It is important that local authorities, the emergency services and other services plan for possible emergencies before they happen.
If an emergency happens all agencies must work in a co-ordinated way to ensure that the emergency is dealt with promptly and in the most effective way.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, along with all of the other district councils in the County has an agreement with Hampshire County Council for them to carry out the emergency planning and co-ordination function on our behalf. This agreement excludes responding to incidents.
Click here for information on snow and freezing temperatures
Click here for information on flooding
Click here for information on swine flu
Click here for hot weather advice
Local Resilience Forum
Emergency planning in Hampshire is coordinated through a multi-agency group known as the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum (LRF). This group has representation from all the category one responders, which are all the emergency services, local authorities, and health authorities. The LRF has two distinct levels of operation, the Executive Group, looking at policy and direction, and the Business Performance & Review Group developing the policy, plans and procedures. The Executive Group also forms the strategic co-ordinating group during an emergency.
Further information on Hampshire County Council’s role and that of the Local Resilience Forum can be found on the following website: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/emergencyplanning.htm
Major incidents
From time to time, we are faced with major incidents. These may cause (or threaten to cause) harm to people, property or the wider environment, or they may disrupt everyday life in some other way.
The common factor in all these incidents is that they require special co-ordinated action by the emergency services and the local authorities beyond their normal day to day work.
The information below explains the role of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in responding to major incidents affecting our area.
How are major incidents handled?
Most major incidents happen suddenly and unexpectedly. However, in some cases, such as severe weather, we may get advanced warning and time to prepare.
The first response to major incidents is usually by the emergency services (Police, Fire, Ambulance). They will assess the situation and decide whether to alert other agencies to help manage the incident. This is where local authorities are often called on to help.
The response to major incidents is normally co-ordinated by the Police, although individual agencies are responsible for their own operations. In Hampshire detailed arrangements are in place for a co-ordinated response to major incidents. These operate at different levels from county-wide strategic co-ordination down to tactical and operational command.
Arrangements are kept under review and are the subject of regular inter-agency training and exercising to test their effectiveness. This involves all the responding agencies given in the list below.
The role of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Our role in a major incident is to support the emergency services and then to help return life to normal as soon as possible.
To achieve this we will:
- respond to requests from the emergency services to assist in response to major incidents;
- mobilise our staff to carry out tasks requested by the emergency services. Depending on the scale and type of incident, this may include:
- establishing an Emergency Control Centre to co-ordinate our response;
- setting up rest centres to provide transport, shelter, food and information to people
- evacuated from the vicinity of a major incident,
- providing advice on the temporary re-housing of people who are unable to return to their homes;
- specialist advice to the public on matters such as public health and structural stability of buildings;
- providing information to the public and the media;
- supplying sandbags in flooding incidents (*see footnote);
- assisting in cleaning up the area affected by a major incident.
- Co-ordinate our response with Hampshire County Council, other local authorities, town and parish councils and the voluntary sector;
- As far as possible, keep our everyday council services running despite diversion of staff and other resources to handling of the incident;
- Take a leading role in helping the community to recover and to return life to normal.
The Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council Emergency Plan is available to be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
We have a mutual aid protocol with other local authorities across Hampshire to assist one another in responding to a major incident. This allows us to ‘borrow’ staff and equipment from other authorities, particularly if we are faced with a prolonged emergency. However, it is important to recognise that the council is not a ‘24/7’ organisation like the emergency services.
Who to contact
If you need to contact us as a direct result of a civil emergency please telephone 01256 844844 - this line is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you would like further information on how Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council responds to major incidents call 01256 845675 or e-mail: emergency.planning@basingstoke.gov.uk
In a major incident, we may set up special contact arrangements such as telephone helplines. These will be widely publicised through local press, radio and TV at the time.
Agencies who may be involved in responding to major incidents:
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Police
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Fire Service
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Ambulance Service
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Coastguard
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NHS Trusts
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County Council
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District Council
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Town and parish councils
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Environment Agency
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Voluntary sector (eg. RedCross, WRVS)
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Utility companies (gas, water, electricity, telecoms)
- Transport operators
Other useful phone numbers
Police
In emergency 999, ask for ‘Police’ otherwise 101
Fire
In emergency 999, ask for ‘Fire’ otherwise 0845 130 88 55
Ambulance
In emergency 999, ask for ‘Ambulance’ otherwise 01273 489444
Environment Agency
Floodline: 0845 988 1188
Hampshire County Council
Emergency Planning Unit 01962 846846
Southern Electricity
Power failures and emergencies 0800 783 8866
Transco
Gas leaks and emergencies 0800 111 999
Southern Water
0845 278 0845
Feedback
If you have any comments, we would like to hear from you. Call 01256 845654 or e-mail emergency.planning@basingstoke.gov.uk.
Or write to:
Emergency Planning
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Civic Offices
London Road
Basingstoke
Hants
RG21 4AH
Useful links:
www.ukresilience.info/
Civil Contingencies Secretariat - Information about a wide variety of emergencies and crises that can affect the UK plus emergency planning guidance.
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/
The Environment Agency – information about flooding.
www.pfe.gov.uk
HM Government 'Preparing for Emergencies' - what you need to know website.