Forest Heath
District Council work closely with the emergency services and the
Environment Agency to coordinate a response during severe
flooding.
IMPORTANT FLOODING INFORMATION: For an update on the current
flooding situation contact the Environment Agency Floodline
either by telephone on 0845 9881188, or
online, or refer to BBC Ceefax page 419.
Contact Us
For more information please contact the Environmental Protection
Team on:
Tel: 01638 719733 Fax: 01638 719357
Email:
enviroprotection@forest-heath.gov.uk
Post: Environmental Services, District Offices, College Heath Road,
Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7EY
How can we
Help?
Local authorities are not required to provide material for flood
protection. However, here at Forest Heath District Council we will
endeavour to assist our residents before, during, and after a
flooding event if at all possible. Although this is largely
dependent on the scale and nature of the flooding, Council
employees may be able to assist in the following ways:
- Make sand bags available to residents
- Assist in the filling and deployment of sand bags
- Assist in any evacuation or relocation of residents to rest
centres
- Deal with road closures and overflowing drains caused by flood
waters
- Assist in the clean up after the flood waters have
subsided
- Advise and assist residents after the event
Whilst we appreciate each and every resident in our District
will regard their own home as their main concern, we hope you can
appreciate that we will sometimes have to prioritise our resources.
This may mean you find that we are unable to assist you as much as
you would like, whilst our resources are deployed to other
potentially more vulnerable and higher risk areas.
What can you
do?
Be Prepared. Act NOW!
If your house is situated in an area liable to be affected by
flooding you are strongly advised to spend some time and money
preparing and planning for a flood event. More detailed guidance
can be seen on the
Environment Agency website, but in
summary:
-
Agree a plan of action
within your household
-
Know the location of
your airbricks
-
Have a ready supply of
sand/sandbags for use
-
Know how to turn your
mains power/gas supplies off
-
Keep an emergency bag
with radio, batteries and a torch upstairs
-
Keep irreplaceable
sentimental items upstairs
By taking these simple
preparatory measures you could be saving yourself and your family
from serious physical, financial and emotional hurt that flooding
can cause. You may be able to recover physically and financially
from the affect of flooding, but all too often the long term
emotional effects on a family are not so quickly fixed.
If you would like to receive automated text messages, phone calls,
and emails regarding flooding that may affect your property then
please register with Floodline Warnings Direct using the joining
instruction on the
Environment Agency website.
Latest News
- In the June and July floods of 2007 many communities in the
north of England were devastated. Seven people died when over
40,000 homes and 5,000 businesses were flooded
- Forest Heath District Council is currently reviewing its
emergency procedures regarding flooding, and they are expected to
be published in Spring 2008
FAQs
Q. Am I at risk of Flooding?
A. Refer to Environment
Agency flood risk maps.
Q. What should I do to make sure I am properly prepared for a
Flood?
A. Do not delay - Act Now! Spending an hour of
your time now could save you and your families’ lives. Refer to the
Environment Agency advice on how to
prepare for a flood now.
Q. What should I do during a Flood?
A. Keep you and your
family safe. Listen to local radio stations and use Floodline to
keep informed. For more detailed advice refer to the
Environment Agency advice on what to do
during a flood event.
Q. How do I get sandbags from the local authority?
A.
Local authorities are not required to provide material for flood
protection. However, here at Forest Heath District Council we will
endeavour to assist our residents before, during, and after a
flooding event if at all possible. For further advice please
contact us.
Q. Will sandbags stop water entering my house?
A. No - Probably not. It is a common misconception that a couple of
rows of sand bags across your front door will keep your house dry
and free from flood water. There are many reasons for this, but
essentially sandbags are not designed to provide an entirely
water tight seal on their own, merely to redirect the flow of water
and to form a protective barrier against ‘bow waves’ from passing
traffic, whilst slowing the rate at which water can enter the
property. If the water level outside of your front door is higher
than your door step for any length of time, then expect the ground
floors to get wet. Sandbags can however buy you valuable minutes to
move precious belonging out of harms way and prepare your house for
ingress of flood waters.
Q. So what else can I do to protect my property?
A. Water
tight flood guards across external doorways together with other
specialised products such as airbrick covers can give a much higher
level of protection from flood waters. If you are considering
buying additional flood protection equipment then you are strongly
advised only to consider products that are certified by the
‘Kitemark’. A list of reputable suppliers can be viewed online at
the
Environment Agency website.
Q. Does the Council offer any grants for the purchasing of flood
protection products?
A. No.
Q. The flood waters have just receded. I don’t know where to
start!?
A. Cleaning up after a flood is a daunting task.
The
Environment Agency website offers a
comprehensive guide on how to start the clear up and provides
free downloads of many useful documents.
Useful Links