Cork County Council Flooding Emergency Guide

Simple steps to prepare for flooding:

• Make sure you have the correct insurance cover.
• Find out how to turn off your gas, electricity and water supplies.
• Keep a list of useful numbers (including your insurance, telephone and policy number).
• Make an emergency kit.
• Think about the need of children, babies, elderly and the disabled at home – and ensure they know what to do in an emergency.
• Prepare a Flood Action Plan.
• Listen out for severe weather warnings on radio and TV.
• Move pets, vehicles, valuables and other sentimental items and important documents to safety.
• Prepare your supply of sandbags.
• The council may supply sandbags, but otherwise you can purchase them from a builders provider. In an emergency create your own with pillowcase or carrier bags filled with sand or soil.
• Prepare food that you can eat without cooking, clean bottled water, warm clothes.
• Charge your mobile phone.
• Alert vulnerable neighbours.
• Switch off gas, electricity and water at the mains.
• Ensure sandbags or flood boards and airbrick covers are in place.
• Plug sinks/baths or low level shower trays and weigh them down to prevent backflow.
• Store smaller electrical appliances and furniture as high as possible.
• Do as much as you can in daylight. It will be much harder at night, particularly if the electricity fails.
• In the case of flash flooding, evacuate basement flats immediately and seek higher ground.
• Have a torch Torch ready.
• Batteries (not rechargeable)
• Mobile phone, portable radio (wind-up preferable)
• First aid kit with essential prescription medication/repeat prescription form
• Bottled water (check use-by date)
• Non-perishable food items (including energy or cereal bars)
• Blankets, warm clothes
• Wash kit and essential toiletries (toilet paper, wet wipes etc.)
• Children’s essentials (milk, baby food, sterilised bottles and spoons, nappies, wipes, nappy bags, clothing, comforter, teddy or favourite toy)
• Camera to record damage for insurance purposes
• Emergency cash

Additional items for flood kit:

• Wellington boots, Waterproof clothing, Rubber gloves
• Listen to advice given on local radio.
• Avoid electric shocks – Keep extension cables out of water and wear rubber boots.
• Avoid enclosed areas which may not be ventilated and where hazardous fumes may build up (e.g. garages and basements).
• Avoid contact with floodwater – it may be contaminated with sewage.
• Do not let children play in flood water.
• Wash cuts and grazes and cover with a waterproof plaster.
• Avoid walking though floodwater – six inches of fast-flowing water can knock you over.
• Manhole covers may have come off and here may be other hazards you can’t see.
• Don’t walk along riverbanks or cross river bridges if avoidable – they may collapse in extreme situations.

Call 112 or 999 if life is at risk.

• Avoid travel but if you must, drive slowly and cautiously. You may know your local roads very well but a flood can alter the landscape dramatically and turn a quiet road into a potential hazard.
• Don’t drive through water if you can’t tell how deep it is. Around two feet of water is all it takes to float many cars.
• Aqua-planning is much more likely in flood conditions.
• Drive considerately: remember your bow-wave could flood nearby homes.
• Don’t drive down closed roads.
• 80% of flood-related deaths occur inside a vehicle. If your car stalls in the water, do not attempt to recover it – leave it and move yourself to safe ground.
• Let someone know your travel plans.

At Home – On the road: Staying safe in a flood emergency

Cork County Council

Comhairle Contae Chorcaí

For further information, check out our website www.corkcoco.ie

If you have to evacuate Emergency services will tell you if you have to evacuate. Follow their instructions carefully. Remain calm and leave as quickly as possible.

• Get your family and pets together.
• Check if neighbours need help.
• Make sure fires are out and appliances are turned off.
• Do not return home unless you are told by authorities that it is safe to do so.
• Take your emergency kit, including prescription medicines.
• Shut all windows and lock doors.

Emergency contact details:

You may find it useful to complete these contact numbers

• Emergency Service (if life is at risk) 112 or 999
• Roads Dept – South Cork (office hours) 021 4276891
• Roads Dept – North Cork (office hours) 022 21123
• Roads Dept – West Cork (office hours) 028 21299
• Roads emergency (out of hours) 021 4971411
• Water Services (office hours) 021 4285353
• Water Services emergency (out of hours) 1850 211 839
• Bord Gáis Networks Emergency Number 1850 20 50 50
• ESB Networks Emergency Number 1850 372 999
• Your local Garda Station*
• Your Doctor*
• Your insurance Emergency Helpline*
• Your insurance policy number*

Tune into local radio stations: 96FM, 103FM, Cork’s Red FM

Cork County Council

Comhairle Contae Chorcaí

For further information, check out our website www.corkcoco.ie

Culvert Installation at Church Street Douglas – Update

Readers will be aware of the current works being carried out in Church Street and despite the disruption the project will significantly lessen the incidences of any potential flooding in Douglas, something many of us were all too familiar with.  Click on the link below for update.

Douglas Culvert Progress Update No. 2