OMG I am devastated - updated

[Fallen Angel]

Our thoughts are with you too - a beautiful part of the country. I hope it doesn't get any worse for you this weekend. I hope your friends are insured for flooding - my parents were insured as standard when the rainwater washed down into their house (they're nowhere near streams or rivers!). Took them a while to clear the drains of all the potato's that came with it though!

Our thoughts with the policemans family - it was his birthday tomoro and he leaves a wife and 4 children

 

[Mini]

It is so very sad and heartbreaking for all concerned.

My heart goes out to the policeman's family and all his friends.

Love Mini xxx

 

[Starlight]

I see it was the police officers colleagues who found his body, how totally devastating for everyone. My heart goes out to his family.

I suppose it puts things in perspective, so long as your family and loved ones are safe everything else can (eventually) be sorted.

I hope there are no other casualties

What a horrible time for you all Sticky *HUGS*

 

[soccermom]

Have just been watching the news Sticky and thought of you and that poor policeman and everyone really.

Saw Keswick under all that water, it was awful, Keswick for us holds special memories, so sad for everyone involved in Cumbria.

all the best

 

[HellieCopter]

I don't really know what to say honey. I don't know if you know, but this is my job. I am in Flood Incident Management for the Environment Agency...and what's happening in Cumbria is heartbreaking.

We work so hard to educate people about the risks of flooding and try to get people to be prepared for it happening. Floods of this scale really are unprecedented. But that's little consolation. We have flood defences and have been doing what we can. We were sending out warnings about the severe weather all week, with the Met Office, but it's scary how many people just ignored the warnings and didn't know what to do. My job is to educate people about what to do to prepare, and what to during a flood...and the fact that so many didn't is really upsetting.

Flooding is devastating to lives. Flood water is so dangerous - it's usually polluted with sewage, and not to mention the dangers of submerged hazards...

Sorry - I am totally getting my work hat on and trotting out the corporate info. It's something I feel so passionately about though, and my job is to try to prepare people so that the effects of flooding are lessened by being prepared.

Please...(I am sorry to hijack when you're so upset Christina)...please everyone - visit the EA website and check if you're in a flood risk area.
The address is Environment Agency - Flood or call Floodline on 0845 988 1188

Please also take the time to read the flood information on the website. Anyone could be flooded - not just those who live near a river. Surface water is increasingly a problem with the intense rainfall events that climate change is bringing. This can affect anyone, anywhere. There are simple steps you can take to safeguard your belongings and protect your home.

Again, really sorry to hijack this thread, but if I can warn just one more person who is at flood risk, that's my job.

I'm on duty at the moment, and am on second rota for going up to Cumbria to help ( I work in Lancashire). There is more rain due tomorrow afternoon...just a fraction of yesterday's...but please be careful lovely Sticky.

Sorry to ramble on. I wish I'd replied sooner to your post, but I have been in work until late, monitoring and stuff in Lancashire.

x

 

[Brightonrosie]

I can't even begin to imagine what you must be going through. my warmest thoughts are with you xxx

 

[Julianne_julz]

Oh gosh Sticky, I am so glad you, your family and property are all ok. It's awful seeing it on the news, but feels even worse "knowing" someone involved in the whole ordeal. Really hope the rain holds off. *huge hugs* to you.xxx

 

[charlottegrace1]

Just wanted to offer condolences to the family and friends of the policeman, and to evryone in Cockermouth as they will all be affected by this loss as a community. Thoughts and prayers are with them.

 

[misscookie]

I am so sorry to read what you have been going through. I can only repeat what I have read already and my thoughts are with you and your community *hugs*!

 

[Sticky]

I don't really know what to say honey. I don't know if you know, but this is my job. I am in Flood Incident Management for the Environment Agency...and what's happening in Cumbria is heartbreaking.

We work so hard to educate people about the risks of flooding and try to get people to be prepared for it happening. Floods of this scale really are unprecedented. But that's little consolation. We have flood defences and have been doing what we can. We were sending out warnings about the severe weather all week, with the Met Office, but it's scary how many people just ignored the warnings and didn't know what to do. My job is to educate people about what to do to prepare, and what to during a flood...and the fact that so many didn't is really upsetting.

Flooding is devastating to lives. Flood water is so dangerous - it's usually polluted with sewage, and not to mention the dangers of submerged hazards...

Sorry - I am totally getting my work hat on and trotting out the corporate info. It's something I feel so passionately about though, and my job is to try to prepare people so that the effects of flooding are lessened by being prepared.

Please...(I am sorry to hijack when you're so upset Christina)...please everyone - visit the EA website and check if you're in a flood risk area.
The address is Environment Agency - Flood or call Floodline on 0845 988 1188

Please also take the time to read the flood information on the website. Anyone could be flooded - not just those who live near a river. Surface water is increasingly a problem with the intense rainfall events that climate change is bringing. This can affect anyone, anywhere. There are simple steps you can take to safeguard your belongings and protect your home.

Again, really sorry to hijack this thread, but if I can warn just one more person who is at flood risk, that's my job.

I'm on duty at the moment, and am on second rota for going up to Cumbria to help ( I work in Lancashire). There is more rain due tomorrow afternoon...just a fraction of yesterday's...but please be careful lovely Sticky.

Sorry to ramble on. I wish I'd replied sooner to your post, but I have been in work until late, monitoring and stuff in Lancashire.

x

I had no idea you did this! What a great and useful job to have!

I think what you said is true - people just weren't prepared. Well, that is unfair to a large part because it hit towns where you just don't expect to have been hit. The stores on the Main Street often have sand bags out if the river rises and seem to be better prepared than most as they were hit in 2005. The houses close to the river are the same. But Thursdays event was just not expected and as a result, people panicked and didn't know what to do. Our friends live uphill away from the river, past the defences, so they weren't at all prepared. We didn't get them sand bags due to demand, but we worked with what we could and luckily had time to move things from the ground floor.

I think the problem with Cockermouth is that there are home so close to the river that there is not much that can be done other than be sensible and leave when it rises. But I bet most owners cannot (or struggle to) sell their homes and get insurance, and probably some cannot afford to not live there either. It's a catch 22 situation. You know where you live is not great, but you cannot alter it.

A guy I knew bought a home on the other badly affected roads and he KNEW it had been hit in 2005 but bought anyway, saying it wouldn't happen again. Well, he was flooded last year and again now. It was on the market but now I doubt he'll sell easily.

I just hope there is scope to do some improvements to try and help prevent or reduce this again.

Have you been up yet Hellie? It's bad from what we've seen but we've not been back into town since Friday as no point in getting in the way. I went to Manchester in the end but have gotten bags of clothing and food to take through tonight to one of the bases. I want to do something you know?

Thanks again everyone xxx

 

[Roz V]

Thanks for posting Sticky - I, and I'm sure many others, have been thinking about you all the whole weekend.

I really do hope that SOMETHING can be done to lessen any future impact. We had a major fire at the house many years ago (no-one hurt), but that is NOTHING like the devastation of flooding.

BUT, remember Boscastle in Cornwall a few years back, with their absolutely horrendous flash flood? We had never visited prior to that happening, but have been a couple of times since, and what has been achieved there is remarkable. Everyone has pulled together to really get the place back on it's feet, and we were very impressed last time we visited.

Hopefully, the same will happen with Cockermouth. So don't despair, 'people power' can achieve so much.

With Very Best Wishes, Roz.