professionals - floods - response

e-Learning in FloodsProfessionals

e-Learning for the Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural Disasters

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ResponseIn the following, you will be presented with information on how you might respond:• During:• How to convey knowledge and information to other stakeholders.• How to implement the plan of action.• How to look after yourself.

• After (recovery):• How to Implement recovery plans. • How to convey knowledge and information to other stakeholders.• Awareness of the dangers after a natural disaster.


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ActivationThere is a saying “Prevention is better than cure”. This means that if you have made good prevention arrangements and preparation plans then, in some cases, you won’t need to respond at all. All in all prevention and preparation is important to make a good and effective response.

You need to start activation of the Fire and Rescue Services plans when the Met Office (The Meteorological Office) warns about storms and increased water levels. The Met Office will initially warn about flooding and, as the days go by, the forecast will become more precise and clarify if the preparedness activities you have made are sufficient or if you need to think about new strategies and obtaining other resources.


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DurationFirst of all you need to be aware that the response to flooding is a long-lasting process. It is not likely to be over in a couple of hours or an afternoon!


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Response phasesThe response phase is the stage of preparing to respond and activating some of the measures that you have assessed will be required. The response can be divided into three phases which here are referred to as before, during and after. The first phase, before, is shortly before the response and refers to the preparation phase.

Before• Who to contact and what to prepare?• What to be aware of about your own safety?During• How to convey and communicate information

to stakeholders or other agencies?• How to put your plan of action into practice?• What do you need to be aware about

regarding your own safety?After• How to put the recovery plan into practice?• How to convey and communicate information

to stakeholders or other agencies?• What to be aware of regarding the dangers

after flooding?


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Before a responseWhat to do shortly before the response?• The Fire and Rescue Services will, at this stage, be preparing for the response and awaiting the realization of the warnings sent out. Now you activate, or as a minimum advise, the local flood groups and other resources, and the mapping material from the GIS office may be gathered.• From the warnings sent by the Met Office, you can now start to launch a response and/or prepare reinforcement of the potential weak areas, set up temporary barriers of sandbags, watertubes or other material to keep water away from vital areas e.g. transformer substation, hospital etc..


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During a responseWhat to do during the response?

This phase extends from the when flooding starts to when the water recedes and, during this, there will be a lot of practical, but also administrative, actions which will be activated. This is where you use your plan of action made regarding flooding.


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CommunicationHow to communicate?It is important to have proper communication and reporting of the situation from the areas affected. This must be controlled and coordinated from a central place, if necessary also combined with smaller command posts.


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CommunicationCreation of an Operations Room -where you gather the different agencies (emergency services, the local authority, Environment Agency, health agencies etc) is very important to make a mutual effort within communication and coordination of the united response.


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CommunicationThe incident commander, or other emergency professional personnel, can be placed strategically in the local flood area from where they can report and possibly lead deployed resources. The areas can be places where you know bridges and other connections can be cut off because of the flooding, or other areas, such as low-lying land, where the water can have an influence on residential or business areas.


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Communication

Most likely there will be Operational commands (Bronze) close to the incident.


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TasksWhat tasks will be required during the response?If the preparations have been made properly the response could just be a question of attending possibly threatened areas and deploying sandbags barriers, watertubes etc., This is the preferable scenario, but it will depend on the nature of the warnings in relation to the rise in river levels, sea levels, wind speeds and wind direction. In those places where you have assessed that the water can be problematic, you may need to send out observers to confirm that the water stays on the right side of the barriers; at the same time you will closely monitor the situation and to be ahead of developments and ready to call in additional personnel if the situation changes.


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TasksIf the preparations have been made properly the response could just be a question of attending possibly threatened areas, rivers, sandbag barriers, watertubes etc.. This is the preferable scenario, but it depends on the nature of the warnings in relation to the rise in river or sea levels, wind speeds and wind direction.


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TasksIn those places where you have assessed that the water can be problematic, you may need to send out observers. They have to confirm that the water stays on the right side of the barriers at the same time as you closely monitor the situation and make sure to be ahead of developments and call in additional personnel if the situation changes.


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TasksA lot of things can have an influence on the development of flooding so it is difficult to predict what will happen. Unforeseen events will often emerge during the response phase e.g. if a river bank breaches, the water rises more than expected or larger or smaller areas are flooded. The response needs to be initiated to make sure the persons in the area are evacuated. Evacuation should ideally, of course, have already been initiated and finished before the situation arises if you have had the sings that flooding in this area cannot be prevented. However it is not always possible to foresee this precisely through the warnings of where the water will flood residential or business areas.

The Fire and Rescue Services need work with the local authority and be prepared to deal with an evacuation and the material needed in this situation could be:• Rescue boats• Rescue bridges• Drysuits• Life jackets• Buses for the evacuated• Lights• Designated evacuation centres• Dry clothes for the evacuated


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EvacuationHow to deal with an evacuation?This response will demand a large amount of trained personnel to both search and rescue in flooded areas and also to receive the evacuated persons, who may be both very cold and exhausted. This type of response is a task which is very different from the normal emergency response, both in relation to the working environment and the potential duration of the response.


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EvacuationThe task for you is primarily to save and rescue life as a first-priority. However the priorities of all rescuers should be:• Self• Team• VictimIt is important to take responsibility for your own actions especially your actions in a dangerous situation. Acting on impulses such as jumping into water unequipped or untrained to save a person, is highly likely to cause more than one casualty. Furthermore you have a responsibility to look after your team members and not place them in danger. The safe systems of work need to be followed and each member look after their own safety.When you and your team’s safety is secured, you can start to perform rescues and / or operate in a water environment. Finally you can retrieve your equipment, but only if the risk is low – equipment can be replaced, but you can not!


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EvacuationThe affected people can be categorized into category 1, 2 and 3 persons, as normally referred to in emergency service terms.• Category 1 persons - in a flooding situation are persons who are not directly affected. They are kept informed of the situation in the affected areas, normally through websites or other central news sites. • Category 2 persons - are people who will be evacuated from areas that might be affected. They will be evacuated by the police and other emergency services, or they will be told to evacuate themselves through press releases to designated assembly points e.g. schools and sports halls.• Category 3 persons - are the ones who need rescue, either because they are located in properties that are flooded or because they are in areas cut off because of the water. Persons located in flooded properties are at greater risk of hypothermia rather than drowning.


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EvacuationIt may come as a surprise that people can get caught in the water, but often people don’t realize that they are in danger until it is too late. As the rising water might be only a few degrees, this can be a potential life-threatening situation for the affected persons. At the same time it is very likely that all power and heat will be disconnected in the affected areas. Healthy and mobile persons have the opportunity to seek higher ground and wait for help . However the disabled and elderly might not have that opportunity, and are therefore in greater risk of quickly getting hypothermia and can even drown if they move into the flooded areas.


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EvacuationHow the work of rescue can be made easier depends, yet again, on the specialist equipment and material the fire and rescue service might have for the purpose. Because of this, it is difficult to make consistent guidelines to how the response can be made. However there are some guidelines on water rescue in the following slides.


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Water rescueBefore starting a water rescue you need to make a scene assessment of all the elements that might affect rescue e.g. weather, water conditions, number of casualties etc..After this, you need to make a plan in order to safely deal with the situation. The plan should include four stages which are known as the LAST principle:• Locate• Access• Stabilise• Transport


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Water rescueThere are 15 formulated absolutes of flood and swift-water rescue:General principles1. Keep it simple2. Always be proactiveBefore the rescue starts3. The priority at the scene is always self-

rescue first, the rescue and security of team-mates and the victim last

4. Always wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) if you need to enter the water

5. Use the right equipment6. Do not use a fire helmet for water

rescue operations – use one designed for the purpose

Source: Northumberland Fire and Rescue


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Water rescueBefore entering the water7. Always deploy upstream spotters above

the rescue operation – ideally on both sides of the river

8. Always have appropriate downstream back ups

9. Always have a back up planWorking with rope in the water10. Never tie a rope around a rescuer –

rescuers have died as a result of being tied to a rope. If a rescuer is to enter the water attached to a rope it must be attached to a specialist quick release harness on a rescue PFD

11. Never tension a rope at right angles to the current if it is used for in-water operations

12. Never stand inside a loop of rope and always stand on the upstream side of the rope

Performing the rescue13. Never put your feet down if swept away -

attempting to stand up in flowing water can lead to potentially fatal situation of foot entrapment – where a persons foot becomes trapped on the river bed which can cause their head to be pushed under the water. Foot entrapments can also be caused by underwater debris and hazards in flood areas. Correct use of swimming techniques and not standing up until located in a safe eddy will reduce risk of foot entrapments

14. Never count on a victim to help in their own rescue

15. Once contact is made with the victim, every effort should be made to avoid losing contact with them again and ensure they are recovered to safety under direct supervision.


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Incident commandFinally this type of situation makes high demands on the incident commander or/and team leader, who not only have to decide who to rescue first, but also have to decide how this rescue should be done. In addition they also have to log the work and ensure all houses are thoroughly searched and marked.

The following points are what the incident commander/team leader should have knowledge of and be able to deal with:• Searching techniques• Writing log• Dealing with rescue boats • Personal protection equipment

(PPE)• Dealing with evacuees• Working in water• Decontamination


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Own safetyWhat to be aware of regarding your own safety?During flooding you need to be very aware of pollution of the water. The accumulated water is not only river or seawater, but also water from the sewers, fuel from flooded vehicles, dead animals etc. As soon as the water enters the residential / business areas, it also areas with sewers, sewerage plants, scrapyards and similar, where there are products that, if they come into contact with the water are a potential source of pollution.

Because of the pollution, it is important to keep in mind cleaning of the personnel who have been in the water, as well as cleansing of the used equipment. At repeated responses in polluted water, there should be clean and dry working clothes to the personnel.


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Own safetySomething very useful, when working in polluted and flooded areas, are waders. They isolate and keep the clothes dry.

Please note that when working in waders, you have to wear a life jacket, when the water exceeds the knees.


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Own safetyFire in electrical installations is a severe risk during flooding. This is due to incoming water in houses or flooded electrical cabinets of all sizes. These fires can create some particular challenges, which can lead to you having to use other response options. It is important to focus on keeping a safe distance to these, if they are located in the water and are on fire.


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Power cutFlooding can cause power cuts e.g. due to water in electrical supplies which also can cause fire.The following are some things you can do, but also can advise the people in your community to do in case of a power cut.


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Power cutWhat to do in a power cut:• Check out the neighbour’s house – If your

neighbours still have power but your home or office doesn’t, it is likely that the problem lies with your own fuses or trip switches. If the whole area is out then contact your local energy supplier to inform them (make sure you have the number in the contact list of your emergency plan - 105), or if they are already aware they may be able to provide more detail on the incident, i.e. cause and estimated time of outage.

• Switch off appliances – Unplug sensitive appliances such as TVs, satellite equipment and computers. Switch off all electrical appliances that may have been in use when the supply was interrupted, but should not be left unattended such as cookers.


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Power cut• Leave a light switched on – Leave, or switch on,

at least one light switched on so you will know when the power has been restored.

• Limit the use of your laptop or mobile phone – Don’t use your devices unnecessarily to save battery power. Use a battery powered or wind-up radio to tune into news updates.

• Avoid opening your fridge or freezer more than necessary – Leave your fridge door closed if possible until the supply is restored. Chilled products should remain safe for a number of hours. Freezers should remain sufficiently cold to keep products safe for several hours. It is also worth noting that a full freezer will stay colder for longer, so if your freezer is only partially full then consider freezing containers of water to fill the void space.


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Power cut• Other sources of lighting – Ensure you

have a torch close at hand and that the batteries are working. If you are going to use candles, paraffin or gas lamps then please take care. Consider the following:• Place them on a stable non-combustible

surface where they can’t be knocked off.• Place them away from curtains and soft

furnishings.• Do not leave them unattended.

• Other sources of heating – Portable heaters are good, but take care where you put them and it is worth checking them periodically to ensure they are working properly.


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Power cut• Advise your community on looking after pets – Most pets will not

be affected by a power interruption, but you may want to contact your local pet shop or RSPCA for advice if you own tropical fish, unusual or exotic animals. If the power is off for only a short period of time then most tropical fish will be unaffected. Mains-operated air pumps, filters and heaters in fish tanks will not work while the electricity is off, so for longer power outages you may want to consider the following:• Unplugging your filters to prevent toxins building up. You are advised

to clean the filters before using them again.• Consider buying a bubble up filter than can be run off a battery

powered air pump as a back-up. Battery powered heaters can also be purchased from most pet shops.

• For insulation, wrap blankets around the outside of the tank, or alternatively fill hot water bottles or other receptacles with warm water and place these around the tank.

• To keep oxygen in the tank, periodically disturb the water with your finger or alternatively fill a cup full of water from the tank and pour it back in.


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Power cut• Check on elderly or vulnerable in your

community – Ensure elderly or vulnerable neighbours are safe and comfortable.

• Turn your appliances on one at a time – When power is restored turn your appliances back on one at a time. Remember, if you have any electric clocks, alarm clocks or video recorders, these may need resetting.

• Also remember that door bells and alarm systems may not work when your supply is interrupted. Many alarm systems have battery back-ups, i.e. hardwired smoke alarms, but a power outage may mean these don’t work correctly.


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After the responseWhat to do after the response?At some point the water will start to recede, and you are now left with cleaning and disposal of water accumulated in places where it has no capacity to drain e.g. due to lowering in the contours of the land. You need to use your recovery plan which will contain information such as the following.


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TasksThe task for the Fire and Rescue Services is mostly to clean up in relation to contents from the businesses and houses, flotsam and similar that might be damaged by the water and need to be discarded. The tasks may be limited to pumping away water as well as providing assistance to people regarding e.g. disposable suits, masks, gloves and other personal protection equipment.


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AwarenessDue to the health risk from sewage, you have to take precautions. Sludge and/or sediment from a flood are normally not seen as a greater health risk. If there has been sewage in the flooding is it important to be careful with ordinary hygienic precautions (avoid getting residues of sludge and sediment on the skin and in mouth and eyes, hand wash, change of footwear when you go indoors, etc.) in and after movements and working in it. Take extra precautions if you have a wound on the skin.


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This educational resource has been produced by the partners of the e-PPR Project (e-Learning for the Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural Disasters) with the support of the Erasmus+ programme.

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professionals - floods - response

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