What will the Council do when a Major Incident occurs?
The Council has a small Emergency Planning Team that focuses on the response of this authority.
Emergency plans exist for a variety of organisations. The Emergency Planning Team co-ordinates the Council's response and prepares and writes its own plans. This work ensures that our response integrates with that of all other relevant agencies, such as the emergency services, neighbouring local authorities, the NHS, public utilities and voluntary agencies. This is achieved through routine liaison, training and exercising.
This Council has a central operations room which is suitably equipped and in the event of an incident will be staffed by trained officers. This room controls and co-ordinates the entire Council's response through links with smaller Council control rooms.
In brief, the Council will:
- Support the emergency services in preserving life and property.
- Provide support and care for the community.
- Help to minimise the effects of the incident.
- Take the lead role on the restoration of the community and environment.
To assist in achieving this, the Council will provide:
- Equipment and machinery (JCBs, transport, pumps, portaloos, temporary lighting etc).
- People (specialist and manual staff).
- Materials (aggregate, wood, fuel, weatherproofing etc).
- Facilities (buildings for Emergency Reception Centres).
The Emergency Planning Team is working closely with area assemblies and parish councils in both raising the awareness and also assisting parish councils in preparing their own emergency response plans.