Cumbria Flood November 2009

1. Cumbria Flood November 2009 Name Diane Jackson & David Snaith Job title Flood Incident Management Team Date 21st June 2011

2. Cumbria Floods November 2009 • Background • Working with our partners at Strategic Co-ordination Group • Community group working and Tactical Co-ordination

4. An Extreme Event of Unprecedented Scale… • 316.4mm of rain fell in 24 hours – the UK’s wettest day on record • 1500 properties flooded across Cumbria • River Derwent and River Cocker reached highest levels ever recorded • In Cockermouth up to 200 people had to be evacuated • Tragically a police officer lost his life • No Environment Agency’s defences in an urban areas failed • Approximately 1500 properties were protected from flooding by agency assets

5. Impacts on Infrastructure 6 bridges collapsed 1800 bridges assessed 13 more closed; one condemned Telecomms services at risk Concern around reservoirs Water supply largely OK Waste water infrastructure OK Roads closed

6. Flood Forecasting • The Flood Forecasting Centre issued flood guidance highlighting low risk on Sunday 15th November and on Wednesday 18th November this went to high risk of significant property flooding • Flood Watches issued on Tuesday 17th November • Flood Warnings issued from Wednesday 18th onwards

8. Strategic Co-ordination Group

9. Gold Control – Police HQ • Police • Fire and Rescue Services • Health – Ambulance Service, HPA, NHS • Councils – County and Local Authorities • Military – Army, RAF • Voluntary Agencies – Mountain Rescue, Red Cross • Ultilities – UU, BT, Network Rail, Highways • Sellafield • MCA • Met Office • GONW • Environment Agency

10. Information required at Strategic • Flood Zone Maps • Flood Warning Areas • Maps • Multi Agency Flood Plan • Resources and equipment • Urban myths • Knowledge of local area • Number of properties effected • Waste • Farming

12. Community GroupsJanuary 2005 & November 2009

14. January 2005 – No Knowledge of what to do when Flooded • Where to evacuate too? • Do they need to evacuate? • Where is the high ground to move the car too? • How long after receiving a warning will they be flooded? • What kind of Help you might get from each Agency.

16. How Did We Start • Working with residents from Keswick • Briefed them what Flood Incident Management is about. • Discussed such items as lead times and responsibilities. • How best to involve the rest of the community. • Keswick Flood Action Group established

17. Keswick Flood Action Group, local awareness and publicity • Increased the number of people registered to receive warnings. • Increased awareness of what services Agencies provide (lead time of warnings). • Sub Groups set up to Identify different sources of flooding. (Adopt a drain group). • Production of newsletters. • Develop an Emergency Plan. • Training for Group Leaders

18. Emergency Plan

19. How the community plan works KFAG to monitor river. When it reaches 1.2m at High Hill. KFAG will telephone team leaders of Lions, Churches Together, Flood Volunteers. To assist with river monitoring KFAG to e-mail hourly updates to community emergency plan team following their assessment of the river and contact with the EA Environment Agency Issues Flood Watch via FWD (telephone warning system – heads up for community emergency team to check their e-mails) EA contacts KFAG:- With situation update When flood warning for Fitz Park & Riverside Flats is issued or when river reaches 1.5m Community Emergency Team to take over and Council Offices open

20. Flood Warning Cascade List Fire / Police / EA (Forward control point) information role. Suggested contact to be made to control rooms. Link to adjoining Parishes Keswick Emergency Co-ordinating Group (Council Offices) Voluntary Car Buses Deployment Teams Flood Products Sandbags Rest Centre Volunteers Recovery – Keswick open for business 4X4’s & Tractors Door Knocking to re-enforce Warning Information & Communication Team Keswick Tourism Association – Mountain Rescue Generators Gas Stoves Sleeping Bags Medical Health Responders Environment Agency Issues a Flood Warning Co-ordination of incident & recovery Fire / Police / EA (Forward control point) information role. Suggested contact to be made to control rooms. Scouts have these And a hut that could be used as a rest centre Action on the ground

21. Keswick Tactical Control Room – November 2009 • Police • Fire and Rescue Service • North West Ambulance Service • Environment Agency • Keswick Mountain Rescue Team • Town Council • Keswick Flood Action Group (KFAG) • Resilience Unit – intermittent presence • Central location • Sustained presence for 12 hours then recovery

22. Information Required at Tactical • Weather forecasts • Potential flood routes • Timing of flooding/ overtopping/ locations/ extent/ river level • Historical information – what happened in 2005 • Urban myths – Thirlmere reservoir

23. What went well • Preparation – emergency plan work • Keswick Flood Action Group monitoring on the ground – regular contact • Evacuation – timely using volunteers where appropriate • Used experience of 2005 to highlight electricity issue • Early decision of formal control room set up • Regular meetings – information needed – all prepared • Buddying EA/Fire/Police and community Group • Forward Control Point at Town Hall • Withdrawal of volunteers at appropriate time • Coordination of reception centres – Town Council assisted • Provision of food – welfare

24. High Hill flood defence wall Keswick

25. A quote from a Senior Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service Officer “Many lives were saved due to the implementation of the Flood Plan” • Quote from Graham Thompson Chair of Keswick Flood Action Group “I am proud to have been part of a coordinated response in which the community worked seamlessly with the emergency services and I am grateful to those many people who supported me”

27. Thank you, any questions?