Preparedness for when

ALIBOBSY

Some mates of our eldest sent him some photos of their front rooms under several inches of water-from just outside chorley in lancs. We walked down to the local river, about 6 mins walk away and it is flowing fiercely and within a foot or so of going over the already flooding main road. The area directly around the river bank is mostly open fields, walking footpaths etc but there are a few house that back onto the river which is normally down inside two high banks. The water is lapping at the bottom of most of the gardens so doesn't look good for those people if it keeps raining as it is. We are lucky in that although we are fairly close to the river we are up a fair slope from it and unlikely to be flooded, but do know some people who are at risk or already having to move out. OH spotted some older people who live in a row of old terraces in a deep dip not far from here being carried out, but tbh that area has flooded at least 5 or so times in the last 30 years that I have lived in the area.

Feel so bad for all those who have been flooded out, seems worse somehow that its around crimbo as well.

On a simular but separate issue my Auntie in Canada is 68 and this is the first year she has experienced a green Christmas in all those 68 years.

Crazy weather all around.

Ali x

pineapple

Did anyone see the incredible footage of that elderly man being pulled out of the sunroof of his landrover? The vehicle was almost completely submerged. How lucky was he!

moneyistooshorttomention

calicocat wrote: »

There are a fair few roads flooded where I am or tricky to pass, so heavens knows how it is further west.

Good for you Pineapple an the helping front.

I haven't lived where I am now long (2yrs). Not long after I had moved in the bungalow opposite had a fire. Not a bad one, but a fire non the less.

The emergency services turning up woke me from sleep after night shift.........so being half asleep, and in pj's, I watched from my window.

Why on earth did I do that?....it still bothers me now if i'm honest. I didn't know them....but does that matter?. And that is what stopped me, I had just moved in and didn't know anyone.

More worrying was that I later came to know that they had all lived here for years and No-one went to help or ask her into their home whilst they sorted it out.


That will always stay with me, and I will never do that again.

I don't think you should blame yourself. The first time something unexpected of a nasty nature happens, then its quite possible that one might "watch" it without it clicking through in the brain to help. Imo it may be because we are a nation of tv-watchers and it takes a switch-over thought in the brain to click that "Hang on a minute - this is Real Life I can see here and not a tv programme that doesn't require any interaction".

Mainly - it's not knowing what to do on the spur of the moment because it's an unfamiliar situation and there is no Plan in your mind as to how to react to it. If it happens again then (by that time) you've worked it through in your mind and thought out what you would do if it happened again iyswim.

After the first person to keel over ill in front of you does so - then you've worked out the Plan (ie you know that required action = dial 999 and stay with the person until help arrives) and you do so in any future such incidents.

I still think "What was I thinking of to just stand there?" the first time I spotted a man hitting his partner. It was down to shock - because I'd never encountered such a situation before and didn't know what to do about it. It's happened again since and I've reacted by heading straight for the man concerned and telling him off "what for" in no uncertain terms and been supportive to the woman.

It is sometimes possible to be prepared for an unknown emergency situation (ie because you will have "run through" the How To in your head in advance in case). That happened when someone had an epileptic fit near me and I hadn't been aware they were an epileptic or encountered that before ever - but I'd read an article somewhere about how to recognise and deal with it for some reason and instantly realised what it was and did deal with it appropriately.

But - most of the time - we simply don't have the knowledge we need as to how to react appropriately (and hence the learning in hindsite - on reviewing the situation afterwards).

You've only got to think of those young children who see their mum come over ill in front of them and a 3 year old can be spotted phoning 999 and telling them. However - that's because mum or someone has obviously trained them what to do in advance in case (or they've watched a tv programme and it sunk in) and they wouldn't know otherwise.

moneyistooshorttomention

Re flooded areas:

There must be some sort of national webpage somewhere that its possible to click on and "ask" it whether a specific area has flooded/is still flooded.

Hopefully that's not a "gap in the market" that no-one has filled yet....

Does anyone have a link to that webpage please?

I'm asking because I know a road near me flooded badly and wonder if its clear yet. I know I could always look up a phone number for some random stranger living there and ask them - but would prefer to just click on a webpage and just have a look for myself.

Frugalsod

Try this

http://floodlist.com/europe/united-kingdom/uk-storm-floods-update

Though always google if necessary.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/winter-weather-uk-government-response

moneyistooshorttomention

Thanks. Tried both of them and no joy.

I'd had a look at the "current flood warnings and river levels" on the Government site on the second link - but couldn't find anything.

I am picturing something like a Googlemaps site - where I can just input exact location and get a current status report (eg I put in "1 River Drive, town x" or "A111 road to Y at so-and-so village") and get told the up-to-date state of play and, hopefully, what "state of play" is anticipated over next 12 hours say.

[Deleted User]

Emptied and refilled my water storage containers, yesterday.

They've been filled for about a year, but the water looked, and smelled fresh.

pineapple

MTSM try AA Roadwatch
http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/roadwatch.jsp

For truly local information you should try your local council/police website.
My local council has set up a list of roads affected by flooding/landslip but I just checked and it is not up to date. Plus the minor roads round here suffer from areas of standing water even in ordinary wet weather and the situation can change from hour to hour.

ALIBOBSY

Awoke to a lovely sunny winter morning here in Lancashire and the river near us has dropped alot, looks like the houses by the river just escaped as didn't see anyone clearing stuff out or simular. Did rain a bit last night but appears to have been less than expected and the dry weather now should help things drain better. Trouble is how much dry have we had recently?

Down the road from us the little historic town of Croston seems to have been hit badly, it does seem to get some flooding on a fairly regular basis-they are right on the river, but this time far more houses have been affected.

On a bit of a tangent has anyone noticed the mild weather messing up the flora and fauna. Dad has seen birds nest building near him and I have salads I thought had died off resprouting in the garden as well as some of the herbs and bushes.

Went out to the chicken coop a few days ago and found a curled up hibernating hedgehog had climbed in a buried itself in the straw, can only have been in overnight as we would have noticed it when egg collecting so isn't it late for it to start its hibernation? Had to move it as the chickens weren't happy so carefully picked it up with the straw around it and put it in a low sided box inside the greenhouse with some extra straw on top. Its still breathing and seems non the worse for the move so will leave it there for the duration. Its pretty big as well so I assume not a youngster. Have seen hogs around here fairly often but the kids thought it was great to have one in the garden. Hopefully it will make it to the spring and gorge itself on any slugs in the garden

Ali x

herbily

MTSM, think there may be a gap in the market - I know at the moment I can't get to York or Malton because I've been out and tried, but there's nothing online that tells me that. Local radio has said the A64 is closed between York and Malton, but you wouldn't know that from the Environment Agency or the AA. I also can't get through the next village, there's three foot of water in a dip - we're on our own little island now. Worried about friends in York, but have no way of getting to them - if they want my spare room, they'll have to swim...