6. Preparing for a flood
People and pets
- Listen to your local radio and TV weather forecasts and for advice from the emergency services
- Alert your neighbours, particularly the elderly
- Store food and water upstairs
- Bring caged outdoor pets inside
- Move all pets with food, water, bedding and litter trays upstairs
- Flood advice - RSPCA website
Property and furniture
- Move your car to higher ground
- Roll up carpets and rugs and move them out of the way
- Empty furniture drawers and cupboards
- Take furniture upstairs, if possible
- Raise furniture on bricks and pull away from the wall
- Weigh down furniture which is too heavy to move
- Fasten plastic bags around the legs of wooden furniture to help minimise absorption of water
- Take down curtains or wrap them round the curtain pole
- Store valuable or sentimental items and important documents upstairs
Electrics and gas
- Move computers and other electrical equipment upstairs or above the flood level
- Turn off mains gas and electricity
- Disconnect electrical appliances
Drains and plumbing
- Put plugs in sinks and weigh them down with something heavy to prevent backflow from the drains
- Weigh down the toilet seat