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It is very natural that those who have gone through the trauma of having their home flooded will be more anxious when storms are forecast. We hope that explaining something of how we plan and manage a storm event will go some way to easing those worries. • We have detailed Met Office briefings by email days before a storm is due to arrive. Cumbria County Council (CCC) is contacted to ensure that the underground pumps at Elliott Park and Penrith Road are in good working order and that the community pumps are both ready to operate. • Once the catchment alert goes out there are usually operational level Environment Agency (EA) staff out in the area checking culverts and monitoring the situation. • KFAG and the Flood Emergency Responders keep an eye on the rainfall forecasts and the river levels using the EA’s web site • KFAG and the volunteer leads are usually out and about checking key areas for surface water flooding/clearing drains etc. There is plenty of communication between ourselves and the agencies long before things get really worrying . • Information about forecasts etc. are posted on the KFAG face book page, sent out to thoose who have asked to be contacted by email and updates will be on this site. • If the river is forecast to continue to rise the park gates are closed when the river level gets to about 3.6m at Greta Bridge https://flood-warning- information.service.gov.uk/station/5060 which gives a useful forecast of the way the Greta is expected to react and is updated so shows almost “live” levels. • The Town Council Offices will then be opened as a central control room and the town’s emergency plan will start to come into operation. • You should be signed up to the EA’s flood warning service so you will receive telephone messages if you need to act • Please remember that although, during Storm Desmond, the defences overtopped this was an exceptional amount of rain and the Greta Bridge level was just over 5metres. BE PREPARED Part 1 Alerts and Flood Warnings … Information from Keswick Flood Action Group flooding in keswick Published by Keswick Community Emergency Recovery Partnership and KFAG FLOOD ALERTS AND WARNINGS: SIGN UP FOR FREE FLOODLINE WARNINGS DIRECT: https://www.fws.environment- agency.gov.uk/app/olr/register OR Call The Environment Agency Floodline 0345 988 1188 Lines available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may register your home address and an “area of interest” – for example for alerts in a flood risk area where an elderly relative lives. Keswick Flood Warnings Anyone who lives in a flood risk area, who cares for someone in a flood risk area, or who regularly drives through a flood risk area can register. The Environment Agency will send flood warnings to your home phone, work phone, mobile (call or text), fax, pager or email at any time of the day or night when flooding is imminent.

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