The Emergency Plan

Hilton Emergency Plan

HILTON FLOOD PLAN

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This plan is intended to provide guidance to members of Hilton Parish Council (PC) and Neighbourhood Watch (NW) groups, who have agreed to work together in the event of a flood situation occurring in Hilton.

1.2 The plan has been developed by the PC, taking account of advice offered by Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC), the Environment Agency (EA), the Police and local landowners.

1.3 Details in the plan concentrate on the operational aspects of flooding, e.g. protecting life and property and managing the flood.

2.0 AIM

2.1 The aim of this plan is to set out the responsibilities of the participants and the procedures that will be initiated in the event of a potential or actual flood situation occurring in Hilton.

3.0 FLOOD WARNINGS

3.1 The EA's Local Flood Warning Plan provides details of the flood warning arrangements for specific Flood Warning Areas, where there is a risk of flooding from main rivers or the sea.

Warning States


Flood Watch	Flooding is possible. Be aware! Be prepared! Watch out!
Flood Warning	Flooding of homes, businesses and main roads is expected. Act now!
Severe Flood Warning	Severe flooding is expected. Imminent danger to life and property. Act now!
All Clear	There are no Flood Watches or Flood Warnings currently in force.

3.2 Flood Watch is a general alert concerning flooding from rivers, streams, ditches, watercourses, estuaries and the sea. Flood Warnings and Severe Flood Warnings relate to specific Flood Warning Areas at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea.

3.3 However, flooding caused by water running off land and flash flooding cannot be predicted in the same manner and is not within the scope of the EA Flood Warning Plan. In this event, warnings generated by a network of local residents will provide the most effective form of alert to trigger local action.

3.4 The EO is registered with the EA to receive Flood Watch information, via the Automatic Voice Messaging system. The warning is then disseminated to villagers, using a cascade system based on the NW group network. The cascade details are included at Annex B.

3.5 Indicators of Potential Flooding. None of the following factors by itself is an indicator that Hilton is about to be flooded, but the observations of one or more indicate the increase in the risk of flooding:

3.5.1 Advance warning signs may include:

The ditch along the St Ives Road to the North of Hilton completely full from the village to the gravel pits.
Graveley Way flooding West of the White Bridge. 4.1 The main types of flooding event are:
West Brook overflowing at White Bridge on Graveley Way ca. 0.5 km west of the village.
Water backing up from the culvert under Tithe Lane past the pond by Kidmans Farm Cottage.
Flooding South from the chicane on Potton Road toward the entrance to New Farm.
The toilets in properties on Graveley Way and adjacent roads slow to drain.
Water bubbling up beneath the wall of Cross Farm House, High Street.
Drain covers along Graveley Way bubbling.

3.5.2 More urgent warning signs may include:

Water overflowing from the West Brook at the White Bridge, and making its way along Graveley Way.
Water flowing off the fields South of Graveley Way onto and across the road.
Water overflowing across open ground onto the southwest side of Kidmans Close forming a stream.
Water flowing from the fields North West of the village into the gardens of houses in Chequers Croft.
Water flowing from the fields into Westbrook (the road).
Crossroads pond overflowing.
Water emerging from the sewers in New England and Westbrook.
Drain covers along Graveley Way and adjacent roads bubbling.
Water overflowing the main ditch at the bridge near The Limes on the Green.

4.0 FLOODING EVENT

4.1 The main types of flooding event are:

TIDAL (Sea)
FLUVIAL (River)
FLASH (Roads, ditches, fields)
GROUNDWATER (High watertable)
SEWAGE (Sewers, rising mains and pumping stations)
POTABLE WATER (Mains failure)

4.2 The most likely type of flooding to affect Hilton is FLASH flooding.

5.0 LEVEL OF RESPONSE

5.1 The level of response from the authorities to a flooding incident will depend on what is flooded, or is at risk of being flooded, and the availability of staff. There are 5 priority categories:

Priority Categories


Priority	Flooding Affecting	Response
1	People	Action to protect life
2	Houses	Action to protect life and property
3	Roads	Action to protect life and property
4	Commercial Property	Possible action to protect property
5	Gardens / Agricultural Land	No action

5.2 There are other factors, which may influence the level of a response. Priority is likely to be given to the old or infirm, when assisting people, and to occupied property when protecting property. The classification of roads may be used in prioritising responses to road flooding and the protection of commercial property may depend on the risk of environmental pollution from stored chemicals etc. 5.3 External assistance provided by HDC and local action from the PC team may not be able to protect all properties in the village from potential flooding, and owners and occupiers should recognise that they should make their own arrangements to protect their properties from flooding.

5.4 Local Priorities for Action. In Hilton, the local priorities for emergency action are:

Priority	Flooding Affecting	Response
1	People	Action to protect life
2	Occupied Houses	Action to protect life and property
3	Unoccupied Property	Action to protect property
4	Roads	Action to maintain traffic flow

6.0 AUTHORITIES INVOLVED

6.1 Occupiers have the primary responsibility for protecting their property from damage by flooding. The following organisations may be involved in direct specific action during a flooding event:

Environment Agency
Cambridgeshire County Council
Huntingdonshire District Council
Parish Council
Fire and Rescue Services
Ambulance Service
Police
Water Company
Electricity, Gas and Telecom Companies

7.0 ACTION LISTS

7.1 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

The principal actions of the EA are:

Issue flood warnings
Receive and record details of all flooding incidents
Monitor the situation and advise other organisations
Deal with emergency repairs and blockages on main rivers and own structures
Respond to pollution incidents
Advise on waste disposal issues

7.2 CAMBRIDGESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

The principal actions of CCC are:

Co-ordinate its own emergency arrangements
Maintain safe conditions on the roads
Put flood warning signs on the highway
Implement road closures and traffic diversions
Clear blockages on highway drainage systems
May take action to protect property from flooding by water from the highway, where there is a failure of the highway drainage system

7.3 HUNTINGDONSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL

The principal actions of HDC are:

Co-ordinating the local authority response
Housing people, who are evacuated
Supplementing the EA’s flood warning dissemination
Providing sandbags to households at risk of flooding
Working with riparian owners to keep watercourses clear
Advice on home and food safety
Street cleaning
Preparing and exercising emergency plans

7.4 PARISH COUNCIL

The principal actions of PC are:

Disseminate flood watch information (by local agreement with EA)
Activate local emergency plans
Distribute sandbags delivered by District Council

7.5 FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE

The principal actions of the Fire and Rescue Service are:

Rescue
Respond to appropriate emergency incidents, as required
Assist the populace, where a need is identified and the use of fire service personnel and equipment is relevant

7.6 WATER COMPANY

The principal actions of Water Companies are:

Emergency overpumping or tankering at pumping stations
Clearing blockages in public sewers and outfall grills
Repairing burst sewage and water pumping mains
May take action to protect property from flooding by water from the public water mains or discharges from the public sewerage systems
Provision of portable toilets (only in some cases)

7.7 ELECTRICITY, GAS AND TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES

The principal actions of the Electricity, Gas and Telecommunications Companies are:

Attend to emergencies relating to their service at properties putting life at risk as a result of flooding
Attend to flooding emergencies at their own service installations

7.8 POLICE

The principal actions of the Police are:

Establish 'silver' control, if necessary
Co-ordinate the joint agency response, in line with the county flood plan

7.9 PROPERTY OWNERS The principal actions of owners of property at risk of flooding or which is flooded are:

Move to a safe area, if life is at risk
Prevent water from entering property, if possible
Switch off electricity and gas supplies at mains
Move valuable possessions above floor areas liable to be flooded

8.0 CONTACTS AND COMMUNICATION LINKS

8.1 CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Organisation	Tel. No. (Office hours)	Tel. No. (Out of hours)
Environment Agency (Floodline recorded warnings)	0845 988 1188	24 hour
Environment Agency (Emergency)	0800 807 060	24 hour
District Council – Urgent	01480 388388	01480 434167
County Council – Emerg Plans	01223 257471	24 hour
County Council – Floodline only	01223 718634	24 hour
Fire & Rescue Service – Urgent	01480 444620	24 hour
Police	01480 456111	24 hour
Water Company (Anglian)	0345 145145	24 hour
Water Company (Cambs Water)	01223 403000	24 hour
Electricity Company	0800 783 8838	24 hour
Telecom Company (BT)	0800 800 151	24 hour
Gas Company	0800 111 999	24 hour
Fenstanton Parish Council	01480 465300
Hilton Emergency Officer	01480 830250	24 hour
Hilton Deputy EO	01480 831986	24 hour
Hilton Support Officer		24 hour
Hilton Co-ord Cell (Methodist Church)	01480 830351

9.0 FLOOD RISK AREAS

9.1 A map (held by the EO) and its highlighted areas indicate where water run-off from adjoining land and watercourses occurred during the flood of October 2001. This should be used as a guide, when determining where flood watch observers should be posted. Observers must not be put, or put themselves, at risk.

10.0 SANDBAG PROVISION

10.1 In the immediate area, sandbag stocks are held by:

HDC (office hours) 01480 388388 HDC (other times) 01480 434167

When HDC opens the Incident Room, it may advise other numbers, via Radio Cambridgeshire.

11.0 FOLLOW UP ACTION

11.1 The following action is advised during and after a flooding incident:

Keep villagers informed of what is going on and inform 'silver' control press office, when appropriate
Provide information to NW groups to enable them to assist and advise affected property owner
Maintain action and financial records
Investigate flooding and record information including flood levels
Supply details of properties flooded, the extent of flooding and flood levels to the EA, having first checked with the police data protection office
Inform riparian owners of remedial measures needed to watercourses
Identify schemes to alleviate serious flooding of property, in liaison with local authorities and the EA

11.2 Follow-up action will be co-ordinated by the Hilton Emergency Team, using volunteers from the village Neighbourhood Watch community.

12.0 LOCAL CO-ORDINATION

LOCATION OF LOCAL FLOOD CO-ORD CELL :

The Hilton Methodist Church Hall (Tel. 01480 830351) when activated by the EO.

MEANS OF REPORTING INCIDENTS :

By telephone to EO or through NW network.

A copy of the NW contact list is at Annex B.

METHOD OF PASSING INFORMATION :

Information will be co-ordinated by the Emergency Team and passed to villagers by telephone via the NW cascade plan, detailed at Annex B.

The EO will inform the police 'Silver' Control at Hinchingbrooke.

The EO will inform HDC duty Emergency Planning Officer:

- Telephone 01480 434167 - Ignore request to enter numeric message code and await operator's voice requesting message. - State the following: "Hilton PC has opened its flood cell. Contact no. 01480 830351". - The message will be read back and then sent to the pager.

Villagers should pass information about flood or rising water conditions directly to the EO.

FLOOD RISK AREAS :

As described in the flood risk map (held by the EO).

SANDBAG STOCKPILE LOCATIONS :

Householders will be expected to hold sandbags at their property, to be filled when warned of likely flooding.

Further supplies will be called forward from HDC by the Emergency Team.

Emergency Team will co-ordinate the distribution of sandbags delivered to Hilton by HDC.

ANNEX A TO HILTON EMERGENCY PLAN

CONTENTS LIST FOR EMERGENCY BOX

The Emergency Box held by the EO is to include:

- Master Emergency Plan - Maps of village - Keys to relief buildings - Telephone numbers of BT lines in relief buildings - Copy of Electoral Roll - Telephone Directory/Yellow Pages - List of vulnerable villagers (age/location) - Copy of "Floodline" booklet - Pens, note paper - Torch and spare batteries - How to get coffee/tea etc - Emergency Diary

A number of 2-way radio handsets and a battery charging station are held by the Village NW Co-ordinator. They will be available for use by the Emergency Team if required.

ANNEX B TO HILTON EMERGENCY PLAN

CASCADE DETAILS FOR HILTON NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

	Village Emergency Officer Nadine Taylor 830839 (Note 1) Village Deputy Emergency Officer and NW Co-ordinator Chris Potter 831986
Head	Head	Head
Peter Blake 830137	Helen Ruddy 830113	Alan Purssey 830773
Ralph Slayter 830466	Derek Porter 830477	Pat Cummings 830809
Julie Briggs 830580	Guy Dolby 830446	Ian Arnold 830501
Val & Dave Skelton 830972	Brian Radbone 830824	Tim Clark 830214
Andy Bush 830202	Mike Bond 830432	Roland Randall 830223
Volunteer sought Potton Road

Notes: 1. In absence of the Emergency Officer contact:

Deputy Emergency Officer 2. The Deputy Emergency Officer will call the heads of each leg. 3. Heads will call their contact below. 4. If the contact below is out, contact the next on the list. 5. Co-ordinators should pass information directly to the Emergency Officer.