RyanK

Somerset Field Teams working from Bradney Depot near Bridgwater. Incident Response and Routine Maintenance. To report problems: 03708 506 506.

[Environment AgencySW @EnvAgencySW]

👷 Following heavy rainfall across Somerset, we have anticipated the trigger points being met & additional temporary pumps are being deployed to Currymoor, Saltmoor, and Northmoor to enhance pumping capacity. We expect these to be installed & operational later this week.

[Environment AgencySW @EnvAgencySW]

Come join us 25 Sept, 2-7pm at Archie Gooch Pavilion, Ilminster. Meet
@floodmary
& her FloodPod on tour - explore flood resilience measures for your property. #floodresilience

[Carl Bovis @CarlBovisNature]

*IMPORTANT*
Please read & share, it could save you or a loved one from a lifetime of chronic system-wide illness. 🙏❤️

Today I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease.😔
I was bitten by 4 ticks 30 days ago & had a red rash come up around one of the bites, that soon started spreading.
As there was no 'bullseye', I didn't think it was Lyme, I assumed it was just a reaction, especially as the rash wasn't painful or itchy..(see photo)
It WAS Lyme!
Any rash around a tick bite is diagnostic.
I didn't know this. 😕
I was bitten at Shapwick Heath on the Somerset Levels.
I've since learnt some areas of the UK have a higher risk of Lyme, and the Somerset Levels is one of them.
If you go out in the countryside, take care... stick to paths and try to avoid brushing up against vegetation, that's how the ticks get on you.
Always check yourself over for ticks when you get home. The longer a tick is attached to you, the higher the chance of infection.
If you find a tick, don't panic, remove it carefully with a tick removal tool or tweezers, being careful not to squeeze the tick.
Keep an eye on the bite for the next month... if a rash starts to develop at the site of the bite in that time, go to your doctor ASAP!
Explain that you were bitten by the tick, and have now developed a rash at the site... they will prescribe antibiotics, usually Doxycycline, for at least 3 weeks.
You may be asked to have a blood test too, but these aren't reliable in the early stages of Lyme, insist on starting the antibiotics immediately.
Sometimes, you don't even get a rash. In these cases, if you get flu-like symptoms in the 30 days after a tick bite, go and see a doctor, it's probably Lyme Disease and you'll need antibiotics.
Many people with debilitating advanced Lyme Disease didn't see the signs, or they just ignored them.
Lyme Disease is usually curable in the early stages, but can become a chronic lifelong illness affecting every system in your body, if left untreated! 😔
I'm not posting this to scare anybody, but because I was ignorant to the rash, and if it hadn't been for my youngest daughter badgering me to get it checked out, I'd not be sat here taking antibiotics for Lyme Disease... I wouldn't even know I had it, and many of the later symptoms are confused with other illnesses!
A case in point is the fabulous musician @Renmakesmusic, who was only diagnosed with Lyme Disease 6 years after being infected! 😯
He really suffered in those years, spending much of it in bed, too ill to get up, but not having a clue what he was suffering with.

I'm obviously no medical expert, all I've written here has come from my own research & experience, so in case there are some inaccuracies, learn more from @UKLyme 🙏
However, you get the picture... if this post prevents just one person getting advanced Lyme Disease, I'd be delighted!
Prevention is better than cure, so please be careful out there!
Don't be ignorant to the dangers of ticks, rashes and Lyme Disease.. don't be like me! 🙏❤️

[Environment AgencySW @EnvAgencySW]

1⃣ Before temperatures climbed, we gathered over 100 staff active in the field at our Gold Corner pumping station in Somerset for a refresher in handling summer incidents.

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

Are you passionate about the outdoors and eager to contribute to a greener future? This is your chance to be part of a dynamic team working on the front line to combat the climate emergency and address environmental challenges like flooding, drought, and coastal changes.

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

https://t.co/ehk8w4nQ98

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

https://t.co/ehk8w4nQ98

[Environment AgencySW @EnvAgencySW]

There are three permanent pumps at North Drain pumping station. One of these pumps has been under repair since last year, and supplementary submersible pumps have been in place since November to replace this.

[Adrian Govier @AdrianGovierEA]

Pumps are operating at all Langport and Currymoor pumping stations after last nights rain, we will keep pumping for as long as possible in these saturated conditions to reduce flood risk. @EnvAgencySW @RachelBurdenEA

[Somerset Council @SomersetCouncil]

🟠 The Orange Button Scheme is for people in Somerset who want to support people who are having thoughts about suicide.

If you'd like to become an Orange Button holder you can sign up to a free training course 👉 https://t.co/rxvj4Lsg5G

#SuicidePrevention #BreakTheSilence🧡

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

@AdrianGovierEA @EnvAgencySW Our teams continue to lift pipework and pumps into place at Northmoor Pumping Station, requiring temporary traffic controls. Thank you for your patience.

[Environment AgencySW @EnvAgencySW]

👷‍♂️👷‍♀️We have jobs in our local field operations.

📽️ Meet some of the people you would work with in the video link below.

You will work on our maintenance programme and support your fellow team members. Bases include Bridgwater, Blandford and Chippenham.

https://t.co/HaeR26V7Kf

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

@watchetCoastie

[JESIP @jesip999]

Do any of our followers have an image showing a multi-agency response to an incident. This needs to be from an exercise and not a real incident and show as many agencies as possible. If you can help please email it to [email protected] with your permission for us to use it.

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

Good news

[Travel Somerset @TravelSomerset]

A361 update: We can confirm that the road remains closed tonight but we hope to reopen tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday 24 January) once surface debris and mud has been cleared, and the route has been gritted.

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

With the Parrett being diverted through the Sowy and over pumped at Dunball, River levels have reduced enough to run all of our pumping stations on the levels & moors; complimented by enhanced pumping.

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

@heathervenn123 No probs. 🙂

We’re getting there. I’m glad our teams have been so positive and capable. We’ve had great influence from the local community as well. 👍

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

7 million cumecs pumped in the last 24h (up by 1 million on the previous day) from the Somerset levels & moors. We are repositioning some of our pump assets to keep optimum pumping as levels recede at some locations. We continue to deploy additional pumps to reduce water levels.

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

@heathervenn123 Hi Heather. We’ve added to & extended our pumps at Currymoor, set up additional pumps at Saltmoor, moved our surface pumps at Fordgate to the siphon (drawing more water and allowing the car park/ footpath to be opened) and added pumps at Dunball.

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

@kevin0410 Yes indeed. Thanks Kev, long day!

[RyanK @FieldOpsEA]

@TW11Harbour I wish it were the former but it’s the latter, with some inevitable lag from pump downtime while repositioning. You’ve given me an interesting target though 😁

[West Sedgemoor PS @riverlevel_0412]

On 22/01/23 at 06:00 the river level was 6.88mAOD.