The team continued to provide support to Police and Ambulance, but with water levels receding and work to clear road access continuing, we were able to reduce our commitment, the final job being to transport a District Nurse to a home visit in Chapel Stile at 9am.
Access continues to be difficult to some areas, with floodwater still present and extensive damage to many road surfaces and edges. The cleanup will take some considerable time. The Ambulance Service will be resident in our base for some time, while their own station is dried out and repaired.
The rainfall has been described as 'one in a millennium' event, which, given it's only 4 years since we suffered a 'one in 100 years' event is a bit of a worry! It would have helped considerably if people took notice of 'road closed' signs and didn't continue to drive into deep water without thinking through the consequences! Even the flashest four wheel drive is still a car, not a boat. Boats tend to be pointy at the front, are waterproof underneath, and don't have doors that open below the waterline.
Some semblance of normality has now returned to the area. Some road surfaces are damaged, but most are passable. It will take a while to clear up completely, but this area doesn't compare to the devistation in the Cockermouth and Workington area. Our best wishes go to all those affected.
We have received numerous good will messages, some directed at the team, but many directed at the whole community. Various appeals have been set up to recovery in the area. If wish to help, you can donate to this team, using the 'Donate Now', to Lake District mountain rescue as a whole at Lake District Search & Mountain Rescue Association. If you wish to contribute to one of the appeals for the region you could consider Cumbria Community Foundation or Wainwright Society Flood Appeal
