Flooding Volunteer Scheme wins National Award
The Community Flood Signage Scheme, operated by Nottinghamshire County Council, has been honoured with the prestigious Flood and Coast Excellence Award in the Community Action category.Launched in 2011, the scheme now boasts over 485 registered volunteer flood signage wardens who play a crucial role in closing roads susceptible to flooding, thus preventing damage to properties. Nottinghamshire currently has 31 active community schemes, with 10 established in the past 18 months following significant flood events and another nine in development. The scheme’s success lies in its community-based approach, where local volunteers are trained to act swiftly during flooding events. These volunteers set out road closures based on agreed trigger points, such as flood water levels reaching a set marker or a road becoming submerged to kerb level. The council’s Flood Risk Management team collaborates with Via East Midlands and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service to provide essential training and personal protective equipment to the volunteers. In the last six months alone, 130 volunteers have attended training events, significantly boosting their capacity to respond to floods.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “I have seen first-hand the devastation that flooding can cause across Nottinghamshire and having met many of our volunteer signage wardens I am proud of the work that they do to protect their communities from flooding. On behalf of the county council, I would personally like to thank them all for the work they do on a voluntary basis. When a flood event hits, we as the county council cannot be in every community at once and so it’s really important that our network of engaged and trained volunteers are able to act as it is their local knowledge that is invaluable in a crisis.”
