Storms
Forecasters continue to warn people to expect a stormy start to 2025, with a yellow weather warning for high winds expected over the coming week with storm Éowyn.
Alerts
We encourage our Members to keep up to date with the various weather forecasting sites, use the early alerts to help with preparation and allocation of resources needed. Additionally, we ask Members to review information from the environmental regulators for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland for any storm warnings or alerts.
Preparation
While we cannot prevent storms, the changing weather patterns mean the frequency and severity of storms will likely increase. Our Members can however take simple steps and precautions to help prepare for severe weather, these can include:
- Consider the [UMAL storm check lists].
- Review events and activities on campus, consider postposing open days, campus tours during severe weather, do not put staff or students at increased risk.
- Check the resilience of suppliers and service providers. Members’ business continuity plans should help Members identify risk areas and build resilience for potential supply chain interruptions, staff and contractor shortages.
- Check emergency lists are up to date and shared with the appropriate teams. Any emergency plan should account for leave / low occupancy periods. Share (where available) building plans for isolations with security, portering and estates teams.
- Ensure staffing and resources are adequate – this can include materials for temporary repairs, through to batteries and touches for accommodation blocks.
- Protect where possible high value equipment, this could include positioning away from windows (move to the centre of the room), raising electrical equipment, archiving or other off floor level material (especially for ground floor / basement locations).
- Anticipate power outages, where applicable confirm generator / UPS contingency, fuel provisions and the management of high-risk locations (ULTD, data centres, accommodation etc.).
- Ask staff and students to be vigilant with closing and securing doors and windows, especially for bin stores / recycling centres ahead of anticipated poor conditions.
- Increase frequencies for the cleaning of drains, brooks, culverts of leaf fall / debris over poor weather periods.
- Increase frequencies of security / estates patrols (where safe) to include visual inspections of roof lines for obvious damage or emerging hazards (tile slip, cladding damage or loose PV panels).
Post loss
Post-loss campus inspections should look to make campuses safe. Some damage will be immediately obvious, although on occasion the damage will only become apparent when the equipment / building or process is used (often sometime after the storm event). UMAL asks its Members for early notification of damage or concern to the UMAL Claims team, claims@umal.co.uk or by calling our claims team on 0207847 8670 with any supporting information (photos, location, extent of damage).
In the immediate aftermath of a storm, we ask Members to be aware of any changes to any safeguards or building fabric (loss fire alarms, intruder alarms, loose buildings materials, damaged electrics) and the vulnerabilities this could introduce.
Remember do not be in a rush to throw away damaged items, unless they are a danger to health, as these may be able to be repaired or restored.
For further support on storm preparation, emergency planning and access to alert information, please contact the UMAL Risk Control team.
