Barham Flood Plan
Last review 26 January 2015
Introduction
As in previous instances of flooding, there will be a multi-agency response including (not
exclusively) Canterbury City Council, Kent Highways, the Environment Agency, UK Power
Networks, Southern Water, Kent Police, and even The Red Cross and St John’s Ambulance.
During an emergency, the agencies working with the emergency services will always try to
prioritise those in greatest need, especially where life is in danger. There will be times when
people may be affected by flooding but not be at risk. During such times communities need to
know how to help themselves. By becoming more aware, the community can support the work of
local emergency responders and reduce the impact of an emergency. This document sets out a
framework for Barham, and gives useful information and contact numbers.
Contents
Drainage and flooding contacts
Canterbury City Council contact numbers
Canterbury City Council Sandbag policy
Flood wardens fact sheet
Barham Parish Council Flood Action Plan – and
Residents fact sheet – How to help yourself
Barham Flood wardens – contact details and flow chart
Known locations at risk of flooding in Barham
Procedure for parish council to initiate a road closure
How Barham Parish Council will communicate with residents
in an emergency
Alternative public transport arrangements during periods of
road closures
Page 2-3
Page 4
Page 5-6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 12
Appendices
Appendix 1: Flood warning codes and what they mean
Appendix 2: Sandbags and how to use them for flood protection
Appendix 3: Understanding different sources of flooding
Appendix 4: General advice for communities who are at risk from groundwater flooding
Appendix 5: How to help yourself in an emergency – what to do before and during
an emergency
Appendix 6: Distribution list for this Flood Plan : List of recipients
Enquiries
All enquiries relating to this document should be sent to:
Amanda Sparkes, Clerk to Barham Parish Council, 4 Chequers Cottages, Stone Street,
Petham, Canterbury CT4 5PW
Telephone 01227 700939
Email amanda.sparkes6@btinternet.com
The latest version of this document may be obtained from the above.
If you are in immediate danger call 999
1
Drainage and Flooding Contacts
Public Foul and Surface
Water Sewers
Southern Water
For general problems and queries, contact the call centre on
0845 278 0845
Email customerservices@southernwater.co.uk (They prefer you
to phone if it is urgent)
Council House Drainage
Problems
Highway Gullies etc
Ask residents to contact Serco direct: 0800 834 959
KCC Highways:
03000 418181 (24/7 emergency contact number)
To report highway problems online (non emergency)
www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/report-a-problem
Land Drainage and Minor
Rivers and Watercourses
Canterbury City Council contacts:
Dan Simmons: 01227 862450
Or 01227 862000 and ask for sea defences
Sandbag Deliveries and
Other Flood Emergency
Works
Out of hours: CCC Control Room 781879
During office hours: Peter Brooks 862451
Or Andy Jeffery 01227 862 012
Or 01227 862000 and ask for sea defences
Cesspool Emptying
Ring Serco Environmental: 0800 0311 9091. Cost is £95 for
2000 gallons, cash up front.
Clean Water (water main
bursts, leaks, etc)
Mid-Kent Water
General: 01643 873111
24 Hour Emergency Hotline: 0845 603 2603
Email: water@midkent.co.uk
Barham Flood Wardens
(resident volunteers)
Affinity Water
General 0345 357 2401
Emergency 0345 357 2407 (Mon-Fri 7am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am4pm)
www.affinitywater.co.uk
Flood Warden:
Covering Railway Hill and South Barham Road
Andy Jarrett, Cornerways, Railway Hill, Barham CT3 4PU
Telephone Home 01227 831749 / Email:
andy@betterplaces.org.uk
(In emergencies only work telephone: 01303853249 and
Mobile: 07713081278 emergencies only)
Sub Flood Wardens:
The Street :
John Reynolds, 2 The Cottages, The Street, CT4 6NY
01227-830384 / Email: tjrey66@yahoo.com
Out Elmstead :
Charlie Horne, Magnolia Cottage, Out Elmstead Lane, CT4 6PH
01227-831418 / Email: charliehorne@onetel.com
2
Kingston Flood Warden
Davina Martin (Flood Warden for Kingston)
56 The Street, Kingston CT4 6JE
Tel: 01227 830188
Email: davina.martin@btinternet.com
Barham Parish Council
Parish Clerk: Amanda Sparkes
01227 700939
Email: amanda.sparkes6@btinternet.com
Chairman: Cllr David Wood
01227 832430
Email: Dw4746@yahoo.co.uk
Website www.barhampc.kentparishes.gov.uk
Kingston Parish Council
Parish Clerk: Mrs Val McWilliams
Derlome, The Old Rectory, Church Lane, Kingston CT4 6HY.
Work phone:01227 832 028.
Email: val.mcwilliams@btopenworld.com
Kingston Websites:
www.kingstoncanterbury.org.uk and www.kingstonbarn.org.uk
Little Stour and
Nailbourne River Group
secretary
Jill Thomas
01227 832573
cobhamcourt@btinternet.com
Canterbury City Council's responsibility ends as an agency responsible for "emergency"
flood assistance, rather than being involved in flood prevention which is down to KCC and
the Environment Agency.
For Canterbury City Council and Environment Agency numbers see the next page.
This document will be reviewed regularly, at least annually.
3
Canterbury City Council
Contact Numbers in case of Flooding or at risk of Flooding
Out of office hours
Canterbury 781879
This is the normal out-of-hours contact number
for Central Control which is manned 24 hours a
day, 365 days in a year. There is only one line
on this number and only two operators so you
may have to try more than once to get through.
If the Emergency Room has been opened but
the main control Switchboard is not manned
you will need to redial.
During normal office hours when a major
emergency has NOT been declared:
Any of the following
Anytime when a major emergency HAS
been declared
Engineering Manager (TBA)
Peter Brooks (Engineering) 01227 862 451
Andy Jeffery (Emergency Planning) 01227
862 012
Or main Council number 01227 862000
and ask for Engineering or Emergency
Planning
Any time day or night when a major
emergency HAS been declared call either
01227 862000 or 01227 781879.
We would ask that the public do not contact Canterbury City Council’s Emergency Centre
directly (01227 862299), but phone through to the main Council switchboard number, from
where your call will be directed to the Emergency Centre if necessary. This is to prevent the
Emergency Centre phones being blocked with calls.
OTHER AGENCIES
Environment Agency: Floodline – recorded information on flooding, general advise and reporting
flooding:- 0345 988 1188. This is an automated system which takes you through a large number of
options to get the information you want. After an introduction it asks you to press 1 for pre-recorded
information on flood warnings in force, 2 for road and travel information or 3 to report flooding.
Pressing 1 for flood warnings will then take you to more choices to help you pick the section of river you
are interested in. Because there are a lot of rivers in the South East this can be a lengthy process, much
quicker is to enter the Quickdial numbers when the system asks you to:
- For The Nailbourne you need to enter 0125325.
- For the River Stour between Ashford and Fordwich you need to enter 0125312.
- For the Westbrook enter 012541 and
- For Swalecliffe Brook 012542.
Environment Agency: General information, normal office hours only 03708 506 506
Southern Water: 0845 2780 845
Canterbury City Council: non-emergency information:
Emergency Planning Officer
Andy Jeffery
Land drainage problems
Dan Simmons
Advice on flood protection measures
Peter Brooks
Engineering Manager
Officer TBA
01227 862012
01227 862450
01227 862451
01227 862448
4
Canterbury City Council’s Sandbag Policy
This is Canterbury City Council’s sandbags policy (effective during the floods of 2014).
Canterbury City Council believes that everyone, both householders and businesses, should take
their own precautions to protect their property. To encourage this, a list is maintained of local
suppliers where sand and sandbags can be bought in small quantities as well as a list of
alternative means of flood protection such as flood boards and other proprietary systems. This
information is available to the public on request.
Provision of Sandbags by the City Council
If homes or businesses are threatened by flooding, the City Council, will use its best endeavours
to supply, deliver and place sandbags, but only on the understanding that the City Council can
give no guarantee that any such delivery will be in sufficient time or in sufficient quantity to
prevent or even to reduce damage to property. The City Council will not accept any liability,
whatever the circumstances, for failure to supply sandbags or for their late delivery.
City Council Stocks of Filled Sandbags
The City Council maintain a supply of filled sandbags in readiness. 5000 are kept at the central
depot in Canterbury with a further 1000 at Whitstable Harbour. Further sandbags will be filled
should these stocks become exhausted.
Demountable Flood Barriers
The City Council has 280m of demountable flood barriers stored at the central depot at
Canterbury. 100m of these are for use down South Barham and The Causeway to be installed by
the Council when the flow in the Nailbourne is such that there may be a risk of flooding. The
remaining flood barriers are for use elsewhere along the Nailbourne and will be prioritised to area
at most risk which may include other areas of Barham. The decision on where to use the barriers
rests solely with the City Council.
Parish Council Stocks of Filled Sandbags
Some local parishes maintain stocks of filled sandbags for rapid response to their residents.
These stocks have been supplied free of charge by the City Council and while it is the
responsibility of the Parish Council to maintain them in good condition the City Council will, if
requested, help keep stocks up to these numbers and will supply further sandbags when these
stocks are exhausted. Barham Parish Council is trying to establish a store within the parish.
Neighbouring parishes of Kingston and Bishopsbourne have their own small stores.
Supply of Sandbags
Sandbags are supplied and delivered free of charge to protect peoples’ homes and they will also
be supplied and delivered to protect business premises, but priority will always be given to
domestic premises. The City Council reserves the right to charge for the supply and delivery of
sandbags to business premises. The City Council will not supply sandbags to protect garages,
sheds, greenhouse, outbuildings and the like nor for land generally including gardens, allotments,
agricultural land, recreational land, parks, private driveways, paths, etc.
Delivery will generally be direct to the address of the person asking for help but may be made to
a central point, perhaps a street corner, for residents to collect and put in place themselves.
Obviously, care must be taken when handling sandbags to prevent injury to themselves or others,
and people helping will need a level of fitness for this – do not undertake the task if you are
unable to.
Distribution of Sandbags
The City Council will, wherever possible, seek to prioritise delivery of sandbags by only supplying
them after an assessment of the situation has been carried out by an appropriate member of the
City Council’s engineering staff and his authorisation has been given for the distribution together
with his recommendation of the most effective way of deploying limited resources. However, the
5
scale or urgency of an emergency could overwhelm the City Council’s manpower resources and
then sandbags will be delivered to areas of known flood risk without a prior assessment of each
situation by Council engineers. Experience has shown that most houses can be adequately
protected by about 10 sandbags and requests for greater numbers will not normally be accepted
except in exceptional circumstances.
Recovery of Sandbags
Sandbags will NOT be collected after the event - householders will be advised to keep them for
future events. However, if circumstances at a particular property require significantly more than
the usual numbers of sandbags to be deployed, then the city council will, on request, collect.
Supply of Sandbags at times other than Emergencies
Sandbags will not be issued other than in an emergency. If requested, City Council staff will
advise the public about private suppliers in the area.
Contact Canterbury City Council:
Out of office hours: 01227 781879 - Central Control, manned 24 hours a day, 365 days in a year.
During normal office hours when a major emergency has NOT been declared – call 01227 862000 and
ask for Engineering or Emergency Planning.
At any time day or night when a major emergency HAS been declared call either 01227 862000 or
01227 781879.
6
Flood Wardens’ Fact Sheet
This fact sheet sets out the details of the scheme, your responsibilities as a Flood Warden and has
emergency contact numbers for the Environment Agency and Southern Water.
Prevention
1. Ensure that ALL PROPERTIES KNOWN FROM PAST EXPERIENCE TO BE AT RISK have
adequate supplies of sandbags to enable residents to prepare and protect themselves and
neighbours PRIOR TO A FLOOD SITUATION. Canterbury City Council has and will continue to
support this pro-active policy in these risk areas
2. Where possible, organise volunteers to help residents unable to help themselves
How the Scheme will Work
1. All households at risk (that is, those known to have previously been affected by flooding) will
have been issued with this Flood Plan including this Flood Warden Scheme fact sheet.
2. If a resident’s property has been or is in danger of being flooded, they will contact the nearest
available Flood Warden, which may be you.
3. As the Flood Warden you will need to assess the resident’s situation and if appropriate contact
Canterbury City Council or other agencies to secure sandbags or other assistance that may be
required, ensuring they are aware you are AN OFFICIAL FLOOD WARDEN and that YOU
HAVE ASSESSED THE SITUATION prior to your call
4. Keep the affected residents and other Flood Wardens informed of any action being taken by
the City Council, Environment Agency and yourself
Assistance with Assessing Residents Situations
1. If there is any water inside a resident’s home, contact the City Council using the emergency
telephone numbers. Follow the advice given in the Floodline Information Pack. (Details about
ordering a pack from the Environment Agency are given below)
2. If the flood waters are very close to the house contact Canterbury City Council, or Kent
Highways if a road needs closing..
3. The main contacts for sandbags are Peter Brooks and Ted Edwards of Canterbury City
Council and whose telephone numbers are above.
NOTE: Those whose houses are in immediate danger of flooding will get the higher priority.
Contact the Environment Agency Floodline on 0805 988 1188 to hear recorded information on
flood warnings that are in place or request a Floodline Information Pack. The Information Pack has
comprehensive information on what to do to prepare for during and after a flood.
Vulnerable People
It is important to check on isolated or vulnerable people to see if they need assistance during an
emergency. Although many vulnerable people may be known to organisations such as the local
authority, NHS, and utility providers, others may not be known or may be known vulnerable during an
Incident. This requires local knowledge, you may know someone from church that for example has a
broken leg, or you neighbour may be deaf, and may require extra help if they were to be affected by an
emergency. Potentially vulnerable groups of people, in an emergency, who should be considered as a
priority for support and the deployment of resources, include:
 The elderly who may not be very mobile
 Those with physical disabilities
 Those with learning difficulties
 Parents and others looking after very young children
 Those who are unable to see or have a severe sight impairment.
 Non-English Speakers.
However, it is important to note that people may become vulnerable at any point and under different
circumstances.
NOTE: Volunteers provide support at their own discretion and in a voluntary (not compulsory) capacity.
No one is obliged to carry out duties they do not feel able to undertake. The response will be generally
confined to supporting the welfare of the community and helping to maintain normal community life.
7
Barham Parish Council Flood Action Plan
Are you at risk of flooding?
The environment agency web site has a ‘what’s in your back yard’ search to see if you are at risk
of flooding: Go to http://apps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/default.aspx
Then enter a postcode in the search box in the top right hand corner. This will then display a map
of the local area.
Residents Fact Sheet – How to help yourself
This fact sheet sets out details of who to contact if your property is in danger if being
flooded, as well as your responsibilities to protect yourself, your family and property.
How the Scheme will Work
1. If your property has been or is in danger of being flooded, contact the nearest
available Flood Warden (Contact details on the next page)
2. The Flood Warden will visit your property to assess the situation
3. The Flood Wardens have a list of special emergency phone numbers for the
Canterbury City Council and Environment Agency. The Flood Wardens will contact
the Council and/or Agency to secure sandbags or other assistance that may be
required.
4. The Flood Warden will stay in contact with you to keep you informed of the action
being taken by the Council and Agency.
Your Responsibilities under the Scheme - Prevention
1. If possible clear any obvious obstructions that may be causing the flooding on your
property, in particular if you have any dykes and ditches located on your land.
Report any blocked gulleys and drains to Kent County Council Highways, the Flood
Wardens or Parish Councillors or the Parish Clerk, as and when you observe them.
2. If possible store existing sandbags on your property in readiness to prepare and
protect yourself and your neighbours PRIOR TO A FLOOD SITUATION as in
reality it is impossible for the emergency services to attend immediately to the
many areas that may be affected
3. Obtain information of manufacturers’ flood prevention products from Peter Brooks
at Canterbury City Council 01227 862541
4. Check whether your neighbours require help
5. Put in place contingency plans with your neighbours, friends or family: This may be
the availability of spare keys, contact details, etc
6. Drive slowly on flooded roads; avoid them completely if possible as driving through
a flood creates bow waves which pose a significant threat to nearby properties.
7. See more detail about what to do in an emergency under Appendix 5 later in this
document.
FLOODLINE
Contact the Environmental Agency Floodline on 0845 988 1188 to hear recorded
information on flood warnings that are in place or to request a Floodline information pack.
The information pack has comprehensive information about what to prepare for during
and after a flood.
8
Barham Flood wardens
Area
Flood Wardens
Telephone Numbers
Railway Hill and South
Barham Road
Andy Jarrett, Cornerways, Railway
Hill, Barham CT3 4PU
Telephone Home 01227
831749
(In emergencies only work
telephone: 01303853249
and
Mobile: 07713081278
emergencies only)
Preferred method of contact is
email:
Email: andy@betterplaces.org.uk
The Street :
John Reynolds, 2 The Cottages,
The Street, CT4 6NY
01227-830384
Email: tjrey66@yahoo.com
Out Elmstead :
Charlie Horne, Magnolia Cottage,
Out Elmstead Lane, CT4 6PH
01227-831418
Email:
charliehorne@onetel.com
Flood Wardens
If your property is in danger of being flooded, contact the first person on the list for
your area. If you can’t reach them, contact the second person. If they are not
available, contact the first person in the next area closest to you.
Please note the flood wardens have no legal liability in this voluntary role.
Canterbury City Council
Environment Agency
Flood Wardens
Resident
Resident
Volunteers for transport
distribution and deployment
of sandbags
Resident
Resident
Volunteers Needed:
Barham Parish Council is looking for volunteers willing to provide assistance with
transport, distribution and deployment of sandbags. If you wish to volunteer, contact the
Clerk or any parish councillor giving your phone number so you can be called out if
needed.
9
Known locations at risk of flooding - Barham
The following table gives a list of areas liable to flooding based on historic data and local
knowledge:
Area
number
Area 1
Location of risk
Trigger level [1]
Actions [2]
South Barham Road/
Railway Hill and The
Causeway
The trigger level is the
point at which the river
goes over the footpath
outside Ford Cottage
Actions: Request demountable
flood barriers be installed if not
already done; request
sandbags; consider road
closure across the ford; check
with vulnerable residents;
check weather forecast for the
next three days.
Railway Hill residents will use
Greenbanks when Railway Hill
is closed.
Area 2
Valley Road by the
old Post Office
The trigger level is when
the field below The Grove
starts to flood.
Action: Consider putting a sand
bag bund for the bottom 3-4
cottages of The Street. [3]
Area 2A
The Street just uphill
of the road culvert
The trigger level is when
the river level is at the
bridge soffit
Action: Consider sandbag wall
against the fenceline of the
lower properties
Area 3
At the bottom of Out
Elmsted Lane
The trigger level is
dependant not only on the
depth of water but the
speed of the water too – a
best judgement must be
made to trigger actions.
Actions: Notify the relevant
authorities; request sandbags
and consider/implement road
closure.
Access at the top of Out
Elmsted is required – contact
Kent County Council for help
with access on to the A2.
Area 4
By the Black Robin
public house
For information – this
affects Barham residents
but is in Kingston parish.
[1] These are provisional trigger points for 2015 and will be kept under review following gulley
works, culvert works and new bund undertaken in 2015, and after any future flooding occurrences.
[2] Actions will be kept under review and best endeavours to protect people and properties
undertaken.
[3] A medium to long term action being considered is to build the river bank up on the village
green opposite the school.
The flood wardens and Barham Parish Council will review trigger points for the removal of
sandbags and road closures once water levels have reduced.
10
Little Stour and Nailbourne River Management Group
Procedure for Parish Councils in the Canterbury District to close a road in an
emergency such as a flood
This procedure has been agreed between the Little Stour and Nailbourne River
Management Group and Ted Edwards, Engineering Manager, CCC, in liaison with the
Highways Authority.
Only the Police and Highway Authority have the ‘legal power’ to close a road. However,
under this procedure the Highway Authority can make the decision to close the road and
then delegate the ‘actual work’ to the Parish Council acting as its agent/contractor.
1. The Parish Council identifies the need to close a road. The Parish Council phones
KCC Highways requesting contact with Duty Highway Engineer – see telephone
numbers below.
2. The KCC Duty Highway Engineer approves the road closure (if in agreement)
3. Once approval has been granted, the Parish Council closes the road by erecting
Road Closed signs kept for the purpose
4. The Parish Council contacts the KCC Duty Highway Engineer again to advise that
the road has been closed
5. The KCC Duty Highway Engineer notifies Kent Police and all other relevant
authorities of road closure
6. The KCC Duty Highway Engineer visits the site as soon as practical to check the
situation.
7. Responsibility for re-opening the road lies with the KCC Duty Highway Engineer.
KCC Highways Telephone Numbers
Out of office hours – 03000 41 91 91
During normal office hours – 03000 41 81 81
11
How Barham Parish Council will communicate with residents in an emergency
The Barham Parish Council Clerk receives regular email updates during any flooding emergency
from the various agencies, giving up to the minutes flood and weather forecasts, and what is
being done in response and where.
For example, in the floods of Spring 2014 Canterbury City Council gave twice daily updates, the
Environment Agency also gave updates, as did Southern Water. The Clerk also has contacts in
the Kent Highways department to turn to.
The Clerk collated these with information predominantly for Barham but also with any relevant
wider picture information and uploaded this regularly to the parish council website, viewable at:
http://www.barhampc.kentparishes.gov.uk/
We realise of course that not all residents have access to the internet, especially during an
emergency if for example, power is lost. Therefore a councillor will also post regular notices with
updates in the parish council’s noticeboards held at the village hall and by the primary school.
Additionally, there will be updates posted to the fence of the property called “Lochee Villa” in
Railway Hill.
Residents may also contact the Clerk or any councillor if they would like to have any information
first hand, or have any questions. Barham Parish Council will try to assist any resident as well as
they can, depending on their individual circumstances.
Offers of help
Barham Parish Council would be keen to hear from any residents who would be willing to in the
event of an emergency. We are particularly keen to hear from residents with resources,
equipment or skills (such as tractors, 4x4 vehicles, chain saws, trained medical staff) but any offer
of assistance would be gratefully received. This is asked on an entirely voluntary basis.
Alternative public transport arrangements during periods of road closures
Stagecoach will react accordingly and re-route their buses and provide temporary bus stops
where needed.
12
Appendix 1 – Flood Warning Codes and what they mean
13
Appendix 2: Sandbags and how to use them properly for flood protection
Do sandbags work?
Traditionally, sandbags have been used to block doorways, drains and other openings into
properties as well as to weigh-down manhole covers, garden furniture and to block sink, toilet and
bath drains to prevent water backing up.
 They can keep water out for short periods which can be improved by using them in
conjunction with plastic sheeting.
 They can filter out some muddy sediments found in flood waters.
 They are cheap and easy to obtain.
However, sandbags are relatively ineffective when compared to purpose-designed flood
protection products.
Some of the pitfalls are:
 It takes two people to fill them (unless you have a sandbag filling machine).
 They take time to fill (approximately one hour to fill 12 sandbags).
 They can be difficult to handle.
 Laying them can be very time-consuming.
 Sacking material is biodegradable and will perish if left in place for a long time.
 It is difficult to place sandbags in water and particularly in running water.
 Sandbags do seep water even when well-stacked and trodden into place.
As a result, we strongly encourage people to use purpose made flood protection products, such
as flood boards, non-return valves for plumbing and air brick covers.
How to obtain sandbags
Don’t assume that the authorities will provide you with sandbags in a flood emergency! It is the
responsibility of property owners to take appropriate action to protect their property from flooding.
Your local council may have some sandbags ready to deploy at times of flooding, but their priority
is to protect the public at large. You should check with your own local authority in advance to find
out what their policy is and how you can get access to sandbags before flooding starts. There may
be a charge for this service.
Remember, during a flood crisis there may be limited stocks per person or supply routes may get
blocked.
If your local authority doesn’t supply sandbags, you can buy unfilled sandbags and a supply of
sand from most DIY stores and Builders Merchants, but remember that if there is a flood expected
in your area demand may exceed supply as people rush to buy them.
In an emergency you can use alternatives such as pillow cases or refuse sacks and fill them with
garden soil.
Important Health and Safety Considerations
Filling sandbags and building a wall is a physically demanding activity so it is important that all
those involved are fit enough to carry out the work.
Remember that they can get heavy quickly, so do not overfill, or fill them too far away from where
you want to position them.
A tall sandbag wall must be designed by engineers to withstand the water pressures, as failure or
collapse of the structure could pose a danger to anyone nearby.
It is essential that everyone involved in building a sandbag wall is equipped with appropriate
personal protective equipment, including gloves and steel toecap footwear. If the sand is dry, eye
protection in the form of safety glasses is also required.
If emptied and dried the sacks can be filled again, otherwise they will rot after a period of time if
damp.
If sandbags are contaminated by flood water, advice should be sought from your local authority
environmental health department regarding their safe disposal.
Cont/…
14
Protecting your property
Sandbags are of no use if your property is already flooded – concentrate your efforts on protecting
yourself, your belongings and moving precious items out of harms way!
See more information also in Appendix 3 and Appendix 4 that follow – for different kinds of
flooding. Sandbags will be ineffective with ground water flooding if that is the sole cause. There is
basically little that can be done other than lifting furniture/carpets up above the height of the
expected water level.
Consider all entry points that water could get through, not just doorways, such as – airbricks, utility
service points, cable entry points. Use other solutions for entry points where sandbags won’t work
(such as silicone sealant).
You’ll need at least 6 sandbags to keep out 20cm depth of water for a standard door opening.
Each sandbag will need approximately 15kg of sand. You should use sharp, not soft, sand.
Filling the bags
 This is a two-person job: one to hold the bag open and one to fill.
 Do not fill bags more than half full.
 You don’t need to tie the end of the bag.
Placing the bags
 Clear any debris from the area where the bags are to be placed.
 If you can, put a large sheet of heavy-duty plastic between the sandbags and the wall of
your house.
 Place the bags lengthways, tucking the open end under the filled half of the bag and
position it pointing into the direction of water flow.
 Place bags in layers. Like a brick wall, make sure that in the next layer each bag overlaps
the one below by half.
 Stamp bags firmly into place to eliminate gaps and create a tight seal.
 To lay sandbags in a doorway, it may be necessary to empty some of the contents out or
shape the sandbags to achieve a good fit without overlapping.
Building a more substantial sandbag wall
Building a sandbag wall up to 60cm high by 1 metre in length requires approximately 80 filled
sandbags.
 Remove any debris from the area where the bags are to be placed and try to use firm and
level ground if possible.
 There are two ways of laying sandbags – Headers and Stretchers. Headers should be
used on first, third and fifth courses. Stretchers are used on second, fourth and sixth
courses.
 Lay sandbags with seams and bag mouths facing inwards, as this is where moisture
enters the bags.
 Shape the sandbags into rectangles before laying them.
 Use half-filled sandbags to enable you to stagger joints.
 Have the neck of the sandbags facing the same direction.
 If the wall or dam is going to be in place over a long period of time PVC sheeting should be
used to form a barrier on the wet side of the wall. Position the PVC sheet so that the
leading edge falls approximately on the centre line of where you intend to build the wall
with the spare sheet showing at the front side (water side) .
 If time and conditions permit, sandbags should be compacted after being laid, possibly
using a vibrating plate.
 When desired height of sandbag wall is reached, pull up the PVC sheet over the top of the
wall and fix in place with a final course of sandbags.
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Pyramid placement method
If you need to create sandbag protection that is more than three layers high you will need to build
in a pyramid style. For the structure to be stable, you should build the ‘sandbag wall’ three times
as wide as you need it to be high. Again use the alternative Header and Stretcher method for
alternative layers. Compact each bag into place and tuck the loose end firmly under the filled
portion of the bag.
Additional waterproofing
Lay plastic sheeting across the side of the sandbag wall on the water side. Weigh down with
additional sandbags.
Remember!
 Sandbags are popular but they have disadvantages:
 During an emergency sufficient quantities may be difficult to obtain.
 They are time-consuming and require two people to fill.
 They can be difficult to handle, particularly for the elderly or infirm.
 When they come into contact with floodwater they tend to retain contaminants such as
sewage.
 Sacking material is biodegradable, and will disintegrate if left in place for long periods of
time.
More information on protecting yourself from flooding can be found on the Environment Agency
website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk
In certain circumstances, local authority grants may also be made available to cover some of the
costs of providing resistance and resilience products for individual private dwellings. Contact your
local authority to find out whether you may be eligible.
Public Health England
In the event of major floods, Public Health England works with local agencies, including the NHS,
police, KCC, District Councils and Environment Agency to provide expert advice on protecting the
health of the local community, particularly from microbiological and chemical hazards.
The Public Health England local health protection centres, liaising with national colleagues who
specialise in environmental hazards, infectious diseases and emergency planning, can provide a
focal point for health protection advice to local responders and the public. The Environment
Agency has a key role in warning people about the risk of flooding, and in reducing the likelihood
of flooding from rivers and the sea.
A variety of leaflets have been produced and are available to support and inform people;
http://www.hpa.org.uk/flooding
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Appendix 3: Understanding different sources of flooding
Floods can happen anywhere at any time, caused by rising ground water levels, burst water
drains, rainwater running off hillsides as well as flooding from rivers and the sea.
Even if you live miles away from the coast or a river, there's still a chance flooding could affect
you.
The most common sources of flooding are:
1. River flooding happens when a watercourse cannot cope with the water draining into it from
the surrounding land. This can happen, for example, when heavy rain falls on an already
waterlogged catchment.
2. Coastal flooding results from a combination of high tides and stormy conditions. If low
atmospheric pressure coincides with a high tide, a tidal surge may happen which can cause
serious flooding.
3. Surface water flooding happens when heavy rainfall overwhelms the drainage capacity of the
local area. It is difficult to predict and pinpoint, much more so than river or coastal flooding.
4. Sewer flooding happens when sewers are overwhelmed by heavy rainfall or when they
become blocked. The likelihood of flooding depends on the capacity of the local sewerage
system. Land and property can be flooded with water contaminated with raw sewage as a result.
Rivers can also become polluted by sewer overflows.
5. Groundwater flooding results from water levels in the ground rising above surface levels. It is
most likely to occur in areas situated over permeable rocks, called aquifers. These can be
extensive, regional aquifers, such as chalk or sandstone, or may be more local sand or river
gravels in valley bottoms underlain by less permeable rocks. (This is not a significant source of
flooding in Wales.)
6. Reservoir flooding. Some reservoirs hold large volumes of water above ground level,
contained by walls, or 'dams'. Although the safety record for reservoirs is excellent, it is still
possible that a dam could fail. This would result in a large volume of water being released very
quickly.
Obviously, types 1, 3, 4 and 5 are the critical possible types of flooding for Barham.
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Appendix 4: General advice for communities who are at risk from groundwater flooding
Sandbags will be ineffective with ground water flooding if that is the sole cause. There is basically
little that can be done other than lifting furniture/carpets up above the height of the expected water
level. There are also dangers around electricity and power sockets –switch off the sockets low to
the ground and unplug any appliances.
1. What is groundwater flooding?
Unlike flooding from rivers (fluvial flooding), groundwater flooding and its impact on property is
difficult to predict. Groundwater levels rise and fall slowly, so it takes some time for flooding to
occur but when it does it could last for several weeks.
2. Am I at risk of groundwater flooding?
People with basements, cellars and low level garages are most at risk. There is also the
possibility that groundwater could enter sewerage systems, causing waste water to 'back up' into
properties which can prevent people using their toilet and bathroom facilities.
People concerned about groundwater flooding should contact the Environment Agency Floodline
service on 0845 988 1188 or visit the EA website to sign up to the free flood warnings service
3. What do I do if it happens to me?
If you experience groundwater flooding to your property, report it to the Environment
Agency incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Do not pump water from your property to foul sewers
or back into the channel. Ask the Environment Agency for advice if you are unsure what to do.
If you experience sewer flooding to your property, report it to Southern Water by telephoning 0845
278 0845.
4. What about water safety, quality and the effect on my health?
Keep yourself and others safe:
do not let children or pets play in flood waters
it is advisable not to walk, ride or drive in flood waters as there could be hidden hazards, sewage
and animal waste present.
Please use the advice contained on the Public health England website:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/EmergencyResponse/ExtremeWeatherEventsAndNaturalDisasters/
EffectsOfFlooding/GeneralInformation/floodFloodingFrequentlyAskedHealthQuestions/#best_healt
h_advice
Where livestock, horses and pets are potentially at risk from flooding, you should move them to
a safer location. In areas where there is a known flood risk you should have contingency plans to
protect the welfare of your animals, including alternative accommodation and transport
arrangements. Further information is available at www.gov.uk/animal-welfare-in-severe-weather.
In an emergency the RSPCA will also offer help and advice.
5. Is it safe to drive through surface water?
Drivers must be flood aware. Do not ignore or remove Road Closed signs. Drive slowly. Driving
at speed through flood waters can harm pedestrians and damage property. Be aware that
flooding can cause manhole covers to come off.
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6. Where can I get more information?
Practical advice is available through the ‘Flooding: Advice for the public’ leaflet at
http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/EmergencyResponse/ExtremeWeatherEventsAndNaturalDisasters/
EffectsOfFlooding/
Further information and a list of useful contacts is available at
http://kent.gov.uk/news_and_events/news/2014/january/localised_disruption_along_riv.aspx
Information on groundwater levels and the water situation report on the Environment Agency
website http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/publications/34015.aspx
The latest Flood Alert information on the Environment Agency Website at:
http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/34681.aspx?area=064FAG41Caterham&page=3&type=Re
gion&term=Southeast
Practical advice on what to do before, during and after groundwater flooding at:
https://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/ms/kpXMQ
Latest Information in Kent can be found here: Flooding from groundwater - the current status
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/137320.aspx
For more information on flood warnings
Floodline on 0345 988 1188
Environment Agency National Customer Contact Centre 03708 506 506
Environment Agency Incident Reporting 0800 80 70 60
To report groundwater flooding or pollution Environment Agency Incident Reporting line on
0800 80 70 60
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Appendix 5 : How to help yourself in an emergency – what to do
Loss of Power and Water
Failures in power and water supplies are rare, and are often linked to severe weather events.
These simple steps will help you to safe and as comfortable as possible throughout the disruption.
ELECTRICITY FAILURE
Be Prepared
 Make sure your home is well insulated. It could stay warm for 12 hours or more in a power
cut
 Keep at least one standard landline phone – cordless phones won’t work in a power cut
 Don’t open fridges any longer than necessary. They’ll normally stay cold for many hours
 Register with your utility provider if you think you are vulnerable
If you suffer a power cut
 Check if your neighbours have lost services too. If others are affected it makes a
difference to what you should do
 If it is a general power cut, contact your supplier to report the fault and ask for information
 If your neighbours still have electricity and only you have lost power then:
 If you have a pre-pay meter, check you still have credit
 Check your trip switch (a circuit breaker fuse system – it will be near your
electricity meter). If the trip switch is still on, call your supplier’s emergency
line for your area
 If the trip switch is off, switch it back on
 If it switches back off, one appliance may be faulty. Unplug them all and
reset the trip
 If only one part of your supply has failed and the trip won’t reset, there may
be a fault with your wiring, so contact a registered electrician.
 If you lose power for a prolonged period, take precautions to stay safe:
 Be wary using candles, naked flames and portable hearing. Never leave lit
candles in unoccupied rooms or with unsupervised children or animals.
GAS FAILURE
Be Prepared
 Always have a source if alternative heating available
If your gas fails
If you smell gas inside or outside your home:
 Call the free 24 hour national gas emergency line 0800 111 999
You’ll be asked a series of questions to identify the right safety advice for you, such as:
 Don’t turn electrical switches on or off
 Open doors and windows
 Avid using naked flames
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An engineer will be sent to make your property safe. Southern Gas Networks aims to attend all
uncontrolled escapes within one hour and all controlled escapes within two hours. If the gas is lost
for a long period, Southern Gas Networks will send you details about the incident (e.g. update on
the situation, when they can safely restore supplies, alternative heating and cooking provisions,
etc). In these circumstances:
 Conserve existing heat in your home by using just one or two adjacent rooms. Isolate them
by closing doors and/or hanging blankets over doorways. The kitchen and an adjoining
room are usually good choices
 If you’re told you could be without gas for several days, consider moving in with an
emergency friend
Household Emergency Plan
It’ll only take a few minutes but it could be a lifesaver. A Household Emergency Plan can help you
deal quickly and effectively with a stressful situation. Get your whole family involved in writing the
plan, so they are prepared too. To compose your plan, ask yourselves a list of key questions and
record the answers.
Example Plan Questions:
 Where will we meet if we can’t get into, or stay at our home?
 Who’ll collect the children from school if we can’t get there?
 Which neighbours should we check on?
 How do we turn off the gas, water and electricity?
 Who can we stay with if we’re evacuated?
 Who can be an Emergency Friend, ready to collect medicine and supplies and act for us if
we can’t get out?
 What essential items should we have ready in an emergency ‘grab bag’?
 Who’ll look after the pets if we can’t?
 Do we know how to tune to local radio stations?
 What items do we not want to lose? e.g.
 Documents including insurance, birth certificates or passports
 Photographs
 Furniture
 A favourite toy or baby blanket
 How can we protect these items?
 Lodging copies of documents with friends
 Moving things upstairs
 Storing items in waterproof and fireproof containers
Remember – no item is worth risking your life for!
Pack an emergency ‘grab bag’
In an emergency you may need to move quickly, so it is important to have necessities at hand.
Ideally, you should pack an easy-to-carry bag with essentials and store in an accessible place. At
the very least you should make an up-to-date list of things to put into your ‘grab bag’.
The contents will vary depending on your needs but may include:
 Essential/prescribed medication, plus asthma and respiratory aids
 Hearing Aids
 Spectacles, contact lenses
 Useful phone numbers
 Mobile phone and charger
 House and car keys
 Money, credit cards
 First Aid Kit
 Basic toiletries e.g. toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary towels
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Baby and small children supplies
Food, formula, drink
Change of clothing
Nappies
Toys, books, activities
Food and water
Bottled drinking water
Special food needs, canned or dried food
Can opener
Clothing and equipment
 Wind and rainproof clothing
 Strong outdoors shoes
 Waterproof torch, spare batteries (check regularly) consider a wind-up model
 Radio, spare batteries (check regularly) consider a wind-up model
Copies of insurance documents
Anti-bacterial hand wipes/gel
Blankets, sleeping bags
Sun hats and sunscreen
Toilet paper
Rubbish bags
Thermos flasks
Pet supplies
Be a good neighbour
In an emergency, some people are more vulnerable than others – the elderly, very young or
disabled, for instance. Always consider your family and yourself first, but it is also important to
help your friends and neighbours where you can. Just checking that they’re well, providing extra
blankets, collecting supplies or even having a chat could make a world of difference.
Have ‘emergency friends’
An easy way to prepare for emergencies is to identify ‘emergency friends’. Emergency friends are
people you trust who can provide help when you really need it. You should identify at least one
emergency friend who lives nearby and a second one who lives further away.
How emergency friends can help you:
 Holding a spare house key. You never know when you might lock yourself out, or your
pets need feeding if you’re stranded away from home
 Providing a place to stay if you’re evacuated or your home’s affected by flood, fire or utility
failure
 Looking after your children or picking them up from school
 Collecting medication if you’re suffering from an infectious disease such as flu
 Safeguarding copies of important documents or pictures
 Acting as a contact point for family members who may be separated in an emergency
Make sure all your family know who your emergency friends are, and note them in your household
emergency plan.
Don’t forget – you can be someone’s emergency friend too. Have a chat to identify all the ways
you can help each other.
Who should Emergency Services contact if you are injured
Pick an ‘ICE’ (In Case of Emergency) partner and store their contact information in your mobile
phone address book. Just enter the word ICE before their name and number. This means the
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Emergency Services can quickly and easily find someone to contact if you’re injured and cannot
communicate. They simply search ICE on your mobile.
Make sure that:
 The person whose name and number you are using has agreed to be your ICE partner
 Your ICE partner knows who to contact on your behalf, plus any important medical
information
 If your ICE partner is deaf, you type ICETEXT then their name before saving the number
 If you want more than one ICE partner, simply save them as ICE1, ICE2, etc
 If you haven’t got a mobile, you keep your ICE partner’s contact information on paper in
your wallet or purse.
Appendix 6 – Distribution list for this Flood Plan : List of recipients
This document will be circulated to:
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Barham Parish Councillors
Canterbury City Councillor for Barham Downs Ward (Cllr Mike Sole)
Kent County Councillor for Barham Downs Ward (Cllr Michael Northey)
The Little Stour and Nailbourne River Group secretary (for onward distribution
to the whole group)
Barham Flood Wardens
Barham residents who have advised they would be happy to help the parish council and
other agencies in any emergency
Ted Edwards, drainage manager at Canterbury City Council (and for onward distribution to
colleagues as he sees fit)
Kent County Council Highways manager and liaison steward
Kingston Parish Council Clerk
Bridge Parish Council Clerk
And hard copies will be distributed by the parish council to all the potentially affected
householders in Barham.
And also uploaded to Barham Parish Council’s website available to view by anyone at:
http://www.barhampc.kentparishes.gov.uk/
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