How you can take action to prevent your home or business from flooding

This week (Nov 9-15) is Flood Action Week and the message from both the Government and the Environment Agency is that millions of people need to be prepared for the risk of flooding … but simply don’t know it.

They believe far too many people have no idea they are at risk of flooding and need to take action to find out now if they live in a flood prone area.

More than 5 million homes are at risk of flooding in the England alone and the average insurance claim afterwards is £30,000. The impact of flooding on people’s lives and mental health can be devastating.

This is why homeowners and business owners need to be prepared for flooding 24/7 with anti-flood devices such as FloodSax sandless sandbags which are far more space-saving and easier to deploy than traditional sandbags which are heavy and cumbersome.

This year’s Flood Action Week campaign is called Prepare. Act. Survive. It advises those in flood risk areas to create their own simple flood plan.

Leila Huntington, Environment Agency Flood Risk Manager in the North East, said: “How many times have you heard those infamous words being spoken by your friends, family or even by yourself saying ‘…it won’t happen to me’.

“Flooding is one of the worst circumstances that many people will experience during their lifetime. Being flooded not only impacts on homes, livelihoods and day-to-day lives but the impacts can have a long-lasting effect on people’s overall mental health and wellbeing.

“If people are to do just one or two things during Flood Action Week then I’d urge everyone to find out if they are at risk of flooding and, if so, prepare a simple flood plan as this could not only be a lifesaver but could also guide people during a time of crisis.”

To find out if you are living in a flood risk area go to the Environment Agency website at https://bit.ly/35jEvTC.