Staff at pro audio equipment manufacturer Audionics had to wade through floodwater to save valuable equipment from irreparable damage.
Torrential rain in late June caused rivers in northern England to burst their banks and flood large areas. As a precautionary measure, Audionics staff started moving computers, stock and work in progress to second-floor offices at its Jessops Riverside Business Park unit in Sheffield.
When the waters breached flood defenses, Audionics found itself under 30 centimeters of water, with the access road transformed into a 3-meter-deep torrent.
When rescue helicopters began to lift people from the business units, Audionics posted banners in their windows informing the helicopters how many people were in the building and that they were all alright. As darkness fell, the airlift stopped and staff spent the night without power or telephone lines. Early the next morning, the waters receded enough for people to leave the area.
“Our staff did a sterling job ensuring that all our stock and work in progress was not damaged,” said Audionics Director Phil Myers. “They returned downstairs on several occasions during the night, wading through muddy water in pitch black conditions.”
