Flood alarms for Anglia

The

has awarded Sheffield-based telemetry company

a contract to supply flood warning devices for risk areas in East Anglia.

CSE Seprol will provide outstations that control the risk area's flood warning sirens to alert local people of impending severe flooding.

The 18 sirens, at various locations around the flood risk area of Grimsby and Cleethorpes, should reach 25,500 households to warn them of portending tidal floods. The sirens will make a variety of sounds, from the traditional wailing sound to a voice message.

The control and monitoring of the sirens is linked by a Seprol S250 telemetry outstation to the Environment Agency's Regional telemetry system.

Andy Baxendale, Area Manager with the Environment Agency said: ‘We currently use mobile sirens and loudhailer units among our warning systems in this area but they have a limited effect in densely populated residential areas such as Grimsby and Cleethorpes, where the speed in issuing warnings is crucial.

'This new system will provide an instantaneous wake up call to all those within hearing distance of the sirens. This would give residents up to six hours notice to prepare for any potential severe flooding.’

Apart from routine, yearly testing, the sirens would only be activated when the Environment Agency issues a severe flood warning, where there is risk to life and property.