PREPARE FOR FLOODING.
A GUIDE FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES
FOR ADVANCE FLOOD WARNINGS
Your property could be
at risk of flooding.
But help is available.
The frequency of floods has risen dramatically in
Scotland over recent years. Although we can’t prevent
them, you can limit the impact they have on your home
or business. That’s why everyone should be prepared.
Even if you live or work in an area that hasn’t flooded before, or
is above ground level, it’s still important that you are prepared to
take action. After all, the roads leading to and from your home or
workplace could get flooded. Power and water supplies may be
cut. Or you may have family, friends and neighbours who could
be at risk and need your help.
This guide will help you understand the role of the organisations
working to limit the damage caused by flooding; and your
role in protecting yourself and your property.
So read it carefully. Otherwise you could be putting
yourself and your property at risk.
2 Prepare for Flooding
STEP 1: BE AWARE.
who is responsible for what?
Many organisations work together to predict and protect you from river
and coastal flooding. This table shows who is responsible for taking
preventative action, but also outlines your personal responsibility.
You:
• Make sure your building is fully insured.
• Consider installing flood protection
products (see page 9 & 10).
• Have a family or business flood plan in
place to protect your property
and belongings (see page 8).
• Sign up to receive free flood warning
messages direct to your phone.
SEPA:
• Monitors the rivers and the sea to predict
the likelihood of flooding.
• Issues flood warning messages and
offers flood preparation advice through
Floodline – 0845 988 1188.
• Provides information on areas at risk of
river and coastal flooding.
• Helps local authorities identify
sustainable actions to manage flooding.
Scottish Water:
• Manages the public water and waste
network, including assessing risk of
surface and sewer flooding.
• Minimises risk of sewer flooding.
• Reservoir maintenance.
• Works with other organisations to reduce
impact of floods and create surface
water management plans.
Police:
• Emergency services co-ordination.
• Road traffic control.
• Responsible for saving lives, evacuation
and public information.
Your local authority:
• Plans flood defence schemes.
• River and burn maintenance
(non-agricultural land).
• Gully (gutter and drain covers)
maintenance for local roads.
• Manages flood defences and puts
flood barriers in place.
• Works with emergency services
in response to severe flooding.
• Co-ordinates shelter for people
who are evacuated.
The Fire & Rescue Service:
• The Scottish Fire & Rescue services have a duty to save lives in the event
of serious flooding which is likely to
cause one or more individuals to die, be
seriously injured or become seriously ill.
Transport Scotland:
• Gully (gutter and drain covers)
maintenance for main roads
and motorways.
• Main road closures.
Scottish Government:
• Responsible for overall flooding policy.
• Funds SEPA’s Flood Warning and
Informing services.
Scottish Flood Forum:
• Offers support and advice on flood
protection, insurance, recovery, advice
on establishing community flood groups
and business continuity planning.
• Represents the interests of people
affected by, or at risk of flooding.
For more information visit
www.sepa.org.uk/floodingwhodoeswhat
Prepare for Flooding
3
SEPA FLOODLINE.
A service you can count on 24/7.
Wherever you are in Scotland, Floodline is here to help. SEPA uses
river and coastal monitoring systems, in areas where we have a
formal flood scheme, to accurately predict the likelihood and timing of
flooding. When flooding is predicted within a local target area, we will
issue a flood warning message through the Floodline service.
In areas where we do not operate a formal flood monitoring scheme,
SEPA works with the Met Office to examine weather forecasts and will
issue a Flood Alert for a wider geographical area, normally matching
local authority boundaries.
It’s important that you monitor weather updates and check Floodline
regularly to be kept informed of potential flooding within your area. All
you have to do is call (charged at local rate) or click online. Your area
even has a dedicated quick dial code to take you straight to the flood
messages that are relevant to you.
FREE FLOOD MESSAGES
DIRECT TO YOUR PHONE.
You can now sign up to receive free flood messages sent direct to
your phone for your local area; which means you’ll know in advance
when a flood is likely to occur. Just remember, it’s important that
you know what action to take to protect your property.
Sign up now at www.sepa.org.uk/floodingsignup
or call Floodline on 0845 988 1188
For more information visit
www.floodlinescotland.org.uk
4 Prepare for Flooding
THE SCOTTISH
FLOOD FORUM.
Scottish
Flood Forum
Supporting flood risk communities
The Scottish Flood Forum is an independent organisation
representing the interests of people and communities affected
by, or at risk of flooding. Funded by the Scottish Government and
working alongside SEPA and many Local Authorities, the Scottish
Flood Forum offers advice on:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Setting up community flood groups.
Flood protection products.
Cleaning up and recovery after a flood.
Insurance claims.
Dealing with the stress caused by flooding.
Business continuity planning.
simply call
01738 448411
OR visit
www.scottishfloodforum.org
Prepare for Flooding
5
STEP 2: BE PREPARED.
PLAN before flooding HAPPENS.
3
3Consider flood protection products
If flooding looks likely call Floodline
or visit www.sepa.org.uk/
floodupdates
3
Prepare a flood plan and put
that can be fitted to your property
and practice how to fit them
(see page 10 & 11).
3Familiarise yourself with how to
together a family flood kit. Include
a torch, first aid kit, warm and
waterproof shoes and clothing,
supplies of prescription medicines,
bottled water, food, rubber gloves,
children’s supplies, pet supplies,
insurance details, portable radio
and spare batteries, and a bag or
rucksack in case of evacuation.
against flooding – for common
insurance questions, visit
www.sepa.org.uk/floodingfaqs
3
Check you have adequate insurance
shut off gas, electricity, oil-fired
heating and water supplies.
3Keep a list of useful contact
numbers, including your
Floodline quick dial code.
3Make sure all the family know what
to do and how to keep in touch if
the area floods.
3Keep monitoring the situation.
3If instructed, evacuate.
ADDITIONAL PREPARATION
ADVICE FOR BUSINESSES.
3
Check your insurance policy
covers loss of revenue and
provides sufficient cover for your
stock and buildings.
3Identify stock or equipment that
requires protective measures
to prevent damage. Hazardous
materials will need special care
and attention.
3Set up a business flood plan and
3
Consider
which staff may have had
make your staff familiar with it.
their
homes
flooded. The Scottish
3List emergency numbers in a place
Flood Forum can help you provide
where all staff can access them.
support for them.
3Protect critical business records
and equipment such as computer
servers.
6 Prepare for Flooding
Flood warning symbols
and what they mean
SEPA uses flood warning symbols when predicting the likelihood
of flooding. They have been designed to be easy to understand and
make it clear what action you should take. Familiarise yourself with
these flood symbols and what they mean.
Flooding is forecast within the next 24-48
hours. Monitor weather reports and check
with Floodline for updates.
FLOOD ALERT
FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. BE PREPARED.
Flooding is predicted in the next 3-6 hours.
Immediate action is required, take measures
to protect yourself and your property.
It may not be possible to give 3 hours’ notice
in areas prone to rapid flooding or when water
levels have escalated quicker than expected.
Flooding is imminent and could pose a risk to
life and cause significant disruption to essential
services, such as water and electricity supplies.
Prepare to evacuate and co-operate with the
emergency services.
No Longer
in Force
messages
Issued when no further flooding is currently
expected for your area. But flood water may
still be around for several days.
Remember! The volatile nature of flooding means that these flood messages
may not always occur in this order. So it’s important that you monitor weather
updates and check Floodline regularly.
Prepare for Flooding
7
FLOODING HAS BEEN FORECAST,
what should you do next?
• Make sure friends, family and neighbours are aware and
prepared – especially if they are elderly or vulnerable.
• Move business stock and supplies into a safe place.
• Move important documents and valuable items to a higher place.
• Get your flood kit and keep it with you.
• Install flood protection products to your property.
• Move vehicles out of the flood risk area.
• Secure any loose items in your garden.
• Charge your mobile phone.
• Monitor weather updates and check Floodline regularly
on 0845 988 1188 or www.sepa.org.uk/floodupdates
8
Prepare for Flooding
STEP 3: BE PROTECTED
What precautionary measures
CAN you take?
Water can seep into a property via a number of channels. But there
are temporary measures you can take to protect it. Installing flood
protection measures won’t reduce flood risk, but it can reduce the
damage to your property. Insurers may recognise that you’ve taken
these measures when it comes to calculating your premium.
Seepage through
cracks and joints
in walls and gaps
around service
pipes and cables
Backflow
through
backed up
drains
Water enters
through airbricks
and other wall vents
Ground
seepage
Water enters
via doors and
windows
Prepare for Flooding
9
British Standards Institution
(BSI) Approved Flood
Protection Products.
Flood barriers
Plastic or metal flood boards
fitted across a doorway or window
before the flood water arrives, can
provide a watertight seal.
Flood skirts
A more advanced system of flood
protection, which completely
encloses the bottom 600-900mm
(2-3 feet) of a property in water
resistant sheeting. Ideal for
detached properties prone to
flooding for long periods.
Sandbags
Available from DIY stores, these
can be used to create a dam in
front of doorways and, when
put in a toilet bowl, can prevent
sewage from entering your
home. Be sure to discard them
after flooding as they may be
contaminated. Bin bags filled with
soil are an alternative option.
Airbrick covers
A plastic cover clips to frames
fitted around airbricks on
exterior walls.
The Scottish Flood Forum can provide advice on the most
suitable products for your property as well as a list
of flood prevention manufacturers and suppliers.
Please visit www.scottishfloodforum.org
or call 01738 448411 for more information.
10 Prepare for Flooding
BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS
YOU CAN MAKE.
If you’re making home improvements or repairs, consider the
following to make your property more flood resistant:
• Avoid using wallpaper. Use water-resistant paint or horizontal plasterboard which can be replaced easily.
• Fit stainless steel or PVC kitchen units, rather than
MDF or wood.
• Raise switches, sockets and meters to a height of at least
900mm (3 feet) above floor level.
• Replace perishable flooring such as carpet or laminate with
rugs or ceramic tiles.
• Raise kitchen and catering appliances above floor level.
• Raise gas meters, central heating boilers and pumps above maximum expected flood water level.
• Install plastic skirting boards.
• Check internal and external walls for cracks and seal them.
• Consider having extended concrete footings and a waterproof membrane put into property foundations.
Additional information and an indication of the costs involved
can be found in the Association of British Insurers publication
‘Flood Resilient Homes’ at www.abi.org.uk; or the Construction
Industry Research & Information Association’s ‘Improving the Flood
Resistance of Your Home’ advice sheets at www.ciria.org.uk/flooding
Prepare for Flooding 11
This brochure gives you advice and information on how to prepare
yourself, your home and your business for flooding. By taking these
small measures, you can make a big difference to the impact that
floods can have on your property.
Further information and support
For information on dealing with a flood and the recovery process,
please refer to SEPA’s ‘Dealing with a Flood’ leaflet, available
to download at www.sepa.org.uk/floodingpublications.
It includes information on what steps to take during a flood
and how to get life back to normal as quickly as possible.
www.floodlinescotland.org.uk
Printed on 100% recycled paper from sustainable forests.