Prepare for flooding
Flooding has affected Wyre several times in recent years and one in six houses in England is at risk of flooding in the future. Being prepared could help you protect your home and your belongings next time there is severe weather.
There are many things you can do to prepare for flooding:
- know your flood risk - Add your postcode to check the long term flood risk of your home or call 0345 988 1188
- sign up for free flood warning messages from the Environment Agency
- protect your home - Use flood defence products such as flood doors, flood boards, airbrick covers and non return valves on your drains, pipes and toilets. While it’s impossible to completely flood-proof a property, there are lots of things you can do to reduce the damage flooding can cause. Don’t wait until flooding is imminent as you simply won’t have time to buy or put the measures in place. A variety of products are available which can be found on the Blue Pages directory on the National Flood Forum’s website. There are also things you can do so that even if flood water enters your property it causes less damage, so drying-out and cleaning up is faster and easier. These include fitting water-resistant skirting boards, raising electrical sockets and a having a pump in your basement to extract flood water. This means you could move back home or open for business far more quickly
- make a flood plan setting out what you will do in a flood including emergency contact numbers and essential documents. Use these templates to help you create your plan:
- put together a flood kit with all your essential documents in and things that will be useful should you need to leave your home
- check your home insurance covers you for flooding. The Flood Re website has been set up to help those households who live in a flood risk area find affordable home insurance
- keep your drains and gutters clear. If you notice drains on your road are blocking up, report it to Lancashire County Council
- know how to turn off your water, gas and electricity. You can call 105 to report or get information about power cuts in your local area
- identify vulnerable neighbours and relatives - check they know how to prepare for flooding too
- join a community flood action group These groups work with the council and other authorities to find ways to reduce flood risk and raise awareness of flood risk to the wider community
- find out what's happening in your area - sign up to In the Know