Briefing: Plan, predict and be proactive – Lostwithiel, UK floods case study

Abstract

This article is based on the flood events in Cornwall, UK, in November and December 2012, and takes forward the arguments presented in a paper entitled ‘Building community resilience' published in November 2012. It uses a case study in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, to argue that if public agencies and local communities work and plan together, using all available data, then proactive steps can be taken to build resilience that assists in both the response and recovery stage of major incidents to minimise the direct impacts of floods and ensure that communities can return to normal as soon as possible after an event. This article also highlights some of the wider impacts that need to be considered when planning for emergencies