Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
(who protects the protectors?)
The Health Professions
Council are a regulator set up to protect the public. They keep a register of health professionals who meet national standards for training, professional skills, behaviour and health.
Their offices are in Kennington Park in London and their basement, like many in London, is at risk from flooding when severe rainfall overwhelms the surface drainage system causing their local drain to backup.
Steve Hall, Facilities Manager said, "We researched possible solutions and Floodgate were recommended. We put the gate in place every night and weekend. Fortunately, we haven't flooded yet but is probably only a matter of time. At least we can now relax in the knowledge that we are protected".
Third time lucky...
Mr Jim Mitchell, a retired teacher, lives in Steeple Bumpstead in the north of Essex and phoned to thank us for the effectiveness of the two Floodgates that they purchased to protect their house.
They had been flooded on two previous occasions and
he decided to do something about it. In his words,
"I expected it to be an expensive waste of money but, when the flooding started, I put both gates in place and, although the water rose to about 18 inches against the Floodgates, not a drop of water got past them."
A hard rain fell...
Ottery St Mary, birthplace of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, hit the national news on the 30th October 2008 after a freak hailstorm hit the town just after midnight. Drifts of hailstones up to 6ft high caused havoc, blocking drains and causing substantial flash flooding.
In the High Street, the local branch of Boots the Chemist was safe and secure as they had got into the habit of putting their Floodgates in place every night when they closed up. They have been doing this for nearly two years and their efforts were rewarded when they got to work the following morning to find that, unlike many businesses in the high street, they had been spared the cost and disruption of flooding.
When asked for a comment, Helen Hansford, the manager, said "What can I say, Floodgates are brilliant - they do exactly what they're supposed to. I came out to check in the middle of the storm and despite the flood water reaching to within inches of the top of the gates, we were safe. Some neighbouring businesses still haven't been able to put carpets down three months on from the flooding - Thank you Floodgate."
A residential Floodgate customer locally was wakened by the storm and just had time to get their gate in place to protect their house as the water level outside started to rise.
The storm was unpredicted and, happening in the very early hours of the morning, illustrated how being prepared by taking preventative measures or just ensuring that you know what to do and are able to respond within minutes, can make all the difference. |
