Serena Richford - 24-Jul-2007
- The Environment Agency has had to divert
staff away from vital work protecting lives
and property to guard flood defence barriers
at Bewdley in Worcestershire. The Environment
Agency was shocked to hear that people have
tried to steal parts of these vital structures.
Staff are currently protecting two flood
defence structures to stop potential thieves
from stealing these potentially life-saving
structures. Two defences currently have staff
on guard - the demountable defences at Severnside
South and Severnside North and temporary defences
at Beales Corner. Fortunately, the efforts
to protect the defences have been successful.
Environment Agency staff pulled out all the
stops to erect the demountable and temporary
defences that protected over 200 properties
during the worst flood event since at least
1947.
John Adams, Area Manager at the Environment
Agency, said: ‘Our staff pulled out all the
stops to get both barriers up at Bewdley.
These are vital structures that have protected
people’s homes and lives.
‘It is shocking that anyone would take advantage
of other people’s misfortune at this time
and we are now having to move staff away from
their vital work to act as security. I am
amazed and absolutely disgusted that anyone
would try to steal these barriers that have
helped save lives and property.’
+ More
Environment Agency Regional Director praises
staff flood efforts
Serena Richford - 24-Jul-2007 - The Environment
Agency’s Regional Director has today (24 July
2007) praised the exceptional efforts of the
Operations Delivery staff in this week’s floods
which, for many places along the River Severn,
have proved to be the worst since 1947.
Regional Director Mark Sitton-Kent says "The
response from our Operations Delivery Teams,
and their colleagues from Wales and the South-west,
has been truly magnificent. Despite being
soaked and going without sleep, nothing has
been too much trouble. They have volunteered
to work through the night after a full day’s
hard work to help protect communities from
flooding."
At Shrewsbury, last Friday night (20 July
2007), staff worked in pouring rain to erect
the barriers at Frankwell, protecting some
74 properties from flooding, some of these
staff moved straight on to Bewdley to help
to protect Severnside through the night.
At Bewdley, also on Friday, Operations Delivery
teams began erecting the Severnside South
demountable barriers at midnight. These teams
had just completed a day shift erecting the
Severnside North barriers in torrential rain
on Friday afternoon. Despite being soaked
by the heavy rain they were back on duty first
thing Saturday morning.
Staff travelled from as far away as North
and South Wales and the South-West to help,
despite the severe weather. Twelve staff from
South Wales were caught in the traffic jams
on the M5 on Friday and spent the night on
the motorway. They insisted on going straight
on to help erect the temporary barriers at
Beale’s Corner on Saturday, lifting everyone’s
spirits with their singing. Altogether, the
teams’ efforts in Bewdley protected around
200 properties from flooding.
In Worcester, an Operations Delivery team
worked throughout the night after completing
a full day shift to operate equipment that
protects 70 homes and families in Shelley
Close, Worcester. These 70 properties flooded
in the Easter 1998 floods, but investment
in improvements to the control structure and
the commitment of our staff allows us to control
the flows downstream to Shelley Close, preventing
the damage and misery from happening again.
Staff are still on site to make sure these
properties stay safe.
At Gloucester, Environment Agency staff are
working around the clock, together with the
military, Fire and Rescue services and the
Police, to protect two of Gloucestershire’s
electricity switching stations, maintaining
power supplies to millions of people across
Gloucestershire and South Wales. Without the
ingenuity, equipment and efforts of Environment
Agency staff, both switching stations would
have flooded.
At Walham, where they worked overnight on
the Sunday night to erect 1km of temporary
barriers night to safeguard electricity supplies
to Gloucestershire and South Wales, all the
Operations Delivery team had already done
a full day’s work.
Environment Agency staff took additional
temporary barriers to Castle Meads substation
in Gloucester yesterday. They were erected
by our staff, assisted by the military. Pumping
is ongoing and working well. The substation
came back online at 2am this morning.
Operations Delivery Manager, Brian Jones
says: "The dedication of these teams
is incredible and their willingness to help
knows no bounds. They are always first to
volunteer to go out in all weathers, often
without sleep, to help communities at risk
of flooding. Special thanks are due to our
colleagues who travelled so far from Bridgwater
and Wales, especially those who came up during
last week’s dreadful weather to help Midlands
communities."
