‘It could never happen to me’ – Challenging business misconceptions

The Environment Agency working on flood resilience and has launched a campaign to ensure North East businesses are prepared for flooding.

Since 1998 there has been at least one serious flood every year with businesses more likely to flood than be destroyed by fire. Recent events such as 2012’s ‘Thunder Thursday’ hit businesses hard – the cost to businesses across the country was estimated to be £200 million – and the Agency is working with them to reduce the impact of a flood. The campaign launches with an event in Yarm next week and will culminate with an event in North Shields in October. The Environment Agency’s four Flood Resilience Community Engagement Officers for the region have already been in touch with more than 700 business across the region to raise awareness of flooding issues – more than 100 in Tyne and Wear, more than 500 in Durham and Darlington and more than 90 in Cleveland. In Northumberland, the team worked with seven businesses during a drop-in about a potential flood scheme at Hexham Industrial Estate and 18 businesses attended a drop-in event at Prudhoe.

‘It will never happen to me’ – a common misconception 

Taryn Al-mashgari, Community Engagement Officer for Tyne and Wear, commented:

“A common phrase I hear when out visiting businesses is ‘it will never happen to me’. Some aren’t even aware they are trading in an area at risk of flooding. Flooding accounts for 33% of all losses to business property. This has a huge impact on our economy. Click here to read more