“Floodmobile” to tour the Humber in aid of increasing flood risk awareness

Created to demonstrate different flood resilience measures, the vehicle will be accompanied by members of the Flood Innovation Centre team in its tour of the region later this month.

Pip Betts, Project Manager at the Flood Innovation Centre, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing the Floodmobile to the Humber region so that people can come along and see the property flood resilience measures for themselves.

“We hope that as many people as possible will come along and have a look around the Floodmobile, or sign up to attend our free open day.”

Billed as a ‘flood resilient house on wheels’, the Floodmobile contains 50 different flood resilience measures that can be installed in buildings to make them less vulnerable to flooding.

The Flood Innovation Centre is funded to work with communities in a number of local authority areas across the country to support different approaches and solutions to flood resilience.

The Humber region is one of the most flood-prone areas of the country, second only to London.

During the 2007 floods, more than 8,000 households flooded in Hull alone.

Also joining the tour will be Mary Dhonau, who has become known as ‘Flood Mary’ for her campaigning work on flood resilience.

She said: “Having been flooded myself on several occasions, I know the huge benefits that property flood resilience can bring, when it comes to cutting down the length of time it takes to recover from a flood.

“In lesser floods, it may be that you don’t flood at all and, in bigger floods, it could mean you can return home in only a few days. Far better than the average of nine months a family can be displaced after being flooded.”

The Flood Innovation Centre is working with the Humber Local Resilience Forum, which includes the region’s four local authorities, together with other emergency responders, to try to ensure that as many people as possible get the opportunity to go along and see the vehicle.

The week-long tour includes a series of drop-in events in Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, as well as an open day at the Flood Innovation Centre in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The Floodmobile was created by the Ox-Cam Property Flood Resilience Pathfinder Project, one of three Defra-funded Pathfinder projects established nationally to help raise awareness of flood risk and property flood resilience measures.

Pip Betts added: “The Floodmobile’s tour of the region is also a great opportunity to chat to members of our team about the ongoing support that’s on offer, as well as learning more about the important role that property flood resilience measures play in minimising the impact of flooding.”

“We’re able to offer free flood surveys and ongoing support to eligible businesses and community groups that are keen to protect their premises, employees and other assets against the risk of flooding.”