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8 February 2010
Improved Floodline information service for the public
Country: England
The Environment Agency has developed a new service to help local authorities provide localised flooding advice and surface water information to the public through its existing Floodline 0845 988 1188 service.
The new and improved Floodline will be a ‘one-stop-shop’ for flood advice, combining the existing river and coastal flooding advice with local authority information about surface water and drainage flooding.
Cooperation between the Environment Agency and local authorities will enable the public to use a single telephone number for all flooding advice – either before or during a flood.
The Environment Agency’s Floodline was originally set up to provide residents and businesses across England and Wales with information on river and coastal flooding.
However, Floodline regularly receives calls from members of the public about local flooding issues which local authorities provide the lead on, including overflowing drains.
This new service allows each and every local authority a way of providing locally updated information via a recognised and proven 24/7 service. Floodline is regularly highlighted on the television weather reports when flooding is a possibility and has won awards for the quality of its service.
Local authorities can pay a small annual service charge to join the Extended Floodline Service. They will then provide Floodline with answers to a range of frequently asked questions about local flood risk issues, including flooding from surface water and drainage. Floodline operators, who are UK based, will then use this information to answer questions from the public on behalf of local authorities.
A local authority can also help callers to Floodline get further specific local advice by using the option for call transfer directly to the relevant local authority.
Craig Woolhouse, Head of Flood Incident Management at the Environment Agency said:
“This new and improved Floodline service means homeowners and businesses only need to call one number to gain important initial advice on all types of flooding. The service has been developed with the help of local authority partners. Its success will depend on how many local authorities choose to join it. ”
The first phase of this extended service started in December last year and involves 27 local authorities on a trial basis. The Environment Agency is looking to roll out the service across England and Wales by summer 2010.
Sir Michael Pitt’s review into the summer 2007 floods recommended the introduction of better public notification services during and after flooding. Extended Floodline service is one way that local government services and the Environment Agency can deliver that goal.
The 27 local authorities which have been invited to join the trial are:
Exeter City Council, East Devon District Council, Mid Devon District Council, North Devon District Council, South Hams District Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torbay Council, Torridge District Council, West Devon Borough Council, Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council, Cambridge City Council, East Cambs District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Broxbourne Borough Council, Dacorum Borough Council, East Herts Council, Hertsmere Borough Council, North Herts District Council, St Albans City and District Council, Stevenage Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council and Welwyn Hatfield District Council.
8 February 2010
Improved Floodline information service for the public
Country: England
The Environment Agency has developed a new service to help local authorities provide localised flooding advice and surface water information to the public through its existing Floodline 0845 988 1188 service.
The new and improved Floodline will be a ‘one-stop-shop’ for flood advice, combining the existing river and coastal flooding advice with local authority information about surface water and drainage flooding.
Cooperation between the Environment Agency and local authorities will enable the public to use a single telephone number for all flooding advice – either before or during a flood.
The Environment Agency’s Floodline was originally set up to provide residents and businesses across England and Wales with information on river and coastal flooding.
However, Floodline regularly receives calls from members of the public about local flooding issues which local authorities provide the lead on, including overflowing drains.
This new service allows each and every local authority a way of providing locally updated information via a recognised and proven 24/7 service. Floodline is regularly highlighted on the television weather reports when flooding is a possibility and has won awards for the quality of its service.
Local authorities can pay a small annual service charge to join the Extended Floodline Service. They will then provide Floodline with answers to a range of frequently asked questions about local flood risk issues, including flooding from surface water and drainage. Floodline operators, who are UK based, will then use this information to answer questions from the public on behalf of local authorities.
A local authority can also help callers to Floodline get further specific local advice by using the option for call transfer directly to the relevant local authority.
Craig Woolhouse, Head of Flood Incident Management at the Environment Agency said:
“This new and improved Floodline service means homeowners and businesses only need to call one number to gain important initial advice on all types of flooding. The service has been developed with the help of local authority partners. Its success will depend on how many local authorities choose to join it. ”
The first phase of this extended service started in December last year and involves 27 local authorities on a trial basis. The Environment Agency is looking to roll out the service across England and Wales by summer 2010.
Sir Michael Pitt’s review into the summer 2007 floods recommended the introduction of better public notification services during and after flooding. Extended Floodline service is one way that local government services and the Environment Agency can deliver that goal.
The 27 local authorities which have been invited to join the trial are:
Exeter City Council, East Devon District Council, Mid Devon District Council, North Devon District Council, South Hams District Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torbay Council, Torridge District Council, West Devon Borough Council, Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council, Cambridge City Council, East Cambs District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Broxbourne Borough Council, Dacorum Borough Council, East Herts Council, Hertsmere Borough Council, North Herts District Council, St Albans City and District Council, Stevenage Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council and Welwyn Hatfield District Council.
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