Introduction
What we do
We will have up-to-date information about any major incidents. We will have press releases and general information and safety advice for the public. We can take any information you may have about incidents.
We promote the national scheme of “Go in, Stay in, Tune in” during emergencies, which will be broadcast on local media. If you are asked to evacuate your home, you can go to relatives, friends, a community place of safety or a local authority Rest Centre. At the Rest Centre you will be given up-to-date information about the situation and when you can return home. Media announcements will also be made for people who are not at a Rest Centre.
We have produced various leaflets with advice about how you can prepare before, during and after emergencies, which you can find on the Somerset Prepared website.
We have also produced leaflets which provide advice about the needs of animals in disasters. The three leaflets, on the Somerset Prepared website, can help animal owners to think ahead and prepare effective plans before a disaster happens. They have been written by a vet, with the support of many major animal charities and organisations. The responsibility for animal welfare is now placed on animal keepers by the Animals Welfare Act 2006.
Your parish or town council may know about the current local incidents and may have activated their Parish Emergency Plan if Emergency Services are overwhelmed. The Parish Emergency Plan will have personnel and resources which can be used to deal with emergencies. If you can offer any help during emergencies, please contact your parish or town council.
We are the first point of contact for any services provided by all local authorities in Somerset. The local authorities’ role is to care for the needs of the people and communities affected by the emergency.
Community self-help in emergencies
It is important that communities take part in the recovery from an emergency.
We assess the risks, prepare contingency plans, co-ordinate the local authority response and support the recovery management process so that the impact of emergencies on the life and vitality of communities, people and businesses is kept to a minimum.
We have provided templates for personal, parish and business emergency plans. These documents can record information for use during emergencies. They are all on the Somerset Prepared website.
You can request talks on emergency planning and what can be achieved to provide community self-help during emergencies.
Your parish council may be able to advise you about any local emergency planning that has already happened in your area. If you wish to help your parish council, please offer them your assistance.
If you can offer any specific skills, you may wish to join a voluntary agency. We work closely with many voluntary agencies. These agencies help the emergency services and local authorities during emergencies and, as a group, are known as Somerset Emergency Voluntary Agencies Group (SEVAG). We provide training for the voluntary agencies that work with us.
General information
To be prepared for any emergency, you can make up a home emergency pack. You can also prepare an evacuation checklist of things to pack quickly if you are advised to leave your home. Depending on the time of year, you can also keep a basic emergency kit in your vehicle. There is more information on the Somerset Prepared website.
Our role is to assess the risks, prepare contingency plans, co-ordinate the local authority response and support the recovery management process, so that the impact of emergencies on the life and vitality of our communities, our people and our businesses is minimised.