FloodSax alternative sandbags being deployed to protect a house from flooding
FloodSax sandless sandbags can stop a torrent of floodwater in its tracks
Flood Action Week 2022: Will local councils provide sandbags if flooding is forecast?
This week (November 7-13) is Flood Action Week and the powerful message to get across is that everyone is responsible for their own flood protection.
Don’t expect any help from anyone as local councils have absolutely no responsibility to provide sandbags so it’s vital that people living in flood risk areas must do all they can to prepare themselves against flooding.
The Flood Action Week slogan is Prepare Act Survive and being prepared is vital as every second really does count when flooding is forecast.
More than 5 million homes are at risk of flooding in 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.
The Environment Agency states: “Don’t assume the authorities will provide you with sandbags in a flood emergency. It’s the responsibility of property owners to take appropriate action to protect their property from flooding. Sandbags are relatively ineffective when compared to purpose-built flood protection products. We strongly encourage people to use these products.”
This is why homeowners and businesses need to be prepared for flooding 24/7 with anti-flood devices such as FloodSax alternative sandbags which are far more space-saving to store and easier to deploy than traditional sandbags which are a dead weight, need to be stored on pallets and are cumbersome and time-consuming to transport anywhere.
FloodSax were devised and are made by Yorkshire company Environmental Defence Systems Ltd.
Managing director Richard Bailey said: “Being flooded is one of the worst things that can ever happen to you. The floodwater destroys everything it touches which means you’ll need new floors, a rewire, extensive repairs to damaged walls and countless thousands of pounds of furniture and electrical equipment such as TVs and washing machines destroyed.
“Flood victims are forced out of their homes for months and repairing homes and businesses is a lengthy process that can often take more than a year to get back to some kind of normality.
“That’s why the Prepare part of the Prepare Act Survive slogan is so important. The only way to be sure is to be prepared for flooding 24/7.”
To find out about all the latest anti-flooding devices from alternative sandbags to floodgates go to the online directory operated by the National Flood Forum charity at http://bluepages.org.uk/
Another worrying fact is that far too many people have no idea they are at risk of flooding but it’s easy to find out simply by going to the Environment Agency website at https://bit.ly/35jEvTC and popping your postcode in.