As people living in north-west Cumbria, south-west Scotland and in Wales continue to face the reality of their homes being devastated by flood water, two new DVDs that prepare the public in how to deal with flooding and train the emergency services for flood situations have been launched.

'Flooding: Training for Frontline Officers' and 'Flooding… are you prepared?' offer vital information for both the public and members of the emergency services in how to prepare and deal with flooding.

Supported by the Environment Agency, the DVDs were created by NORFilm creative following the need for an up-to-date training product for officers and to increase awareness among the public. 'Flooding… are you prepared?' has been sponsored by Aviva.

Both films are narrated and presented by broadcast meteorologist Martyn Davies who presents the ITV weather. They offer a user-friendly step-by-step guide on how frontline staff and the public should respond to the various levels of flood alerts.

One of the consequences of climate change is the increasing threat of the frequency of major flooding throughout the UK, from the sea, rivers and heavy rainfall.

'Flooding: Training for Frontline Officers' informs frontline officers of the roles and responsibilities of the Gold, Silver and Bronze commands. It raises the issue around personal safety and what happens at flood evacuation centres and how the public feel when faced with the fear of flooding.

'Flooding… are you prepared?' highlights the tell-tale signs of flooding and what to do if flood water reaches the front door. It encourages the public to register with the Environment Agency to receive flood alerts and flood warnings and how to best prepare for a flood – storing bottled water, having a wind-up radio to hand along with a torch and spare batteries.

Pam Williams from NORFilm creative who produced the film said “Flooding: Training for Frontline Officers is designed to be an invaluable tool for emergency services frontline staff. It provides a clear response strategy for when flood warnings occur and raise the issues the public and emergency services face when dealing with flooding.

“Flooding… are you prepared? is a superb awareness DVD that allows viewers to think about the many issues they face in a flood. Everything from the tell-tales signs of flooding with rising drains through to the loss of power in high-rise flats.”

David Kemp, Environment Agency Flood Incident Management Team Leader said "To manage incidents effectively and efficiently our frontline staff need to be clear on their respective roles. The enhanced understanding provided by the DVD will be of great value in a flood event."

Broadcast Meteorologist Martyn Davies who presents the ITV weather and presents both films said “One of the consequences of climate change is the increasing threat of the frequency of major flooding throughout the UK, from the sea, rivers and heavy rainfall.

“As a weather forecaster, I have seen and experienced the devastating affects that flooding can have on individuals, families and communities. These DVDs are invaluable tools for frontline officers and the public on how to prepare and respond to flooding.”