Norfolk's flood and rescue agencies prepare for busy winter

Measuring a whopping 3km long, the county's longest hose was showcased this week at a gathering of leading figures in the county's flood response team at Carrow Fire Station in Norwich.

The impressive implement can pump 8,000 litres of water a minute and can be deployed across the region by being transported by lorry.

Norfolk's longest hose can reach up to 3km in length and can pump thousands of litres of water a minute (Image: Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service)

It is just one of the many pieces of first-class equipment in the Norfolk fire and rescue crew's arsenal. 

This also includes drones, underwater cameras and inflatable mud rafts - to help pull people or livestock out of sticky situations.

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A drone that Norfolk's fire service uses to survey areas affected by flooding (Image: Owen Sennitt)

A rigid inflatable boat (rib) with a 40 horsepower engine is also on standby to help teams reach stranded people as quickly as possible.

A mud raft used to rescue people from sticky situations (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Norfolk's crack team of flood defenders has spent many months training to be prepared for what may come this winter.

READ MORE: Flood alerts issued for Norfolk Broads as water levels remain high

Norfolk fire and rescue officers Gus Bates (l) and Alex Cook (r) (Image: Owen Sennitt) The Norfolk fire and rescue team's speedy rescue boat (Image: Owen Sennitt)

This includes practising their skills at the Lee Valley white water centre in Hertfordshire, where canoe and kayak athletes competed at the London 2012 Olympics, to prepare to save people from fast-flowing water.

The 3km hose can be reeled up and stored in metal containers (Image: Owen Sennitt) Norfolk's fire and rescue officers showcase some of the equipment they use to rescue people from flooding (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Last year there were over 730 reports of flooding  in Norfolk as the UK experienced one of the wettest winters in history.

Members of the Norfolk Strategic Flood Alliance at Carrow Fire Station (Image: Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service)

But members of the Norfolk Strategic Flood Alliance (NSFA), a multiagency group set up in 2021 to better prepare for floods in the county, fear this winter could be even worse.

Climate change raises the risk of extreme weather events, with flooding being one of the biggest threats to Norfolk because it sits in a low-lying area with vast wetlands.

Henry Cator, chairman of the Norfolk Strategic Flood Alliance, speaking at Carrow Fire Station (Image: Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service)

Henry Cator, chairman of the NSFA, said: "Groundwater levels are even higher this year. There will be flooding if we have a wet winter. We will do what we can to help keep people safe from flooding."

With new technology and careful preparation, the agencies are confident they are ready for what the winter may bring. 

'BE PREPARED'

Norfolk County Council has issued the following advice for people affected by flooding:

• Flooding can happen anytime, anywhere

• You can report flooding via www.norfolk.gov.uk/flooding or our One Number on 0344 800 8013

• You can prepare for flooding in advance by making your home more resilient: visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/flooding for information and tips on how to prepare

• Sign up for flood warnings at www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings

• If life is in danger, call 999