It’s up to you, but would you know what to do? During a flood, it's your responsibility to protect your property, yourselves and your loved ones. We’ve gathered stories from real people impacted by flooding to share what they did to prepare and respond to a flood event.
Gail Walker and her husband, Michael, live in Clackmannanshire, a peaceful setting nestled between the Ochil Hills and the River Devon, but when her bungalow flooded in January 2008, there was nothing she could do to save it. They had to evacuate their house in 15 minutes with nothing more than their two cats and Gail’s handbag. Since then, she’s campaigned to make her home, neighbours and community more resilient to flooding.
Her advice? Know your flood risk and have an emergency plan ready.
Michele Bennett and Sue Wallace from Fintry love their quiet village, in central Scotland, but when it gets cut off from heavy snow or flooding they can be trapped for days. Michele and Sue helped form the Community Council’s Resilience Group and have taken matters into their own hands to help keep their community afloat.
They’d recommend having a community resilience plan and sourcing funding to purchase flood protection products for your community.
Stuart is the Principal Roads and Flooding Officer at Clackmannanshire Council. He’s witnessed the long-term emotional and health impacts a flood can cause and is working closely with communities to establish and support local flood resilience groups to minimise this.
Before a flood, Stuart recommends that you become aware of your flood risk, register to SEPA’s flood warning service and determine if you have any vulnerable neighbours nearby that may need assistance during a flood.
Scotland’s responsible authorities for flooding are working together to manage and reduce the damage and disruption flooding can cause. SEPA, Scottish Water, and your Local Authority all have a role to play before, during and after a flood. The Scottish Flood Forum also play an important role supporting individuals and communities in the aftermath of a flood.
IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY