Exercise Flood Board

We intend to run a simulation exercise on the evening of Wednesday 23^rd September to test the availability and deployment of our newly trained Flood Wardens and to allow residents to test their flood defences. The objectives of the exercise are as follows:

• Test planned deployment of Flood Wardens

• Test communication between FW’s and Coordination / Control

• Test readiness of residents to defend their own properties

• Test elements of the community emergency plan

Format

We will request residents deploy their flood boards between 18:00 and 19:00 on Wednesday 23^rd September (this date is one of low tide, ie zero real flood risk, but within a week we will be experiencing the highest tide of the year at 4.6m)

Flood Wardens will be on alert from 5pm that day, will collect their equipment from the Route 2 Café – which acts as Control Hub – and will be deployed along Ferry Rd / Strand by Coordinators, as per the protocol. They will then note the following:

• Properties with flood defences in place

• Properties with flood defence capability, but no deployment

• Residents / properties that require assistance in deployment

• Properties apparently without flood defence

Wardens will phone information back to Control – testing communication links and recording – as well as noting details themselves.

Coordinators will also test protocols to engage / inform partner agencies such as the Environment Agency, Police, Fire Service and local Councils.

There will be a ‘hot de-brief’ in Route 2 – or perhaps one of the pubs? – after the exercise. 

Personnel and roles

TEG personnel will act as Coordinators

Flood Wardens will attend their sectors as allocated

The Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service (Topsham Fire Station) have kindly agreed to be involved in the exercise, and will have personnel there in uniform

The Environment Agency will also be on hand (Observers?)

We will notify other Agencies of our intentions, they are welcome to view proceedings or participate if roles allow.

Timing

The exercise will take place on Wednesday 23^rd September between 5 – 8pm, with residents deploying their flood defences between 6 – 7pm.

 

Flood Warden Familiarisation evening, Wednesday 10th June, Route 2 Cafe

Further to the Flood Warden training carried out in January, we have now procured some equipment for our Flood Wardens, therefore all Wardens are cordially invited to attend a 'familiarisation evening' on Wednesday 10th June, between 5 - 8pm, at the Route 2 Cafe in Topsham.

The purpose of the evening is to allow the Wardens to become familiar with the clothing and equipment they will be expected to wear and use during a flood incident, which will be on show at Route 2. Members of the Emergency Group will be on-hand to answer any questions arising. We also have more information about how the 'call out' will work and what Wardens will be expected to do during a potential flooding situation. Wardens will be issued with a yellow 'action card' which outlines roles and responsibilities.

The intention of holding the session between 5 - 8pm is to allow Wardens to drop in when is convenient to them.

Any questions should be addressed to Richard Horne on 07527 221244.

April high tides

There will be further high tides this weekend from Saturday 18th April through Monday 20th April, however at a maximum of 4.3m a tad lower than that experienced earlier in the year.

The current weather is set fair - it currently seems more like mid-summer than early Spring - so with high pressure and wind from the east / north-east, there should be no flooding issues.

Further high Spring tides are due this weekend

Further high Spring tides are due this weekend, from Friday 20 March (high tide at 06.33) through to Monday 23 March, with a maximum height of 4.5m.

We expect the current high pressure system to continue well into next week, with moderate winds from the north, veering southerly on Sunday. Therefore we do not expect any flooding issues.

High Tides this weekend

The high Spring tides this weekend have now passed their peak, fortunately without serious incident. Many properties displayed some impressive looking flood defences.

Our pictures are taken from near Trout's boatyard, by the Church steps, at high tide on Friday morning, 20th February.

Also, for an interesting explanation of the so called 'syzygy effect' , please see this link.

High Spring tides in Topsham this weekend

Topsham can expect high Spring tides from Thurs 19th February and Monday 22nd February. The highest tides are 4.6 m on Friday at 07.41 and again 4.6m on Saturday at 08.23, some of the highest tides of the year.

Atmospheric pressure is predicted to be just lower than normal on both days and the tidal surge will be about 5cms on Friday and about 5cms below normal on Saturday.

The wind is predicted to be from the SSE at 06.00 on Friday gusting 10mph but swinging  clockwise to the North at 09.00, gusting at 18mph. On Saturday the wind is predicted to be from the North West.

Water may just overlap low lying roads at high tide, however, based on information to hand, we assess the risk of property flooding at this time to be minimal.

Flood Wardens needed in Topsham

The Environment Agency is offering training to individuals who wish to volunteer as Flood Wardens. This will be delivered jointly by the EA and the Fire Service, based on a package developed by Cornwall Community Flood Forum, funded by Devon County Council.

The role

Assist the community before, during and after a flooding incident:
-    Responsible for a defined sector (ie number of residences) within the Flood Zone in Topsham and / or general assistance with flood defences
-    Ensuring that residents within that sector are aware that there might be flooding
-    Assistance in deploying individual property flood defences (ie flood boards, sandbags)
-    Helping to deploy community flood defences (where appropriate)
-    Sounding ‘alerts’ and ‘all clear’
-    Helping to clear up / remove flood defences, post-incident
-    Act as a conduit of information between residents and Topsham Emergency Group / the emergency responding agencies (eg Fire Service, Police, Exeter CC).

Person profile

-    Local resident, most likely from the sector within the Flood Zone, with good knowledge of local geography and people living in the sector (ideally but not necessarily)
-    Able to assist older / vulnerable neighbours
-    Community spirited

The Training

The content of training is as follows:
1.    Introduction to Flood Risk
2.    Instruction to Emergency Services
3.    Health & Safety and Risk Management
4.    Role profile of Flood Wardens
5.    Sandbags
6.    Safeguarding

Dates

Thursday 22nd January & Thursday 29th January. The training is over two  evenings, so you would need to attend both sessions.

If this is of interest to you, please email topfloods@topsham.org.uk with subject: Flood Wardens.