btinternet.com/c.marshall100@btinternet.com

Useful Numbers & Links