A REVOLUTIONARY new product designed to tackle flash floods was delivered to businesses in York affected by last night's heavy rains.

 

The Aqua Sac SOS bag is used in flood defences and is set to replace the traditional sand bags used by emergency rescue services and local authorities.

 

Parker Merchanting, based in Leeds, ferried emergency supplies of Aqua Sac to some of the businesses worst hit by floods. 

Brian Coates, Landlord, Rose & Crown pub York. Installs Aqua Sac in his flooded cellar. 

The company contacted a dozen businesses and made up flood prevention kits including supplies of Aqua Sacs, wellingtons and waterproofs. One business to benefit was the Rose & Crown pub in Lawrence Street, York, where Brian Coates was delighted to receive the kit. The pub needed firefighters to pump water from the cellar when floods hit. 

Ian Clennan, chairman of York Hospital Radio, also took time out from their flood clean up operation to receive a survival kit.

 

 The Aqua Sac contains a super absorbant polymer which soaks up water and inflates to 30 times its original size sucking in 13 Litres of flood water. Once the weather improves water evaporates naturally leaving the sac in its normal flat packed state.

 

Rescue Services are already looking to use the innovative product because it is portable and cost effective. It eliminates the need to be filled by hand with sand, its ecologically sound and extremely portable.

 

Parkers, one of the country's leading suppliers of products to the UK construction and rail industry says the product will change the way traditional flood defences are planned.

 

Kate Humes a York resident, working for Parkers, was caught in yesterday's traffic chaos caused by the floods said:

 

"The flash floods took us all by surprise. Aqua Sac is one of our newest products and I immediately thought of it as struggled home from work.

 

It is ideal as a first response to flash flooding and can be kept under your sink when not in use so I thought some of the businesses hit worst might appreciate some free supplies."

 

Ian Clennan, Chairman of York Hospital Radio (Pictured Left) took time out of broadcasting to receive an emergency Aqua Sac Kit from Parker's Marketing Manager Simon Rogers.

 

Aqua Sac can be purchased on-line at www.parker-direct.com