Our response to Storm Isha

Since yesterday evening (Sunday, 21 January) a weather warning has been in place for North Yorkshire and other areas of the UK for high-winds and heavy rain. This has been named Storm Isha.

During this time, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has responded to several, weather related incidents, details of which, can be found below:

Sunday, 21 January, 2024

At 6.08pm we were called to the Carleton area of Skipton following a report of a woman and a dog requiring rescue from a car. A crew from Skipton was mobilised to assist but they were both free from the vehicle prior to attendance.

At 6.19pm we were called to Appersett after a Ford Mondeo had become trapped in flood water after the nearby river broke its banks. A man and a woman in their 20s and a three-year-old girl were rescued from the car. They were taken to a nearby public house to recover. Water survival advice was provided to the caller by our Control Room staff until crews from Hawes attended the scene.

At 6.30pm we were called to flooding in a property on Kings Square in York. A basement at the location ha become flooded and crews from York attended and assisted Yorkshire Water at the scene.

At 8.45pm a metal structure canopy on the front of a café  on Falconers Square in Scarborough was damaged in high-winds. Crews from Scarborough attended and made the canopy safe.

At 10.08pm a crew from Scarborough was called to Osgoodby Crescent in the town after a garage roof measuring 10ft by 8ft had been damaged in high-winds. The roof was made safe.

10.30pm crews from Stokesley were called to a commercial property in Potto following an alarm sounding at the location. No fire was found and it is believed the adverse weather conditions caused this.

Monday, 22 January

12.03am: Crews from Hawes were called to assist other agencies to provide lighting as a fallen tree and debris was obstructing the highway.

04.54am: Crews from Richmond, Bedale and Norton were called to Morton on Swale after five people and two dogs required rescue from vehicles trapped in rising floodwater. The vehicles included two cars, one van and one HGV. Everyone, including the dogs were brought to a place of safety. Highways closed the road to prevent further incidents.

09.39am: Crews from Hawes attended a commercial property in Sedbusk and helped the occupier with flooding advice after their cellar had flooded.

09.55am: Crews from Pickering attended Farndale Moor after a delivery van blew over in the wind. The driver, a man in his 40s, was able to leave the vehicle and was taken to a nearby pub where he was given initial first aid by crews. He was then handed over to paramedics and taken to hospital as a precaution. Crews made the vehicle and the area safe before arranging recovery.

More information about keeping yourself and others safe, can be found here Keeping safe during high-winds and heavy rain – North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (northyorksfire.gov.uk)

It is also worth knowing which agency to call in the event of an emergency or obstruction caused by the adverse weather.

Calling the correct agency will ensure the right people respond to you and other people who may also need help, across the county.

Fallen Trees: These can be a common problem during strong wind, and they often cause some confusion about who is responsible, so we hope the information below may help answer this.

• If a tree has fallen on a road BUT is NOT endangering life then you should call the local authority.
• If a tree has fallen on a road or a vehicle and IS endangering life, then please call 999 immediately and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service.
• If a tree has fallen on a property BUT is NOT endangering life, then this is the personal responsibility of the owner.
• If a tree has fallen on a property and IS endangering life, then please call 999 immediately and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service.

Unsafe Structure:

• An unsafe structure overhanding a public highway or public footpath or endangering life – call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service
• An unsafe structure overhanging property NOT endangering life – this is the personal responsibility of the owner

Please stay safe and remember, if you need us, we are only a phone call away.