RAB delivers Property Flood Resilience training in conjunction with CIWEM and the National Flood School
The Environment Agency estimate that around 1 in 6 people in England are currently at risk of flooding, and this will only increase as changes to the climate continue to influence the places that we work, live and play.
Government agencies and authorities continue to invest heavily to reduce the likelihood and impact of flooding events, but it is also important that individual home and business owners take appropriate measures too.
Property Flood Resilience (PFR) schemes are therefore becoming increasingly important both in terms of reducing the risk of flooding and speeding up recovery in the event that properties are impacted by flood events.
RAB offer a range of PFR services and work closely with government agencies and local authorities to help protect communities. We have also partnered with organisations such as the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) to develop training courses within the industry.
Last week our Managing Director, Russell Burton, delivered the first CIWEM Property Flood Resilience Industry Training course in conjunction with Darren Eckford, (CIWEM Director of Learning and Organisational Development) and technical manager Ian Gibbs.
The two-day training course was a pilot to trial the training material with a test group of industry professionals which included surveyors from RAB and other organisations. The course was held at the National Flood School at Wallingford, which enabled the delegates to get hands on experience with a range of PFR products including specialised decontamination & drying out equipment.
The delegates used the excellent training facilities at the National Flood School to undertake tasks which included:
- Defining PFR survey requirements, then plan and undertake a PFR survey.
- Consider the impact of drying and decontamination on design proposals.
- Present options and recommend a design to their ‘homeowner client’.
- Undertake Post Installation Audits & identify snags on typical PFR products.
With an emphasis on practical exercises and case studies, the training allowed the delegates to develop their PFR skills and capabilities, thereby meeting the ‘appropriate person’ guidelines defined in the suppliers Code of Practice on the Environment Agency’s forthcoming National PFR Framework.
The course was extremely well received by the delegates and is set to be an essential element of the CIWEM PFR Industry Training and Certification Programme. Look out for announcements from CIWEM soon.
Further information on the Property Flood Risk services that RAB provide can be found on our website: rabconsultants.co.uk/property-flood-resilience/. You can also get in touch by email (enquiries@rabconsultants.co.uk) or call our head office in Lichfield on 0330 223 6475.
Demonstration by Stephen Sinacola from the National Flood School of a toilet bung, which is inserted into the U bend of the toilet and inflated using a bicycle pump, thereby stopping sewage water backing up and into the property.
Demonstration by Chris Netherton (National Flood School Director) of equipment used to dry out a flooded building. This was done in a bespoke ‘flood recoverable’ room which was purposely flooded to demonstrate how to dry and decontaminate a building.
