Prepare Act Survive - Those are the simple but stark words behind our flood action campaign designed to help keep people safe from flooding.
Over 20,000 properties across Wiltshire & Swindon are at risk of flooding either from rivers, surface water or groundwater. Nationally more than 20% of all homes are at flood risk.
Intense bouts of flooding are set to become more frequent, the Environment Agency has warned today (Friday 16 February).
The warning follows a pattern of severe flooding over the past 10 years linked to an increase in extreme weather events as the country’s climate changes. Met Office records show that since 1910 there have been 17 record breaking rainfall months or seasons – with 9 of them since 2000. As intense storms are becoming more frequent, sea levels are also rising because of climate change.
1 in 6 properties in England is at risk of flooding and this is only going to increase with a changing climate. Many people think that flooding will never happen to them. The fact is – it could! We experienced widespread flooding across Wiltshire during the Winter of 2013/14.
The Environment Agency leads work to protect communities from flooding and, locally through the LRF, it leads our Severe Weather Sub-Group which coordinates the activities of local agencies to prepare for a flooding event.
Environment Agency field operatives will roll out up to 120 metres of temporary defence barriers, in partnership with officers from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS). This will be the first joint exercise of its kind in the South West, although the fire service has previously helped deploy barriers during live incidents.
The exercise will take place at the Ashley Road recreation ground, next to the River Avon, from 10am-1pm. Teams will deploy three types of barriers and seepage pumps to practise their joint response to flooding.
