FOI 26-059 Flood Risk Assessment

Freedom of Information Request

Reference
FOI 26-059 Flood Risk Assessment
Request Date
30 Jan 2026
Response Date
23 Feb 2026
Information Requested

 Please provide the following information for the period 1 January 2019 to the present (January 2026), or the most recent data you hold. If details are not known or collected at present, please can you just write unknown:  

 

  1. Estate and Site Flood Risk 
  2. Has the Trust conducted a flood risk assessment of the estate? If so, what percentage of the sites assessed are classified as being at risk of flooding, including available flood zone classifications if held.
  3. How many occasions has flooding resulted in the closure, partial closure, or relocation of an ambulance station, HART base or other operational premises including control rooms, call centres, vehicle workshops and training centres?  
  4. Please provide details as to the number of flooding incidents affecting Ambulance Trust buildings (water ingress, drainage failure, power loss, etc.). 
  5. Please provide the total costs associated with flood related damage, repairs or site closures for estates during the time period.  

 

  1. Vehicles 
  2. Do you have a policy in place to ensure that staff don’t drive through flood water?  
  3. What is the number of ambulance vehicles damaged, stranded, or rendered inoperable due to flooding during this period?  
  4. If the ambulance service operates a patient transport service, what is the number of patient transport vehicles damaged, stranded, or rendered inoperable due to flooding during this period?  
  5. Please provide the total costs associated with flood related damage for fleet vehicles during the time period.  
  6. Please provide details of any specialist flood response equipment held by the Trust (e.g., 4x4s, highwater vehicles, boats) and the number of each type. 

 

  1. Climate & Resilience Planning 
  2. Does the Trust have a Climate Adaptation Plan in place? 

1a Is this a stand alone document or part of the Trust’s Green Plan?  

  1. Please provide copies of any climate adaptation or resilience plans that include references to flooding risk. 
  2. Please provide details of any mutual aid arrangements with neighbouring ambulance services for flood related disruptions (between 1 January 2019 to the present (January 2026))?.
Response
  1. Estate and Site Flood Risk

Q1 – Yes, based on the recorded information held, 20 of the 141 sites (approximately 14%) are classified as being at risk of flooding. 

 

Q2 – There have been 3 occasions over a 25-30year period where flooding has affected one the Scottish Ambulance Service sites. Resulting in closure or partial closure of the operational premises. 

 

Q3 – The Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold a centrally located dataset detailing flooding incidents affecting buildings.  The only recorded information has been provided in response to Q2.  It is for this reason we have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 as information not held. 

 

Q4 – The total cost associated with flood-related damage for the incidents identified above is £6000. 

 

  1. Vehicles

Q1 – Yes, the Scottish Ambulance Service has policies and guidance in place to promote safe driving practices and reduce risks associated with driving through flood water or standing water.  These policies are available on the Scottish Ambulance Service website as attachments on a previous FOI request - FOI 26-007 Minor Collision Information 

 

Q2 – Based on the recorded fleet information, 13 vehicles were damaged, stranded or rendered inoperable due to flooding for the period of 01/01/19 - 31/01/26.  This figure includes patient transport vehicles. 

 

Q3 – Of the 13 vehicles detailed in Q2, 1 patient transport vehicle was recorded as being impacted by flooding during the period of 01/01/19 - 31/01/26. 

 

Q4 – Please see the table below detailing the associated costs, these are inclusive of any repairs, insurance or compensation pay-outs: 

Vehicle type 

Number of flood‑related incidents 

Associated costs 

Patient Transport Vehicles (PTV) 

1 

£0.00 

A&E Ambulances 

11 

£239,348.47 

Other vehicles 

1 

£1,518.09 

Total 

13 

£240,866.56 

 

Q5 – The Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold a centrally maintained inventory categorising vehicles or equipment specifically as specialist flood related.  It is for this reason we have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 as information not held. 

  1. Climate & Resilience Planning

Q1 – Yes, the Scottish Ambulance Service does have a Climate Adaption Plan in place. 

Q1a – This is both a standalone document and forms part of the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Green  Plan.  

 

Our 2030 Strategy; Scottish Ambulance Service Annual Climate Emergency & Sustainability Report 2024/25 

 

Q3 – The Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold recorded information identifying mutual aid arrangements with neighbouring ambulance services that are logged or categorised solely by flood-related disruption.  It is for this reason we have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002, as information not held. 

  

 

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