Published Date: 20 February 2009
HUNDREDS of Morpeth residents will be receiving a visit from Environment
Agency staff next week — to encourage them to take advantage of the free
flood warning service, Floodline Warnings Direct.
Staff will be visiting homes and businesses at risk of flooding from the
River Wansbeck on Tuesday, February 24. Of the properties eligible to
receive the free flood warnings, more than 600 are yet to sign up.
Officers will also be visiting residents in Rothbury on March 3 to encourage
them to sign up to the scheme.
Since the crisis last September, the Agency has improved its flood warning
service by streamlining the system for duty officers and for residents who
have signed up.
The scheme sends an automatic message to the landlines and mobile telephones
of those who have registered, telling them when flooding is imminent and
what action to take to protect their home or business.
The door-to-door campaign will be led by flooding officer Clare O'Mahony,
who works closely with local communities across the North East to help them
to be better prepared for the risk of flooding.
She said: "The improved warning service in Morpeth is a good example of how
we are tailoring our flood warnings to the needs of each community.
"Getting a warning can give you the time you need to protect yourself and
your property from flooding — and it's completely free.
"We'll be knocking on as many people's doors as we can on the day — offering
them the chance to sign up there and then.
"And we'll be sending all of the relevant information through the post to
the homes we don't get to, so that they can also register."
Clare and the team also are looking to recruit volunteer flood wardens, to
help out before, during and after flooding. Wardens are trained to monitor
river levels and get flood warnings out to the local community.
She added: "We have had a brilliant response so far — we have already got
wardens in places like Ponteland but we want to set up similar schemes in
Morpeth and Rothbury.
"We are working with Morpeth Flood Action Group and are hoping to recruit
volunteers in the next few weeks."
For more information about volunteering to be a flood warden or about the
risk of flooding in your area, contact your local flood team on 0191 203
4063.
To find out if your property is at risk of flooding and eligible for the
Floodline Warnings Direct service, contact the Environment Agency's
Floodline on 0845 988 1188 or visit the website at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
