www.northumbrialrf.org.uk

Northumbria
Community
Risk Register2021-2023

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The Community Risk Register		5

How are agencies across Northumbria
working to ensure the effects of an
emergency can be reduced?		

7

Preparedness – Being ready 		to respond to an incident.			

7

Response – Reacting in the 			
event an incident				7

Recovery – Reacting in the 			
event of an incident				7

Flooding					8Adverse weather				11Human Disease				13Contents

Industrial Accident and 			Environmental Pollution			

15

Animal Disease

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Wildfires					19Cyber						22Malicious attacks				24Utilities Failure				26
Gas
				
27
Electric					27Water					27Priority Scheme 				27How can your local community 		be prepared?

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Planning for an emergency			

31

Business continuity management		

33

Frequency asked questions			34

Personal information page			

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Useful contacts				36

2Northumbria
Local ResilienceForum
The Northumbria Local Resilience Forum (LRF) is a multi - agency
partnership consisting of Category 1 and Category 2 responders
under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004), and organisations
that are required to prepare for an emergency in the LRF area.
It includes the emergency services, Local Authorities, HealthServices, Environment Agency, Maritime Coastguard Agency
volunteer agencies and utility companies to name a few.
Northumbria LRF aims to provide the necessary conditions forresponding organisations to plan and prepare for emergencies
so that we can deliver an effective and efficient response. In
order to do this we work together to identify potential risks andproduce emergency plans to prevent or mitigate the impactof emergencies and ensure that suitable arrangements are inplace to warn, inform and advise the public in the event of an
emergency. We also develop and maintain plans to support
communities and help their recovery.
The Northumbria LRF area shares a common boundary with
the Northumbria Police Force and includes the County ofNorthumberland and the area of Tyne and Wear which comprisesof Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside
and Sunderland (as shown on the map) It also stretches from
Berwick and the border with Scotland in the north to the City ofSunderland in the South and from North Sea Coast to the borderwith Cumbria in the west and has a border with County Durham
in the South.
It is estimated that Northumbria has an overall populationof 1,460,944 clustered mainly in and around the Tyne andWear boroughs.
As well as being a large area geographically, there is a hugediversity between areas, the environment, and social groups.

The same range of diversity is true about the risks faced, whilst
there are some risks which may affect anyone regardless ofgeography (pandemic influenza) there are some geographic
areas where the risk is higher for certain incidents.

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It is recognised in the National Risk Register that the wide rangeof risks outlined in this document could have a disproportionate
impact on specific vulnerable and at - risk groups such as,
those with pre-existing mental or physical health conditions or
disabilities (whether living in the community or in long term carefacilities), older adults, children, pregnant women, individuals
from certain ethnic backgrounds, healthcare and other frontline
workers, informal or self-employed workers, those in lower
socio-economic groups or who are financially insecure, individuals
exposed to abuse or violence, tourists. migrants, those who aresocially isolated, individuals with less knowledge and experienceto specific risks. This list is not exhaustive but illustrates thewide range of groups who could be considered (or could become)vulnerable in the context of a pandemic.
Individuals who might be considered vulnerable in the context
of one risk might not be for another. An older adult for example
might be more vulnerable to the health impacts of a pandemic but
may be considered more resilient to certain aspects of a flooding
scenario, if past experiences have helped them to prepare.
Every scenario is different but when planning for and responding
to these risks, planners from national government, local
government and community groups all have an importantrole to play in mitigating the disproportionate impact onthese individuals.
Content from the National Risk Register 2020
An Equality Impact Assessment has been completed inrelation to this document. If you need this document in adifferent format or you cannot download it please email
npcreativeservices@icloud.com.

Introduction
local profile
Northumbria LRF area

Northumberland

North Tyneside
Newcastle
South Tyneside
Gateshead

Sunderland

4The Community
Risk Register
The Northumbria Local Resilience Forum has a duty under the Civil
Contingencies Act (2004) to produce a Community Risk Register(CRR) to enable the community to be better prepared to copeduring an emergency and to recover more quickly. This document
provides information on emergencies that could happen within
the Northumbria area together with an assessment of how likely
they are to happen and the impacts if they do.
This document aims to summarise the Community Risk Registerin a format which is user friendly for residents and communities. It
does not include every risk only the ones that are likely to happen.
The purpose of the Community Risk Register is to:• Provide information on risks in the Northumbria
area and how they are managed by the LRF• Inform you of Emergency Management Steps• Inform you about the highest risks in the Northumbria
area and their consequences• Detail steps that can be taken to become
better prepared and more resilient in yourhome, business and community• Provide you with links to organisations andwebsites to find out more information.

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While certain risks are described it does not mean that they
will definitely occur in the region. It means there is a possibilityof them happening and therefore all agencies within the local
resilience forum have plans in place to respond to such incidents.
Northumbria Local Resilience Forum (NLRF) has ensured thatplanning for concurrent events has been raised to one of their top
priorities during the Covid 19 pandemic. Managing an emergency
can be challenging and complex, even more so when faced withdealing with multiple events at the same time. NLRF have put inplace a number of measures to ensure they can respond.
The Community Risk Register is the result of professional
judgement from a range of contributors, historical evidence,scientific input and expert analysis in evaluating the key risksfacing Northumbria.

The Joint
Emergency Services
Interoperability
Principles
The Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP)
Joint Doctrine: the interoperability framework sets out a standard
approach to multi-agency working, along with training andawareness products.
Whilst the initial focus was on improving the response to
major incidents, JESIP is scalable, so much so the five joint
working principles and models can be applied to any typeof multi-agency incident.

Since 2003 the Emergency Services have adopted the Joint
Decision Model (JDM) to enable an understanding of each other’s
needs. It is used to improve communications and decision making.
The JDM is a way of the emergency services working together tosave lives in major incidents.

GATHERINFORMATION&INTELLIGENCE

Applying simple principles for joint working are particularly
important in the early stages of an incident, when clear, robust
decisions and actions need to be taken with minimum delay,in an often rapidly changing environment.
Those principles are illustrated in the diagram shown here:

TAKE ACTION &REVIEW WHAT
HAPPENED

Co-locateCo-locate with commanders as soon as practicably possible ata single, safe and easily identified location near to the scene.

Communicate

Communicate clearly using plain English.

Co-ordinate

Co-ordinate by agreeing the lead service. Identify priorities,
resources and capabilities for an effective response, including
the timing of further meetings.

Jointly understand risk

Jointly understand risk by sharing information about thelikelihood and potential impact of threats and hazards to agree
potential control measures.

Shared situation awareness

Shared Situational Awareness established by using METHANE
and the Joint Decision Model.

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IDENTIFYOPTIONS &CONTINGENCIESWORKINGTOGETHER
SAVING LIVESREDUCING
HARM

ASSESS RISKS& DEVELOP
A WORKINGSTRATEGYCONSIDER
POWERS,POLICIES &PROCEDURES

How are agencies acrossNorthumbria working toensure the effects of an
emergency can be reduced?
• Understanding the risks, how they are caused
and what impact they would have locally.
• Produce emergency plans to mitigate theimpact of any risk on their local communities.
• Working with local communities

Preparedness – Being readyto respond to an incident.
• Understanding the impact and consequence of each risk
• Developing emergency plans and procedures for responding
to the risks• Training staff and testing procedures• Matching our capabilities to the needsof each emergency• Developing long term recovery plans• Raising awareness of each organisations roleand responsibilities• Learning lessons from previous incidents

Response – Reacting in
the event an incident• Initial emergency activities (i.e. public safety, evacuationand shelter, limiting the spread of the incident, searchand rescue).
• Initial damage assessment• Multi – agency coordination• Warning and Informing the public

Recovery – Reacting in
the event of an incident

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How can membersof the public,
communityorganisations andlocal businesses
support theirlocal communities
before, during
and after an
emergency.
Before an emergency, members of the public, community
organisations and local businesses can help to build theresilience of:• Individuals, by raising awareness of risks and preparedness
actions, e.g. through social media• Households, by advising on property refurbishment
such as property flood defence measures• Communities, by identifying vulnerable people and helping
them access support• Organisations, by supporting business continuity planning• Systems and networks, by building trusting relationships
between different local and community organisations
During an emergency or crisis, the public can help – if it’s safe to
do so – by checking on neighbours and vulnerable people in thecommunity to see if they need any help or assistance. Do not
put yourself at risk and always consider contacting 999 in thefirst instance.

• Initial and long term recovery efforts• Re – housing of displaced people• Humanitarian assistance

After the emergency, the public can also offer their help to clean
up, help others to get back on their feet, or help their community
to come to terms with the situation. Opportunities to volunteer
might be available through one of the thousands of localorganisations that already work at the heart of communities.

• Regeneration

Content taken from the National Risk Register 2020.

FloodingFlooding is one of the risks that can have significant
impact on communities in our LRF area and across the UK.
Changes in weather patterns, increasing temperaturesand rising sea levels are likely to increase the likelihoodof flooding in the UK. By preparing in advance you can
minimise the impact that flooding could have.
Flooding can occur near the coast from high natural tides
and major storm surges (Tidal/Coastal Flooding), near rivers(Fluvial Flooding) following a sustained period of heavy
rainfall and local surface water flooding where drainage
systems are unable to cope with the volume of rainfall.

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It can occur at any time of the year and can be a risk tonational security, human welfare and critical infrastructure.
Damage to essential services, particularly to criticalinfrastructure could make our communities more vulnerable
to other risks, and some flooding may have significant
impacts on industry, agriculture and our local economy.

Consequences

What can you do?

The consequences associated with flooding are widespread andcan include:• Risk to life
• Damage to homes, personal property businesses
and infrastructure• Displacement of people• Short, medium and long term homelessness• Long term economic decline in some affected areas• Contamination of agricultural land with resulting lossof productive capacity• Disruption of utilities and evacuation

If you are in an area liable to flooding then it’s a good idea
to start making a personal flood plan which can include
the following points -• Long term health and psychological impacts

Who can be affected?
Those at risk of river flooding and coastal flooding are relatively
easy to identify. Find out if your property is within the flood risk
area by logging on to the Environment Agency website or callingthe 24 hour Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or 0345 602 6340
(type talk). Surface water flooding has the potential to occur
anywhere but is more common in built up areas.

What are we doingin Northumbria?
• Identification of where the flood water could go, and who/
what is at risk.
• Working with emergency services, local authorities
and other agencies to develop flood response plansand procedures.
• Providing guidance to the public about flooding, including
flood warnings and what people can doto help themselves.
• Production of multi-agency plans to assist with the evacuationof those communities who are at risk.
• Development of ways and means of alerting the public as
early as possible when there is a significant flood risk.
• Developing flood rescue and assistance for those communities
who become isolated by flooding. Training specialist staff inswift water rescue techniques.
• Environment agency flood defences and watercourse
maintenance programme.
• Community owned Flood Warden Groups in Northumbria
LRF area including Rothbury, Kielder, Otterburn, Corsenside,
Morpeth, Hepscott, Wark, Ponteland, Greenhead, Haltwhistle,
Warden, Acomb, Hexham, Corbridge, Riding Mill, Ovingham,
Stocksfield, Prudhoe and Springwell Village• Regular maintenance and clearing programs of gullies andculverts especially in the event of storm warnings.

9• Plan where you will go if you have to evacuate and how
you will get there and prepare an emergency grab bag.
This grab bag should also include a list of key emergency
service numbers.
• Identify where your gas / electricity and water services comeinto your home and how to turn them off (stop cocks) in theevent of an emergency.
• Consider putting together an emergency checklist of theactions and key contacts you will need in an emergency.
• Know what to do to protect your property and contents during
a flood and have adequate insurance• Identify neighbours who may need assistance or who may
be able to provide assistance to you, in case of evacuation• Ensure you are signed up to Flood Warning Direct if you arein a flood risk area. This is a free service and operated by theEnvironment Agency.
• Know what the different flood warnings mean. (pleasesee overleaf)• Report instances of flooding to the local council. Especially
service flooding which they may not be aware of.
• Buy sandbags now – there will not be time in the event ofan emergency.
• Do not drive, cycle or walk through flooded water.
• If you get advance warning of flooding, it’s best to move yourcar to higher ground to reduce the risk of costly damage or
hassle of an insurance claim.
• If you return to find your car standing in flood water its best
to leave it and telephone for help or wait till the flood watersubsides rather than try and get it and move it – unless thewater is shallow, stationary and you can see the groundbeneath the water at all points.
• If flood water has reached the floor height or got inside thevehicle its best to telephone for help before attempting torecover it.

In the event of a flood it isimportant to focus on the safetyof you and your family. If you
are about to flood, DO THESE
THINGS IMMEDIATELY:••••

Tune into your local radio station on a battery or wind up radio
Switch off your electricity / gas supplies
If you have a flood plan put this into action
Where possible, move valuable or irreplaceable items to upper
floors during times of flood risk.
• Don’t forget to bring your pets if you leave your home.
• If evacuated take any urgent medication with you

Plan ahead, if you are at risk of flooding
consider if you need the following:• Flood boards• Airbrick Covers• Sandbags or alternative barriers• Toilet bungs (only need for downstairs toilets)• Any other flood productYou should be prepared to act quickly and get yourself to safety.
Put the safety of people first and listen to the advice of the Police.

RecoveryRecovery from flooding can be prolonged, with the displacement ofpeople, contamination of land and long-term health implications all
possible. There could also be damage to critical infrastructure that
could take a significant time to recover. The location of a severe
weather event or flood will impact on the recovery time; urban
areas are likely to take longer to recover than rural areas.

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Flood Alert

Flooding is possible. Be prepared. When a flood alert
is issued for your area you should:• Be prepared.
• Prepare a grab bag of essential items.
• Monitor local water levels on the Environment
Agency website.

Flood Warning

Flooding is expected. Immediate action required.
When a flood warning is issued for your area you should:• Protect yourself, your family and help others.
• Move family , pets and valuables to a safe place.
• Keep your grab bag ready.
• Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if it issafe to do so.
• Put flood protection equipment in place.

Severe Flood Warning

Severe flooding. Danger to life. When a severe flood
warning is issued for your area you should:• Stay in a safe place with a means of escape.
• Be ready should you need to evacuate your home.
• Co-operate with the emergency services.
• Call 999 if you are in immediate danger.

Further
information• Environment Agency https://www.gov.uk/
government/organisations/environment-agency• Flood Information Service https://flood-warninginformation.service.gov.uk/warnings• The Flood and Water Management Act (2010)
http://www.legislation.gov.uk• Public Health England Flooding
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/flooding-health-guidance-and-advice• The Blue pages – Flood products
www.bluepages.org.uk/• National Flood Forum – https://nationalfloodforum.org.uk/

Adverse
weather

The UK experiences some of the most dynamic weather
patterns around. This is due to its maritime temperate
climate and occasional continental and artic influences.
These can bring with them heavy rain or snow strong
winds and extreme temperatures. Severe weather cantake a variety of forms and at times can cause significant
problems and disruption to normal life.

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There are many types of severe weather that can havea serious impact in the UK. The main types of severe
weather that we need to plan for include storms, gales,
low temperatures, heavy snow, heatwave and drought.

Consequences
Some of the impacts of severe weather are:• Danger to life from windswept objects including falling trees
and structural failures• Damage to property• Travel disruption• Increased risk of road traffic collisions• Damaged pylons and above ground utility structures which
could result in power and water failure and damage toelectricity and telephone lines.
• Risk of people particularly the vulnerable being affected byhealth threatening low temperatures.
• An increased number of admissions to hospital andconsultations with GPs due to sunburn, heat exhaustion,
respiratory problems and other illnesses such as
food poisoning.

Who can be affected?
Vulnerable individuals such as elderly low income groups (asthey cannot afford heating) high altitude communities, those
travelling and businesses, which can suffer reduction in workforce,
production, service and delivery.

What are we doingin Northumbria?
Some key steps include:• Working extremely closely with the Met Office so thatemergency responders can obtain early warning that severe
weather is due. The MET office provides advice for severe
weather warnings which can be received in many ways
(radio and internet)• The local authorities lead on the preparation of extremely
detailed winter plans to ensure that roads
are ploughed and gritted.
• The health service gears up every autumn for the additionalpressure which will be placed on their resources over the
winter and particularly works with the local authorities
to target elderly and vulnerable people.
• The NHS provides winter flu jabs and plans for expectedsurges in demand.
• The NHS and Public Health England provides heatwave advice• Utility Companies provide a prioritised service for the elderly
and vulnerable. Refer to page 29 for more information.

What can you do? – Plan ahead• Ensure you keep up to date with the latest forecast and any
National Severe Weather Warnings at www.metoffice.gov.uk.
Depending on the level of warning follow instructions
and advice given by authorities.
12• Plan any journeys or activities with the weather in mind.
• Think before you leave the house. Is your journey essential?
Remember that weather conditions can change very quickly
and make sure that you are not caught unawares, therefore
please avoid all non- essential travel.
• An obvious step is to ensure that you are prepared for winterboth in terms of your own attire but also some common sense
equipment in the boot of your car including shovels, non-slip
mats, a good quality torch and a blanket.
• Check that elderly or vulnerable people you know or live toclose to are supported.
• Encourage the vulnerable and elderly to register with the
public utility companies who will attempt to prioritise them if
their services are affected by the weather.
• If you are aware of property damage that may get worse in
the event of strong winds get it fixed now.
• Likewise, it is important to recognise that during the summer
any prolonged exposure to strong sunlight presents its own
health hazards. Make sure that you and your family makesensible use of sunscreen at such times and keep hydrated foryour own safety.

RecoveryEven after adverse weather, you still need to be vigilant.
There may still be low lying roads where pools of watermight catch you unawares. There may be damaged trees
and shrubbery ready to fall into the road and potholes
caused by cold weather, which can be dangerous for cyclists.

Further
information
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Met Office
Northumberland County Council
North Tyneside Council
Gateshead Council
Newcastle City Council
South Tyneside Council
Sunderland Council
Public Health England – staying well during cold
weather alerts• Public Health England/DHSC – heatwave plan

HumanDiseaseAn influenza pandemic occurs when a new strain of flu emerges
meaning there is no natural immunity to the virus, and it spreads
easily from person to person. It can cause mild to severe illness
and at times can lead to death.
An influenza type pandemic remains the highest assessed
natural hazard which could have a significant impact on ourcommunities. The emergence of new infectious diseases –such as SARS and COVID 19 – are unpredictable as they can

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spread quickly and erratically between geographic areas.
Each pandemic is different, the nature of the virus, it’slocation and the time of year it emerges, andits impacts cannot be known in advance.

Consequences

What can you do?

As we have witnessed during the Covid 19 pandemic theconsequences can be huge and wide ranging. Below is a
non-exhaustive list of some of the consequences• Large numbers of the population maybe impacted• Health and local authority social care services could
become overloaded• Normal life is likely to face widespread disruption, particularly
due to staff shortages affecting the provision of essential
services including production and transport of goods.
• Vulnerable people would be exposed to lower levels of care
• Longer and more frequent disruptions to essential utilities• Reduced levels of emergency services cover• Disruptions to businesses and organisations through staff
shortages and supply chain interruptions• Impacts on the national and local economy• Excess deaths may occur• Maintain a healthy lifestyle by washing your hands frequently
with soapy water to reduce the spread of the virus andregularly clean surfaces with disinfectant• Look out for and observe advice and guidance from the
NHS about reducing the impact and spread of the virus• Get vaccinated• Identity a flu friend; someone who could collect medicine, foodand supplies allowing you to stay at home if you become ill• Keep small personal stocks of over the counter cold and flu
medication to help relieve your symptoms.
• Catch it, Bin it, Kill it: Always carry tissues and use them tocatch your cough or sneeze. Dispose of your tissues as soon
as possible. Clean your hands as soon as you can.

What are we doingin Northumbria?

Recovery
As we have seen with Co-vid 19 and as predicted an influenza
pandemic it will come in multiple waves and that the arrivalof a subsequent wave could hamper recovery from one wave.
All of the LRF together with Health and the Government haveworked tirelessly to try and flatten these waves during the
COVID – 19 pandemic.

• Working together to mitigate the risk; as one team within
the LRF• Public awareness and media to keep communities
fully informed• Management of the demand on the NHS and social care
• Ensuring vital supplies i.e. PPE etc reach those in need
• Distribution of anti-viral medication to the public• Vaccination with the newly developed pandemic vaccine
when it becomes available• Management of an increased number of deaths• Ensuring that individual LRF organisations have theirown business continuity plans in place to cope in timesof staff shortage• Additional multi agency planning and exercising to ensure
effectiveness and competence.

Further
information• NHS – Pandemic Flu
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pandemic-flu• Public Health England – Health Protection• Public Health England – infectious diseases

14Industrial
Accident andEnvironmental
Pollution

There are a number of industrial sites which undertake processing
and the storage of dangerous substances within the Northumbria
area that in the event of an incident could have offsite implications
which affect the public and/or the environment.

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Consequences
Issues that could arise from this include:• Risk to life
• Damage to property and infrastructure• Evacuation of the affected area and longer term
accommodation needs• Environmental contamination to the local environment
and water courses• Damage to the local economy

Who can be affected?
Most at risk are those who live or work within close proximity
to industrial sites. Those with existing breathing problems may
be at increased risk due to the potential smoke / chemicals that
may be released in a major incident.

What are we doingin Northumbria?
• Sites which have larger quantities of dangerous substances
fall under The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations(COMAH) 2015, which aims to prevent major accidents
involving dangerous substances and limit the consequencesof incidents to people and the environment. The regulations
are overseen jointly by the Health and Safety Executive andthe Environment Agency (Competent Authority)• These sites are required to demonstrate precautions and safe
operation. Sites are subject to planned inspection regimes.
Some of the areas looked at are the sites COMAH safety
report, control measures and the sites worst case scenarios• These sites have specific arrangements and have internal
emergency plans in place. There are also external emergency
plans produced for sites that have the largest amount of
dangerous substances (Upper Tier Sites). There is a statutory
requirement for such plans to be regularly tested and exercised
at suitable intervals not exceeding three years• Testing an emergency plan may consist of a live exercise
or a table-top exercise supported by the testing of othercomponents including communication arrangements.
A reasonable worst case scenario from the site will be chosen
to ensure the exercise is realistic and provides a good test
to validate the External Emergency Plan. All relevant staff
across shifts in all the relevant organisations should be trainedin their expected response in the event of an emergency.
• Upper Tier Sites are required to provide information about
their major accident hazards and measures in place for people
who could be affected by a major accident. They should
also provide information about what the public should do in
the event of a major accident. The people most likely to beaffected fall within a Public Information Zone (PIZ) areaaround the establishment. The PIZ is determined by the
HSE and Environment Agency (Competent Authority)• Despite Covid - 19 restrictions the LRF have continued toexercise the control measures at these sites using new
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technology in a virtual arena. This enables all stakeholders
to have assurances that the sites are continuing to be
managed safely.
• Industrial Sites that do not fall within the COMAH regulations
are visited by Fire and Rescue personnel who consider
potential hazards and may develop a specific response
plan for them.

What can you do?
• Call the Environment agency incident hotline to reportenvironmental pollution on 0800 807060 24-hour service• Know what major industrial sites are in your local area.
Make sure you are familiar with any advice they or yourlocal authority provide• Do you live within a Public Information Zone (PIZ) area? If
so take notice and familiarise yourself with the information
contained in the letter received from your local Upper
Tier COMAH site
• Be aware of the actions to be taken in the event ofan emergency• Seek shelter immediately. If you become aware of an incident
at a local major industrial facility, go indoors, stay indoors andtune in. Close doors and windows switch off air conditioning
to protect yourself from potential fumes and contaminants• Tune In to local media for further information and follow
the advice of the emergency services• Produce a household Emergency Plan
• Put together a small grab bag of essential items / important
contact information.

Further
information• Guidance Preparing for Emergencies Preparing
for emergencies - www.gov.uk• Environment Agency Environment Agency• Northumberland County Council• Gateshead Council• North Tyneside Council• Sunderland City Council• Health and Safety Executive

AnimalDiseaseSome animal diseases may be passed to humans;others may only be passed from animal to animal.
One such disease in this category is foot and mouthdisease. The 2001 outbreak resulted in over 10 million
sheep and cattle being killed across the country. It is also
likely that the whole of Great Britain would be declared acontrol area restricting the movement of all susceptible
livestock unless licensed.

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Consequences
The impacts of an animal disease outbreak could include:• Risk to animal health (including pets)• Risk to human health.
• Disruption to rural communities, local economies and theenvironment.
• Damage to the economy.
• Damage to tourism and recreational sectors.

Who can be affected?
Previous incidents have devastated rural economies andcommunities. However incidents can extend wider and impact
upon tourism.

What are we doingin Northumbria?
• Local authority staff work on animal health activities in the
LRF region (some directly funded by Defra under frameworkagreements). They provide education and advice, monitor
compliance with legislation, and work closely with Defra/
Animal Health on disease response.
• Working closely with Defra to make sure that lessons
identified from previous incidents are incorporated into
emergency plans.
• Animal Health legislation requiring notification of suspectdisease and providing control powers, on animal movements
so that the potential disease risks can be reduced.
• Maintaining quarantine procedures for animals coming
into the UK from abroad.

What can you do?
If involved in farming:• Register livestock with defra.
• Ensure sick animals are checked and reported.
• Vaccinate livestock where possible.
• If an outbreak is declared, follow Government advice to limit
the spread of the disease and protect your livestock.
As a member of the public:• Abide by restrictions in place to limit the spread of the diseasee.g. closed footpaths in rural areas etc.
• If you suspect a notifiable animal disease you must report
it immediately by calling the Defra Rural Services Helplineon 03000 200 301. In Scotland, contact your local Field
Services Office. Failure to do so is an offence.

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Further
information
For further information about animal disease
visit the DEFRA website at:www.gov.uk/government/collections/notifiable-diseases-in-animals

Wildfires

The UK experiences some of the most dynamic weather
patterns around. This is due to its maritime temperate
climate and occasional continental and artic influences.
Periods of warm, dry weather can help support thedevelopment of large vegetation fires – fires which wecall wildfires. Strong winds can also create ideal conditions
for large wildfires to spread. While wildfires tend to be
more common in the Spring and Summer, they can occur
at any time of year.
Some wildfires start as the result of natural causes, suchas lightning strikes. However, the majority of wildfires in
the UK are started by human actions such as BBQs,
campfires and open fires, carelessly discarded smoking
materials, allowing controlled burns to get out of handand arson.

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Emergency responders and other partner agencies mayneed to mobilise significant resources to bring wildfires
under control. There have been numerous wildfires inrecent years in the Northumbria area which have burned foranywhere between a few hours to more than one month.
Wildfires can be extremely dangerous and challenging
to extinguish. They can cause significant problems anddisruption to normal life.

Consequences
Some of the potential impacts of wildfires are:• Danger to life
• Damage to property• Damage to infrastructure• Damage to the natural environment and protected sites(including the damage and loss of important natural resources/ assets such as peat and woodland)• Environmental contamination of water courses and reservoirs
from fire runoff• Damage to the historic / heritage environment andprotected sites• Travel disruption for road, rail and air• Increased risk of road traffic collisions due to smoke• Damage to pylons and above ground utility structures,
which could result in power and water failure and damage
to electricity and telephone lines• An increased number of admissions to hospital andconsultations with GPs, due to respiratory problems fromwildfire smoke• Reduced levels of emergency services cover• Evacuation of the affected area and associatedaccommodation needs• Impacts on the local economy• Medium- and long-term impacts associated with groundinstability and soil erosion.

•Who can be affected?

We all have a responsibility to protect our countryside and open
spaces for current and future generations. Everyone can play animportant part in helping to prevent wildfires from starting in thefirst place:• When you use or visit the countryside, always follow theCountryside Code. It includes the rules you must follow when
you’re enjoying parks and waterways, coast and countryside:- Remember to take your litter home - leave no trace of 		
your visit- Take care with BBQs and do not light fires- Always keep dogs under control and in sight- Dog poo - bag it and bin it - any public waste bin will do- Care for nature - do not cause damage or disturbance• You must follow the signs in the countryside that tell you
where you can go and who can use the right of way• Never use sky lanterns – they can cause wildfires, injure
livestock and pollute the environment• If you undertake controlled / prescribed burning to manage
your land, always abide by the Heather and Grass Burning
Regulations and always follow the Heather and Grass
Burning Code• If you think your site or land is at higher risk of wildfire,contact your local fire and rescue service for further advice
and guidance.

Wildfires can occur anywhere there is vegetation. They canoccur in the uplands and lowlands, in grass fields and crops, inurban parks and on the coast. Residents, businesses and visitors
to the countryside and open areas are therefore at the highest
risk. Individuals with existing breathing / respiratory problems areat increased risk due to the smoke released during wildfires.

What are we doingin Northumbria?
Some key steps include:• Working extremely closely with the Met Office so thatemergency responders can obtain early warning that wildfire
risk is elevated• Regular monitoring of the Met Office Fire Severity Index(FSI). The FSI shows the current day’s wildfire severity and aforecast of likely fire severity over the coming five days
• Developing and delivering a wildfire communications plan
to provide information on elevated wildfire risk to residents,
businesses and visitors.
• Providing wildfire prevention and preparedness advice toresidents, businesses and visitors• The fire and rescue services maintain a highly skilled andtrained group of specialist wildfire officers that can be20

deployed to large wildfire incidents to provide specialist
tactical advice and guidance to incident commanders
The fire and rescue services lead on the preparation of
extremely detailed fire plans for sites that are considered at
highest risk of wildfires. These plans ensure that the fire andrescue services are well prepared if a wildfire occurs
Develop and exercise multi-agency procedures to ensure aneffective response to wildfires
Joint working and collaborating on wildfire issues through themultiagency Northumberland Fire Group
Cross-border working and collaboration on wildfire issues withneighbouring fire and rescue services and local wildfire groups.

•••

What can you do?
• If you see a wildfire, make sure you are in a safe place andthen call 999 immediately. Provide as much information as you
can about the location and the direction the fire is travelling• Under exceptional conditions, some areas of land (classified
as open access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way
Act, 2000) may be temporarily closed to the public. Please do
not go onto open access land that has been closed• Make sure that you have suitable insurance and think about
where you would go, and stay, if an emergency meant thatyou couldn’t stay at home
• Tune in to local media for further information about any
ongoing wildfire incidents and follow the advice of theemergency services.

Recovery
Even after a wildfire has been extinguished, you still need
to be vigilant. There may be damaged trees and shrubs andunstable ground.
The location of a wildfire will significantly impact the levelof damage caused and the recovery time.
Recovery from wildfires can be prolonged. Wildfires can cause
damage to property and critical infrastructure, which could take asignificant time to recover. If peat is burned during a wildfire it willtake an extremely long period to recover and may not ever recover.

Further
information
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

21

The Countryside CodeFollow the Signs and Symbols of the Countryside
Met Office
Met Office Fire Severity Index
Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service – Keepsafe outdoors
Northumberland Fire Group
National Fire Chief’s Council Wildfire Prevention
Toolkit
Heather and Grass Burning CodeHeather and Grass Burning etc. (England)
Regulations 2021
Public Health England

CyberCyber space has become central to our economy and our society.
Increasing our reliance on cyber space brings new opportunities
but also new threats. While cyber space fosters open markets
and open societies, this very openness can also make us more
vulnerable to criminals, hackers, foreign intelligence services
who want to harm us by compromising or damaging ourcritical data and systems.
Worldwide interconnectivity and digitalisation is transforming how individuals,
businesses and local authorities live and operate with a wide scale shift ofservices and capabilities online.

22Consequences• Impacts of cyber-attacks can cause fatalities and casualties
should the NHS be specifically targeted.
• Financial loss is the most commonly seen impact resulting
from cyber-attacks, both the direct theft of funds online,
but also the recovery costs post attack.
• Loss/compromise of personal or corporate information• Damage to business, the economy and reputation• Loss of/interruption to supply of essential goods andservices and communications network.

What are we doingin Northumbria?
• Assess the local consequences of malicious threats in linewith UK Government guidance• Develop and exercise multi-agency plans to ensure aneffective response to and manage the consequencesof malicious attacks• Communicating advice to the public and businesses,
and support government awareness campaigns• Encourage all LRF organisations to review and demonstratethat where possible they have responsible cyber resiliencestrategies

What can you do?
• Install internet security on your laptop/tablet/PC, there’s
a wide range of paid for and free programmes available• Consider the websites you use; some are more likely to
be targeted by criminals• Don’t reuse the same password for your social media accounts,
email addresses and other online accounts. Also consider
using fake answers for memorable questions• Review your social media privacy settings to see what
other internet users can see about you

Recovery
The range of impacts caused by malicious cyber activity can bewide ranging and recovery can be a long and expensive process.
The capability of attackers is uncertain, and the time taken to
recover from a cyber-attack is entirely dependent on the scale
and the effectiveness of any recovery plans.

Further
information• National Cyber Security Centre• Top tips for staying secure online

23

Malicious
attacks
The Government’s counter terrorism
strategy, CONTEST is an integrated
approach based on four main work
streams, each with a clear objective
to try and stop terrorist attacks
occurring or, when they do, tomitigate their impact. The CONTEST
work streams outlined alongside:• Pursue: stopping terrorist attacks• Protect: strengthening ourprotection against attack• Prepare: mitigating the impactof attacks• Prevent: stopping people
becoming terrorists or
supporting violent extremism

Attacks are rare but the issue of terrorist attacks is regularly in the news and remind us all of the terrorist threat we face.
The police and Security service have been working constantly to foil terrorist attacks for years.
24Terrorism threat levels

Recovery• The threat level indicates the likelihood of a terrorist attackin the UK. There are five levels of threat:• LOW means an attack is highly unlikely• MODERATE means an attack is possible, but not likely• SUBSTANTIAL means an attack is likely• SEVERE means an attack is highly likely• CRITICAL means an attack is highly likely in the near future
The level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and the
Security Service (MI5). Threat levels don’t have an expiry date.
They can change at any time as different information becomes
available to security agents.

The impact of a terrorist attack can be wide ranging and insome cases recovery can be a long and expensive process. The
capability of attackers is under continuous review and the police
alongside partners and private organisation prepare strategies tomitigate, manage and recover from a terrorist attack.

What are we doingin Northumbria?
The government will issue a warning to the public if that’s thebest way to protect a community or a place facing a specificthreat. Police and security agencies are working tirelessly toprotect the public. As a group of local responders, the LRF is
focussed on preparing for the consequences of any emergency,
regardless of cause, and our plans try and set out genericcapabilities that can be used in any emergency situation.

What can you do?
We are not complacent about keeping you safe and people areunderstandably concerned about a firearms or weapons attack.
These attacks are very rare but in the event of such an attack,it helps to be prepared.
Stay safe, and just remember the words: RUN. HIDE. TELL.
• Run. To a place of safety, this is a far better option than tosurrender or negotiate, if there’s nowhere else to go then: • Hide. It’s better to hide than to confront. Remember to turnyour phone to silent and turn off vibrate. Barricade yourself
in if you can. Then finally and only when it’s safe to do so: • Tell. The police by calling 999.
Everyone is asked to remain vigilant and report any suspicious
behaviour or activity to the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline
on 0800 789 321 or in an emergency, 999.
Become a CT Citizen - ACT Awareness eLearning is an online
training package available to the public. The package will
provide nationally recognised counter terrorism guidance to help
people better understand, and mitigate against, current terrorist
methodology. ACT Awareness Elearning (https://www.gov.uk/
government/news/act-awareness-elearning )25

Further
information• National Counter Terrorism Security Office• Report suspicious activity to MI5• To get more information about terrorism levelsin the UK MI5 Website. gov.uk/what-to-look-for• National public Referral Tool for Counter
Terrorism Internet Referral Unit -The
iREPORTitAppUtilities
FailureNo matter the cause, a loss of utilities can be difficult to handle
when underprepared. Following the advice on this page will
help you be prepared if your property is affected.

26

Gas

Water

• Turn off all gas appliances; check that they are definitely off.
• If you can smell gas or suspect a leak, leave the property andcall the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999• Put out any naked flames and don’t smoke or strike
any matches• Don’t use any gas appliances until they have been checkedby an engineer.
• Turn off your electrical appliances, and avoid turning any
switches on or off.
• Open your doors and windows.
• Keep other people away from the area.
• More information available from Northern Gas Network
northerngasnetworks.co.uk/network-supply/gas-emergencies/• Know how to check if the problem is internal or external toyour property• Store bottles of water in an accessible place that you can use
to keep yourself and your family hydrated during a loss ofwater event.
• Wrap-up your pipes - pipes can be exposed to freezing
temperatures if they’re in a part of your home that isn’t heated.
Water companies recommend that any water pipes which
are exposed to cold temperatures (such as those in the loftor in outside buildings like garages and out-houses, or youroutside tap) should be protected with lagging. This helps tokeep your pipes cosy and warm, reducing the risk of themfreezing and bursting.
• Find your stop tap - if there’s a burst pipe at home, the fastest
way to stop the flow is to turn your stop tap off. Normallythey’re under the kitchen sink or in the downstairs toilet but may also be in a utility room or garage.
• More information available from Northumbrian Water https://www.nwl.co.uk/services/water/water-supply/no-waterElectricity• In a power cut you can contact your local provider by dialling
105. It’s free and you will be put through to a local network
operator who can give you help and advice.

What should I do during a power cut?
• Switch off all electrical appliances, ready for when the power
comes back on.
• Leave a light on so you know when the power outage has
been resolved.
• Check to see if your neighbours are okay.
• Wrap up warm
• Report the power cut, if you are unsure who your operator is,call 105.
• more information available from Northern Powergrid
www.northernpowergrid.com/what-to-do-in-a-power-cut• A live map of power cuts, can be accessed from any internet
enabled phone www.northernpowergrid.com/power-cuts

How can I prepare for a Power Cut?
• Keep a torch handy – It’s much safer than using candles• Get a battery- powered or wind up radio (useful for keeping
up to date with relevant local news)• Keep Warm – keep a blanket and warm clothing handy and filla vacuum flask or hot water bottle.
• Stock your cupboard with food and drink that doesn’t require
electricity to prepare it.
• Keep your mobile phone and laptop fully charged.
• Check network operators website or social media channels
for updates.

27

Priority Scheme Priority Services Register
The Priority Services Register is a free service provided bysuppliers and network operators. Each energy supplier andnetwork operator maintains its own register. To register and tocheck eligibility, you need to contact your utility suppliers.

Who is eligible?
You could be eligible if you:• are of pensionable age• are disabled or chronically sick• have a long-term medical condition• have a hearing or visual impairment or additional
communication needs• are in a vulnerable situation

How to get on the register
You need to contact your utility suppliers to get on the Priority
Services Register. Each energy supplier and network operator
maintains its own register.
You can ask your supplier to pass your details on to your network
operator, especially if you are dependent on your supply for
medical reasons or if you have children under five years old.
If you have a different supplier for your gas and electricity,
you need to contact them both.
If you switch supplier, you’ll need to register for the service
again with them.

Help you can get bybeing on the register• Advance notice of planned power cuts. If you rely medicallyon your energy supply you can arrange for the company thatruns the local energy network (the network operator) to give
you advance notice of planned power cuts. For example, when
they plan to carry out engineering work.
• Priority support in an emergency. This could involve the local
network operator providing alternative heating and cooking
facilities in the event of a supply interruption. In a loss ofwater event you could receive bottled water to your door
• Identification scheme. This is to reassure you that callers,for example meter readers, are genuine. Suppliers have toprovide additional support to help you identify someone acting
on behalf of their company. This could include arranging apassword or showing an agreed picture card upon visit.
• Nominee scheme. Customers can ask their supplier to sendcommunications (such as account statements or bills) tosomeone you have nominated who agrees to receive them.
For example, this could be a family member, carer or someone
you trust.
• Arrangements to ensure that it’s safe and practical for
you to use your prepayment meter. For example moving aprepayment meter if you are unable to access it safely to
top it up.
• Meter reading services at appropriate intervals. If nobody
living at your property is able to read the meter and there
isn’t anyone else you can nominate to read the meter on
your behalf, your supplier may be able to read it for you.
• Accessible information. Account and bill information inan accessible format, for example in larger print or braille.

Further
information• Power Cut Advice in all areas
http://www.powercut105.com• Preparing for Emergencies Guidance
http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-emergencies/preparing-foremergencies#prepare-yourself-for-emergencies• National Emergency Plan for Electricity
http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
national-emergency-plan-downstream-gas-andelectricity-2016• Northumbrian Water Priority Services Register
http://www.nwl.co.uk/services/extra-support/
priority-services/• Scottish Power Energy Networks(Northumberland North and Bedford) http://
www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/power_
cuts• Northern Gas Networks• Northern Power Grid

28

How canyour local
community
be prepared?
Wide-scale emergencies can and do happen. In the last 5 years
the UK has seen events such as heavy snow, flooding, chemical
incidents, drought, riots utility failures, fuel shortages and apandemic.

29

What is a community
emergency plan?
A community emergency plan provides advice and guidance toa local community (this may be the parish council, neighborhood
watch area or even a single street) both in advance of and during
any significant emergency. To see if a community emergency plan
exists in your area please visit your local authority web site.

Why have a community
emergency plan?
The purpose of community resilience is to encourage people toplan and be prepared to put in place a self-help response within acommunity which is affected by an emergency.
Experience has shown that, sometimes due to the scale andnature of an emergency, the normal response provided by the
emergency services and the local authorities can be delayed. On
these occasions anything which the local community can do tosupport each other will help them deal with the emergency more
effectively.

How to get started
Community resilience measures can be as little as designatinga point of contact within the community to receive warnings
and messages from emergency services and local authorities.
The plan can grow over time to include areas such as:- A parish emergency team- Community buildings which can be used as emergency
evacuation facilities- Knowledge of skills and expertise within the community- knowledge of special equipment or vehicles within thecommunity- Identification of vulnerable premises and people within
the local area specific actions based on specific risks.

Further
information
A new page on GOV.UK - Preparing for emergencies,
signposts users to key public facing content
which is useful for individual, business andcommunity resilience.

30

Planning
for anemergency
Some emergencies require evacuation; somerequire staying in and sheltering - are you ready?
In the case of most major emergencies, the simple advice
is to go inside, stay inside, and tune into local radio.
We use local radio to broadcast emergency warnings andinformation. It is one of the most accessible means ofcommunication as it can be received in homes, businesses
and cars.
Radio is very reliable as it can still broadcast and be received
during a power cut by using a wind-up or battery powered radio.
With most incidents the safest place to be is indoors, and withcorrect preparation you should be able to stay there safely forsome time. Remember, in the case of a fire in a building you
are in – get out, stay out and call the Fire and Rescue Service out.
Knowing what to do during an emergency is an importantpart of being prepared and may make all the difference whenseconds count.
To prepare for an emergency you should take time to find out • Where and how to turn off water, gas and electricity supplies
in your home.
• The emergency procedures for your children at school.
• The emergency procedures at your workplace.
• How your family will stay in contact in the event of an
emergency.
• If any elderly or vulnerable neighbours will need your help.
• How to tune in to your local radio station.
• A list of useful phone numbers, e.g. for your doctor and close
relatives.
• Where you would go if you were asked to evacuate.
Having a C.L.E.A.R plan (Check, List, Emergency Bag, Act, Recover)will mean you are prepared for when the unexpected happens, so
you can respond safely and recover quickly.
31

Check:

Always check the radio, television, social media or internet
for weather warnings and news.
Local radio and television• Reliable Sources of information• Set the following radio stations for your area:

Radio station

Frequency

BBC Newcastle

FM 95.4 MHz

Heart North East

FM: 101.8 MHz

Capital North East

FM 106.4 MHz

Radio Borders

FM 102.3 MHz

Smooth Radio

FM 97.5 MHz

Metro Radio

FM 97.1 MHz

Look for verified social media accounts which are official sourcesof information are more reliable. Add the emergency services,
local council, Met Office and the Environment Agency to yoursocial media networks.

Social media
Facebook
TwitterList:
Make a list of medication you take; important phone numbers andinsurance policy no. & carry at all times.
• Keep important documents i.e. birth certificates and passports,
above flood levels in a fireproof box if possible.
• Keep computer information on an external storage device.
• Keep all these in one place, to quickly take these with you
in an emergency.
• Save useful numbers in your mobile phone and keep a list in
your wallet / purse
Have you put ICE (In Case of Emergencies) contacts in yourmobile phone?
ICE allows the emergency services to contact someone if you
are unable to. An appropriate ICE contact is important because
they may need to give consent for medical treatment. You candownload ICE apps for your mobile; alternatively, you can keep
the same information on a card in your wallet/purse.

Emergency Bag:
An Emergency Bag is useful, especially if you have to leave
your home quickly / stay indoors without power for a few days.
The bag should be small enough to carry. Check it regularly
to ensure it has everything you need and items like torches
work. Consider leaving the batteries out until you need to use
it. Consider putting dried & tinned food as well as candles andmatches in a separate box. You will need this if you have to stayindoors for a few days.
Your bag could contain:• Household emergency plan
• Toiletries, sanitary supplies and any regularly medication• First aid kit• Wind up radio / torch with spare batteries• Cash and credit cards• Essential keys (House and Car keys)• Mobile phone and a charger and a spare charged up powerpack• Baby food and care items where necessary• Warm waterproof clothing and blankets• Bottles of water, ready to eat food (e.g. tinned food) anda bottle / tin opener• Gather important documents in a waterproof wallet (suchas personal ID, banking card and insurance documents)• Items for pets

Act:
Should an emergency happen, act when you need to.
If the danger is outside – STAY IN: TUNE IN• Stay there until you are told the emergency is over or you
are advised to leave.
• Listen to your local radio or TV news for updates.
If the danger is inside (or you are told to evacuate) – STAY OUT:
If it is safe and you have time:• Take the items you need (incl. your emergency bag).
32• Turn off electricity, gas and water supplies, unplug appliancesand lock all doors and windows.
• Go to a safe place.
• If you leave by car take bottled water and blankets• Take your pets (with suitable carriers or leads) and pet food
• Inform the emergency services where you have gone and how
you can be contacted• Tune into local radio for emergency advice and instructions• Ensure that you take all health related items including glasses,
hearing aids and any prescribed medication.
Safe Places• Know the quickest / safest routes out your house.
• Arrange a safe place to meet if separated.
• Tell someone if you stay with friends.
Flooding• Move valuable items and pets to safety; with plenty of food& water.
• Stay safe when travelling• Listen to emergency services advice.
• Stay out of flood water.

Recover:
Taking the CLEAR steps in this guide will help you recover andget back to normal much quicker.
After major incidents like flooding, there may also be recovery
surgeries and drop in sessions which will provide you withfurther advice. Look out for information in the local media
from your council.
What to do when returning home?
• Listen to advice of emergency services or local authorities.
• Be wary of anyone offering to carry out building work
(check their credentials).
Contact your local authority for support.

Business
Continuity
Management
Business continuity is based on a very simple idea which,surprisingly, many firms and businesses do not embrace.
At its simplest, it means having a plan for when something goes
wrong so that you maintain the essential parts of your businessand recovery as quickly as possible by having a ‘work around’ forpredicted impacts.
What could be easier than that? The reality is that a huge numberof people who experience a business disruption never recoverfrom it. It might be a fire, a flood or you might just lose your staff
for some reason. Business continuity means doing some thinking
in advance about what you would do if a crisis like this occurred.
A workable business continuity could be as simple as:• A simple impact analysis that lists the staff, equipment andpremises that you need as a minimum to continue to operate
even a basic service.
• A contact list both for your customers and suppliers but also
for your staff – the average duration of ownership of a mobile
phone in the UK is less than 12 months.
• An action card with the first 10 things that you need to do if
the business is under threat. This will not be anything obscure,but will get you through the first couple of hours of theemergency.
• Simple plans of any key buildings showing electricity andutility cut-offs.

33

The only thing left to do is make sure thatyour colleagues and partners know about
the plan and that you take it out of the drawer
and test it in some form once in a while.

Frequency
asked
questions
What is the Community Risk Register (CRR)?

Is this not all just common sense?

It details some of the key emergencies that might happen in
the Northumbria LRF area. It is a requirement under the Civil
Contingencies Act 2004 that this information is available to local
communities. The idea is that if people know what might happen,
they can take sensible precautions to protect themselves.

The document is intended to bring together in a readable format
a lot of information that some people may be partly aware ofand other people may have much less understanding of the
problems that could arise. Airline pilots do not work from achecklist because they do not know how to fly – they workfrom a checklist, so nothing gets missed!

What is the CRR based on?
Every two years the government publishes a National Risk
Register based on a mass of data including historic, scientific andspecialist analysis to assess the risks to the UK as a whole andallocate them some sort of priority. We look at this data in a local
context so that we can provide members of the public with simple,
understandable and relevant information about risk.

Why do I need to know about community risks?
The intention is not to scare you – but rather to put you in a better
position to cope in the event of an incident. Again, a common
misunderstanding is that this is the job of the emergency services
and has little to do with the general members of the public. It
has been demonstrated time after time that when communities
come together to support each other during an emergency they
can be hugely effective.

34

Is this not a bit extreme?
Unfortunately not. Major and serious incidents are comparatively
rare in this country, but we are still better placed by understanding
what might happen so that we can respond effectively.

Will the emergency services understandwhat we are doing?
Absolutely. Let’s take one example – flooding – and think about
what you can do to help. You have the local knowledge, you know
where the most vulnerable people live, you may be able to offer
somebody hospitality for a couple of hours and, mostly, you careabout your community. In the early stages of a serious incident,
the emergency services will probably be stretched and greatly
welcome your support.

Personal information page
Useful contacts

Name

Details

Schools
Work
Electricity
Gas
Water
Telephone
Insurance
Doctor
Other
Other
Other

If evacuated, where could you stay?
Useful contacts

First choice

Second choice

35

Name

Contact details

LocationUsefulcontacts
Environment Agency Incident Hotline

Northumberland County Council

0800 80 70 60

0345 600 6400

NHS 111

North Tyneside Council

Gas leaks

0800 111 999 –0191 278 7878

Electricity Power Outage 1050191 433 3000

Northumbrian Water

South Tyneside Council

0345 717 1100

0191 427 7000

North East Ambulance Service

Sunderland City Council

999 for life-threatening emergencies or
111 When it’s less urgent than 999

0191 520 5555

Northumbria Police

0800 66 88 77

Tyne and Wear Fire Service

999 in emergency –if not 0191 444 1500
Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service

999 in an emergency if not
01670 621111
Mountain Rescue (Accident or lost /missing person in the hills or forest)

999 ask for the Police who inturn will contact Mountain Rescue
NP_2419

Newcastle City Council

If you are deaf or hearing impaired and havea minicom or textphone call 0800 371787

999 in an emergency if not 101

360345 2000 101

Gateshead Council

Northern Power Grid

Northern Gas Networks

0800 040 7766

and press option 3
Age Concern

0800 678 1602
Carers Trust

Tel: 0300 772 9600

Email: info@carers.org
Citizens Advice

0800 144 8848