The Leading News & Information Service For The Facilities, Workplace & Built Environment Community

Pupils Help Their Schools Prepare For Flooding

23 February 2018
 

Children in the North East are helping their schools prepare for flooding in a series of 'Flood Weeks' run by the Environment Agency.

 

 

Children in the North East are helping their schools prepare for flooding in a series of 'Flood Weeks' run by the Environment Agency.

The series of themed weeks – which have so far involved 1,200 primary school children - kicked off at North Fawdon Primary School in Newcastle in January, before moving to South Tyneside ahead of the start of Monkton flood alleviation scheme.

Mentors work with the children in all year groups to help them understand different types of flooding and how it happens. They learn what to do before and during a flood and learn what the flood warning symbols used by the Environment Agency mean. They then record mock radio broadcasts about flooding in their community.

 

Important to understand flooding

Each week ends with a community event attended by parents, Northumbrian Water and Northern Powergrid where children launch the flood plan they’ve created for their own school.

Tom Pitman, working for South Tyneside Council and the Environment said: "It’s important that younger people understand what flooding is, how it happens and what the different organisations that deal with flooding do.

"We also teach them how to prepare for and what to do during a flood in a series of interactive sessions. It leads to them being able to create a flood plan for their own school and in turn their parents having a greater understanding.

"We know it is absolutely devastating to be flooded and that’s why we work closely with our partners to develop schemes to reduce the risk of flooding.

"But we can never completely eliminate the risk and that’s why we work hard to educate people and our future generations about what they can do to keep themselves and their valuables safe."

 

Prepare for flooding

The Environment Agency is urging people to ‘Prepare, Act, Survive’ by visiting the Floods Destroy website and do three things to prepare for flooding.

  • Check your postcode and find out if you are at risk of flooding.

  • Sign-up for free flood warnings if you are at risk.

  • View and save the 3-point flood plan so you know how to ‘Prepare, Act, Survive’ in a flood.

  •  

Picture: Community Engagement Officer Taryn Al-Mashgari has helped youngsters develop flood plans and ‘grab bags’ so they are prepared in the event of a flood.

 

 

Article written by Cathryn Ellis | Published 23 February 2018

Share



Related Articles

Fear Of Flooding - Water Damage Is £Billion Threat

Property owners must prepare for the worst is the latest stark warning from the UK Environment Agency, which suggests that £1 billion a year might be needed to be...

 Read Full Article
Local Knowledge Crucial To Minimising Flood Risk

Devastating flood damage caused by sudden bank breaches can be minimised by tapping into local knowledge and resources, a major risk management authority has...

 Read Full Article
Flood Risk Subsides But Alertness Advised

While the weather outlook is looking drier over the next few days, the Environment Agency is urging people to check their flood risk as ground water and river levels...

 Read Full Article
A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall?

The weather out there is frightful - for some...so what does the forecast predict for next week and for the month ahead as we head into December?   Friday...

 Read Full Article
Property Flood Resilience eBook Launches

A new Property Flood Resilience eBook has launched to provide businesses and home owners with over 40 real-life case studies from business and communities that have...

 Read Full Article
Preparing for the Great Flood

Build an Ark, inflate a rubber ring - there is considerable room for improvement in both public and private schemes that could help encourage risk reduction behaviours...

 Read Full Article
Flood of Money Wasted on Wrong Flood Protection

England’s flood strategy failing, says a new study and says a new approach is urgently needed from government to protect communities and stop costs...

 Read Full Article
Sodexo Retains FM Contract With Wellington College in Berkshire

Sodexo has re-signed a ten-year soft FM contract with private school Wellington College in Berkshire. The contract is worth approximately £80 million and...

 Read Full Article
BBC Radio Documentary Exposes Legacy of PFI Contracts 

The BBC has spoken to several headteachers of PFI schools who are locked into FM contracts as part of a radio documentary. The BBC Radio Four programme, “The...

 Read Full Article
Government Publishes Plan to Remove RAAC From all Schools in England

A final list of schools and colleges affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete in England has been published, alongside a plan to remove it from all...

 Read Full Article