Flooding: how to prepare, cope and clean up

Preparing for a flood

Follow these steps if you think that you might be at risk of flooding:

Make sure you know how to turn off gas, electricity and water

If you have any doubts about how to turn off your gas, water or electricity, you should ask your supplier for advice. Consider marking which taps and switches to turn off with stickers – this makes it easier to remember and quicker to do.

Check your home insurance

Check your buildings and contents insurance policy to:

confirm you are covered for flooding
find out if damaged belongings will be replaced with new ones (‘new for old’ policy)

If you live in rented accommodation, contact your landlord to find out about the insurance cover for your flat or house.

Get flood protection

If you are in a high risk area, consider buying special ‘flood protection’ products which can help stop flooding damage to your home and belongings. These products help by:

preventing water from entering your property
slowing down the rate at which water enters your property
reducing damage to walls, floors and fixtures and fittings
making the clean-up process easier and faster

You should follow the manufacturer’s instructions to put these products in place when at risk of flooding.

Products include:

sandbags - the Parish may make sandbags available during a flood to help you protect your home. However, supply could be limited so it’s a good idea to buy your own sand and bags, or alternatively use pillowcases and plastic bags filled with earth
floodboards - floodboards fix to frames around windows and doors. You can wash, store and use these again
plastic covers to seal airbricks - airbricks are normally found in brick-built homes on external walls near ground level and are designed to allow air to circulate through the building. Plastic covers can stop water coming in through your airbricks in a flood. Remember to remove the plastic covers once the area is no longer flooded

Before a Flood

If there has been a severe weather warning issued by Jersey Met or any of the Emergency Services, you should:

put emergency supplies in a safe and easy-to-reach place
move valuables and food upstairs or to the safest place in your home
tie down or move garden furniture
close windows, and draw the curtains to protect against flying glass
protect doorways and low level vents with sandbags (make sure you turn off vents first)
tell neighbours, family or friends if you're going to stay somewhere else during the bad weather
park your car in the safest place possible: away from trees and high walls
consider leaving your pet with someone who is not at risk of flooding.

During a flood

During severe weather you should stay home and keep to the safest part of the building – away from windows.

Listen to the radio, TV and/or social media for updates and information.

Don't go out unless you really have to, and make sure someone knows where you are going and how long you will be.

If your property is starting to flood, or if you are being told to evacuate, turn off your electrical supply.

After a flood

Once the severe weather has passed you should:

find out if it's safe to return to your property. This will be announced through the radio, social media or by contacting the States of Jersey Police. If you have been evacuated because of flooding, you’ll be told when it is safe to return home.
speak to your insurance company to find out if they will organise professional cleaners to clean up your home

Check your electricity supply and electrical appliances

check that the electricity supply has been switched off at the mains
if you aren’t sure the electricity is turned off, get a qualified person to do this
don’t touch sources of electricity while standing in floodwater
get any electrical appliances that have come into contact with floodwater checked by a qualified electrician before using them again

Protecting yourself while cleaning up

Make sure you wear protective clothing when you clean up following a flood. Floodwater can be contaminated with sewage, chemicals and animal waste, so you’ll need to disinfect anything that comes into contact with it.

You should always:

wear protective clothing, like a waterproof jacket and trousers and rubber gloves
use a face mask
wash your hands with disinfectant if you have been in contact with floodwater or mud, or handled items that have been in contact with floodwater
make sure any open cuts or wounds on exposed skin are covered by a waterproof plaster
throw away any food that has come into contact with the flood water

Getting rid of floodwater

Once the water levels are lower outside than inside your property, you can begin to get rid of the water using a pump or bucket. You can hire or buy a pump and generator from a DIY shop. Make sure you put the generator outside, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning from the exhaust.

Cleaning surfaces in your home

You will need to do an initial clean and follow this by disinfecting all surfaces that have come into contact with the floodwater.

Contaminated clothing and bedding will need to be washed at a high temperature.

Drying out

You can use your central heating to help dry out the house once the heating system has been checked by a qualified engineer. You can speed up the drying process by keeping the building well ventilated by opening as many windows and doors as possible and using a fan. However, if you use a dehumidifier to remove water from the air in your home, you will need to keep external doors and windows shut.

Flood advice leaflet

Grand Vaux flood plan

For more ways to stay safe go to our preparing for an emergency page.