Household favourite Paul Daniels is lending his magic touch in helping the Environment Agency launch its flood awareness campaign targeted at older people in the South West.
A new leaflet, ‘Flooding: be prepared, a guide for older people’, has been produced by the Environment Agency in partnership with Help the Aged in response to research which shows older people are particularly vulnerable to flooding.
Drawing on his personal experience of flooding, Paul said, "My home was flooded two years ago so I know first hand how devastating it can be. Since then I’ve done everything possible to make sure that I’m as prepared as I can be for when it happens again – you can’t prevent flooding but you can minimise the damage."
"Flooding is a serious issue for everyone, but especially so for the elderly. I would urge anyone living in a floodplain to request a leaflet from the Environment Agency and Help the Aged which gives practical advice about what older people can do before, during and after a flood."
People should call the Environment Agency’s 24 hour Floodline 0845 988 1188 to request a copy of the leaflet, or log on to www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodline to find out more.
This campaign will target GP surgeries, libraries and other community-based outlets from November onwards and will feature a bus advertising campaign.
Sir John Harman, chairman of the Environment Agency, added, "The Environment Agency has funded a study to look at which social groups are most vulnerable to flooding. The initial findings have revealed that older people, in terms of their awareness of flood risk and their ability to respond to flood warnings, are one of the social groups most affected during a flood. We want to raise older people’s awareness of flooding and tell them what they can do to prepare."
The agency's checklist for older people includes:
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Make sure you understand the flood warning codes.
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If you have special needs, contact social services to see whether they can help you in a flood.
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Find out if friends or family could offer you a place to stay or contact social services to see if they can offer temporary accommodation.
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Plan how you would keep your pets safe during a flood.
Lysa Ralph, SeniorSafety national manager for Help the Aged, agrees: "Older people are generally more vulnerable during a flood because it can be more difficult for them to evacuate their homes in an emergency. This can be due to physical limitations or reluctance to leave their homes and personal belongings behind."
"Also, older people suffer high levels of anxiety and fear at not knowing where they will stay in the interim. By working with the Environment Agency we hope to empower older people so they feel fully prepared for a flood situation."
The initiative is part of the Environment Agency’s annual Flood Awareness campaign, which is in its sixth year.
Five million people, two million homes and 175,000 businesses are at risk of flooding in England and Wales. Property, land and assets to the value of £200 billion are located in natural river or coastal floodplains. As a result the Environment Agency is spending £434 million this year on flood detection, forecasting and warning services as well as building and maintaining flood defences.
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