Love Clean Streets App
You can now report all highways issues via the Love Clean Streets app.
The app is free to download. Simply search for ‘Love Clean Streets’ on the App store or Google Play Store on your mobile phone or tablet.
For further information please click here to visit Lancashire County Council.
Flooding can happen anywhere, are you prepared?
Flooding has become more prevalent in recent years and one in six houses in England is at risk of flooding in the future. Being prepared could help you protect your home and your belongings next time there is severe weather.
Information, including who is responsible when flooding occurs, can also be found at: https://thefloodhub.co.uk/
Steps to take to prepare for flooding
There are many things you can do now to prepare for flooding:
- Know your flood risk – Input your postcode to check the long to flood risk of your home or call 0345 988 1188 https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk
- Sign up for free flood warning messages from the Environment Agency: https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings
- Protect your home – with flood defence products such as flood doors, flood boards, airbrick covers and non return valves on your drains, pipes and toilets. While it’s impossible to completely flood-proof a property, there are lots of things you can do to reduce the damage flooding can cause. Don’t wait until flooding is imminent as you simply won’t have time to buy or put the measures in place. A variety of products are available to buy and a comprehensive list of these can be found in ‘The Blue Pages’ directory on the National Flood Forum’s website http://bluepages.org.uk/ https://nationalfloodforum.org.uk/
There are also things you can do so that even if flood water enters your property it causes less damage, so drying-out and cleaning up is faster and easier. These include fitting water-resistant skirting boards, raising electrical sockets and a having a pump in your basement to extract flood water. This means you could move back home or open for business far more quickly. Find out about the range of flood protection measures available: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/451622/LIT_4284.pdf
- Flood plans – make a flood plan setting out what you will do in a flood including emergency contact numbers and essential documents. Use these templates to help you create your plan: Personal flood plan https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-flood-plan
- Community or group flood plan https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-plan-guidance-for-communities-and-groups
- Business flood plan https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-your-business-for-flooding
- Businesses – use this checklist to make sure your business is resilient http://media.claspinfo.org/sites/default/files/Weathering%20the%20Storm%20Checklist%202014.pdf
- Emergency flood kits – putting together a flood kit. A ‘grab bag’ is a key way of minimising the risks and surviving the worst, if you choose to stay in your home or are evacuated to a rest centre
Essential items include
- Insurance documents and other important documents
- Mobile phone and charger
- Emergency cash and credit cards
- Essential prescription medication/repeat prescription forms
- Children’s essentials (milk, baby food, sterilised bottles and spoons, nappies, wipes, nappy bags, clothing, comforter, teddy or favourite toy)
Buy flood insurance
Ensure you have the correct home insurance in place. The Flood Re website has been set up to help those households who live in a flood risk area find affordable home insurance. https://www.floodre.co.uk/
Keep your drains and gutters clear
keep your drains and gutters clear of leaves to help prevent blockages and localised flooding in heavy rainfall. If you notice drains on your road are blocking up, report it to Lancashire County Council. https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/roads-parking-and-travel/report-it/
Know how
Make sure you know how to quickly turn off your water, gas and electricity. You can call 105 to report or get information about power cuts in your local area. https://www.powercut105.com/
Identify vulnerable neighbours and relatives
Check they know how to prepare for flooding too.
Find out what’s happening in your area – sign up to In the Know to receive regular crime updates, information on road closures, information about fires and other emergencies and learn about what your local neighbourhood policing team is doing. https://www.stayintheknow.co.uk/
Watch this video – for advice and tips on what to do before, during and after a flood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiZ5hryi2Sw