Keeping safe during the expected stormy weather

Thursday, 17 February 2022 18:01

Residents are being asked to be vigilant as the borough expects strong winds during the next couple of days. A yellow warning of strong winds is in place expected from the afternoon on 16 February until the early hours of Thursday morning and then a further Amber warning is in place from 3am to 9pm on Friday 18 February. Travel disruption is expected over the next few days, including possible road closures, and possible impact on bridges and railways, as well as the chance of fallen branches and possible uprooting of trees.

The council has been preparing in advance of the storm with additional resources on standby to respond to incidents such as excess debris on the highways and fallen trees. Where necessary roads will be closed if they are not deemed safe.

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Deputy Leader Walsall Council said, “We are prepared for this expected bad weather and our teams have put in place contingency plans and resources to manage what is needed as a priority. Our Customer Experience Centre will be taking reports of emergencies and working with service areas to respond as needed and it is expected they will extremely busy during and immediately after the storm. We do ask residents to please bear with us and be patient and please only call in the event of an emergency. This will help us to prioritise effectively and to return to business as usual more quickly.”

It would be helpful when reporting a fallen tree please tell us the location; size and whether or not it is blocking a road or footpath.

If your bin collection is scheduled in the next couple of days, please consider putting it out in the morning [before 6.30am] if you can, and collecting it from the kerb side as soon as it has been collected. If you do need to go out, please take extra care, particularly if there is a risk of debris being blown from nearby buildings or trees.

Useful tips and guidance, as well as useful contact numbers are provided below:

Be prepared

Secure or store loose objects outside so that they cannot be blown and create a hazard.
If you can, collect your rubbish bin as soon as it has been emptied to avoid it blowing into the road.
Close and fasten doors and windows securely.
If you can, park vehicles in a garage or well away from trees, buildings, walls and fences.
Consider checking in with any neighbours, friends or family members who may be alone or vulnerable during the storm.

Top tips to keep safe

Find shelter in a substantial, permanent and enclosed building and stay indoors as much as possible - don’t go outside to repair damage during a storm.
Slow down if driving on exposed routes, such as across bridges and find alternative, less exposed routes if possible.
Take particular care of side winds if driving a high-sided vehicle or if you’re towing another vehicle or container.
Don’t touch electrical or phone cables that have blown down or are hanging loose

Useful Contact details

To report a power cut, please ring Western Power on 0800 6783 105 as soon as possible.

To report fallen trees or debris in the road please call Walsall Council on 01922 650000 it’s really helpful if you can tell us where the tree/debris is; how big it is and whether or not it is blocking a road or footpath.

To report a problem with your phone line, please contact your service provider.

For the latest travel updates visit Transport for West Midlands online at https://www.tfwm.org.uk/

Keeping safe during the expected stormy weather

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Keeping safe during the expected stormy weather

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