Somerset County Council has this week formally thanked voluntary agencies for their help during the recent floods, including Burnham-On-Sea’s rescue charity BARB.
The Chairman of Somerset County Council, Cllr John Edney, held a reception at County Hall in Taunton this week where the groups were thanked.
He said: “The flooding that we experienced across the county at the end of last year was unprecedented and we now know that 2012 was the wettest year on record for England.”
“On behalf of Somerset County Council and all Somerset Local Authorities, I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to all of the voluntary agencies and groups that helped with the floods, whether it was by driving four wheel drive vehicles, assisting farmers with livestock, providing a boat service to collect prescriptions or just being prepared and ready to help if required. Every one of them helped us to help our residents in a time of crisis.”
Representatives from voluntary agencies including BARB, The British Red Cross, The Faith Communities Response Team, Plymouth Brethren, The Salvation Army, The Samaritans, The South West of England Rescue Association, Rotary, RSPCA and WRVS attended the reception.
This week’s event was also attended by the leader of Somerset County Council, Cllr John Osman, plus Cllr Harvey Siggs, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Sheila Wheeler, the Chief Executive of Somerset County Council. The fire service was also represented.
Roger Flower from BARB said: “We were called out to Mulchelney on a cold Tuesday evening by the Somerset Local Authoritities Partnership’s Civil Contingency team and we managed to identify a potential launch site to reach the stranded residents the next morning.”
“We launched at first light and when we arrived at Mulchelney we found residents lined along the ‘shoreline’ that had been created by the flood water, cheering, shouting and waving. We evacuated one lady in her 80s and brought in vital prescriptions and supplies for residents with the help of Wessex 4×4.”
John Pollock from the RSPCA added: “We responded to around 35 to 40 cases of animals trapped as a result of the floods. We had one case where we used a boat to evacuate a horse from rising flood water and had to bring in food for cattle that were in danger of starving.”
And Mario Caves from Wessex 4×4 Service added: “2012 was an extremely busy year. During the floods we worked alongside Somerset County Council and other voluntary agencies to help people that were affected by the extreme weather.”
Although the flood waters have now begun to recede, Somerset County Council and the voluntary organisations remain on standby in case of further rain.
Pictured: Some of the volunteers at this week’s reception in Taunton and, above, the Burnham inshore rescue boat in action during last year’s floods
