Emergencies can disrupt essential services like electricity, water, and transportation.
Preparing for Emergencies:
It's important to be prepared to look after yourself and others for up to 72 hours in an emergency. Have a kit ready with essential items like:
- Essential documents: passports, birth certificates, insurance documents
- Medication: prescription and over-the-counter medications
- First aid kit: with essential supplies
- Food and water: non-perishable food and bottled water
- Warm clothing and blankets
- Torch and batteries
- Battery-powered radio
- Cash
In an emergency:
- Prioritize your safety: Assess the situation and take steps to protect yourself.
- Follow emergency services advice: Listen to instructions from emergency services and follow their guidance.
- Help others: If it's safe to do so, help others in need.
- Stay calm: Remain calm and think clearly.
Remember:
- Call 999 for life-threatening emergencies.
- Call 111 for non-emergency medical advice.
If you're not directly involved in an emergency but are in the area, follow the Go, Stay, Tune In advice:
- Go: Go inside a safe building or stay indoors.
- Stay: Stay indoors until advised otherwise.
- Tune In: Listen to local radio or TV for updates.
This GO IN, STAY IN, TUNE IN advice is recognised and used around the world. There is an agreement with radio and TV companies that if there is a major emergency they will interrupt normal programming to give public safety advice and information about the incident.
What to do if you are not at home
Schools
If your children are at school you will naturally want to collect them as soon as possible. But it may not be safe to do so. All schools have plans to cope with local emergencies such as fires and flooding, and teachers and support staff do all they can to look after pupils in their charge.
Please TUNE IN to your local radio station for advice and contact the council or school for details of the arrangements being made for children to get picked up.
Work
Employers have a responsibility for the safety and security of their staff. All businesses should have arrangements in place to deal with the impact of a major disaster. Make sure you understand what to do in an emergency at work. Read our business continuity guide.
Emergency plan
Read more about how the council manages an emergency.