Last updated at 12:08, Saturday, 30 January 2010

Staff were working so hard trying to salvage what they could inside Ravensfield Residential Home that the rapidly rising waters caught them unawares.

NOMINEE: Staff and residents of Ravensfield Residential Home, Keswick CATEGORY: Unsung community hero

They had already evacuated all the High Hill home’s elderly residents, but were trying to take steps to protect the property’s contents – should waters breach the building.

Irene Maxwell, operations manager with Cumbria Care, said: “By the time we had sorted all that, the waters were so high that we couldn’t get out. The emergency services said we’d be better off staying put, so we stayed overnight. We worked in the home, doing as much as we could.

“The water didn’t come in, but it was only about six inches from the door.”

All four stuck inside were taken out of the building the following morning.

Staff at the home had been on flood alert since early on November 19.

Once the dangers became clear, they quickly and carefully evacuated those living there, getting them to other homes. The home has been closed since.

Their nomination stated: “The residents were all very brave. Staff have all gone that extra mile, working in different situations.”

Mrs Maxwell described staff as “brilliant” and said it was wonderful that someone had recognised their efforts with a Heroes of the Floods nomination.

She added: “It could have been traumatic for the service users. There was an element of anxiety, bit there was sensitivity and a great deal of respect.”

First published at 09:02, Saturday, 30 January 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk