As the Environment Agency joins Somerset County Council in declaring a “major incident” on the vulnerable Somerset Levels, Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) across the country continue to maintain a cautious watch in anticipation of further flood warnings.
Current concerns are centered on the south-west and along the south coast, which has seen above-average rainfall every month since the end of last summer. Southern Water reported December rainfall was 44% above long-term averages after rising 155% in November, and this has shown little sign of abating over the remainder of the winter months.
Flood risks are not limited to the southern regions, however, and Civil Air Support photographic missions have observed extensive flooding across the country, including the Midlands, Cumbria and the far north.
Having already collected a significant body of high-resolution imagery showing the extent of the flood damage along with the potential threat to transportation systems, property and livestock from rising water levels, the charity’s pilots and planes stand ready to provide further assistance to LRFs around the world to offer the United Kingdom.
The benefits of using Civil Air Support (CAS) aircraft for this type of activity are many. Detailed imaging of the affected areas requires expensive photographic equipment, trained crews, and high-wing aircraft capable of controlled low-speed flight. The cost of using ambulance aircraft would be prohibitive for this type of observation flight and CAS services are provided free of charge to local authorities and LRFs. The topographical perspective that CAS crews provide can be a rich source of information for those responsible for developing and executing a multi-agency planned flood response.
On a recent observation mission, an Ikarus C42 high-wing microlight piloted by CAS Operations Manager Niall Paterson covered areas of south-west Scotland and Cumbria where flood warnings had been issued. During the mission flight, which lasted approximately 1 hour 52 minutes, veteran CAS observer Adrian Johnson captured images of roads and settlements at high risk of flooding. The photos included here show flooding around Bassenthwaite Lake, Dumfries and Keswick.
Pilot Niall Paterson comments on the mission and reports that the threat to public safety, property and livestock is significant.
“After mapping the impact of high water levels in Dumfries, we deviated from our planned route in response to a flood alert in the Keswick area. We were able to capture images that not only showed the extent of the flooding, but also the locations that appeared to be most at risk“.
The Icarus flight clearly demonstrates the capabilities of CAS crews and aircraft in these circumstances, allowing information to be gathered in multiple locations where access via land transport would be difficult. Niall continues…
“We finished capturing the Dumfries images at 12:06 and then flew south east over Carlisle (where there was no flooding) arriving over Bassenthwaite Lake at 12:42“.
Flood awareness missions can provide LRFs and emergency planners with real-time information to assist responders, but also critical information to support future planning in response to the exceptional weather conditions that are becoming more common in our increasingly unpredictable climate.
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About civil air support (CHEESE) https://www.civilairsupport.com/
Charity registered in England and Wales (1113079) and Scotland (SCO42026).
Civil Air Support is the largest non-profit air support organization in Europe with around 200 members and a fleet of privately owned aircraft. All Civil Air Support members are volunteers and all flights are private. Civil Air Support’s primary mission is to provide volunteer air support to protect communities and the environment. Civil Air Support is only deployed when the alternative is no air support at all. Civilian air support missions are provided free of charge.
About Local Resilience Forums (LRFs)
Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) are multi-agency partnerships made up of representatives from local public services including the Ambulance Services, Local Authorities, the NHS, the Environment Agency and others. These agencies are known as Category 1 Responders under the Civil Contingencies Act.
LRFs are supported by organizations known to be Category 2 Responders, such as: B. the Highways Agency and public utilities. They are responsible for working with Category 1 organizations and exchanging relevant information with the LRF. The geographic area the forums cover is based on police territories.
LRFs also work with other partners in the military and volunteer sectors who provide valuable input to LRF work in emergency preparedness.
The LRFs aim to plan and prepare for localized incidents and catastrophic emergencies. They work to identify potential risks and create contingency plans to either prevent or mitigate the impact of an incident on their local communities.
Inquiries/further information:
Will Ingleby, Media Officer, Civilian Air Support
Will.ingleby@civilairsupport.com m. 07976 853378
