All these 20 FloodSax alternative sandbags came from this one easy-to-carry box
FloodSax holding back filthy floodwater
FloodSax can be used inside in their dry state to soak up internal escapes of water
Why the Government’s early warning mobile phone alert system will mainly be used for flooding
The Government’s early warning system that sends alerts to millions of mobile phones will mainly be used when flooding is imminent.
The Government tested the system recently with everyone’s phones getting the test alert at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon. The alert made the phones vibrate alongside a siren sound for 10 seconds.
The alerts are intended for situations where there is an imminent danger to life, such as extreme weather events or during a terror attack, but it’s emerged they will probably be used mainly for flood warnings as the alerts can be pinpointed to specific areas.
This has already been happening.
Around 4.5 million phones in Scotland and Northern Ireland were sent an alert during a storm in January 2025 and in December 2024 around 3.5 million people were sent alerts when a storm struck parts of England and Wales.
Messages have also been targeted to relatively small areas to warn people most at risk, including during flooding in Cumbria in May 2024 and for similar severe weather in Leicestershire in January.
Away from the weather, the system was used in February 2024 to aid the evacuation of more than 10,000 people in Plymouth after a 500kg unexploded World War Two bomb was discovered.
Lucy Bailey from Yorkshire-based company Environmental Defence Systems Ltd which devised and manufactures the award-winning FloodSax alternative sandbag used worldwide said: “It’s clear the mobile phone alerts will normally be used when severe bad weather is expected which will usually involve a serious flood risk.
“It’s a great early warning system and will give people time to evacuate their homes and businesses but probably won’t give anywhere near enough time for them to go and buy some kind of flood prevention devices before the bad weather hits.
“Many people think of sandbags when flooding is mentioned but local authorities have absolutely no responsibility to provide them or any other kind of flood mitigation for homes and businesses.
“Sandbags are also notoriously poor to use with floods as it can be difficult to find anywhere that sells them, they’re heavy and unwieldy to lift or transport anywhere and often fall apart in floodwater, letting water in and also spilling sand everywhere, including clogging up drains leading to more flooding.
“FloodSax are vacuum-packed in boxes of 20 so are space saving to store and transport which means you can have them in your home and business so you’re ready to act quickly to any flooding threat both inside or out. They can also be bought online and delivered to your door.”
In their dry state FloodSax are super-absorbent yet thin with a large surface area so are highly effective at soaking up water inside homes and businesses, especially in hard-to-reach places such as beneath pipes, radiators, sinks and boilers. They also soak up floodwater dripping in through leaky roofs and windows.
This prevents water from spreading and causing untold damage to floors, electrics, plasterboard and furniture, along with fixtures and fittings.
To transform FloodSax into instant sandless, simply fully immerse them in water. The FloodSax absorbs about 20 litres in around 5 minutes and retains it, transforming the FloodSax from being as light as a pillowcase to being more effective than traditional sandbags.
Unlike traditional sandbags, FloodSax have a uniform shape which makes them quick and easy to build into protective walls to prevent water from getting into properties or to divert it away from them down drains.
For information on where to buy FloodSax go to https://www.floodsax.co.uk/buy/uk-suppliers