The response to a major incident or emergency is coordinated by a range of partners. Wealden District Council is part of that response in Sussex. We support the community by maintaining critical services during disruption and prioritising recovery, to return normality.
Our Responsibility
Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, Wealden council is a Category 1 responder alongside East Sussex County Council, the Emergency Services, NHS, Public Health, and the Environment Agency. Category 1 responders have statutory responsibilities to respond to, plan for and recover from emergencies. These duties require us to:- Asses the risk of emergencies occurring, writing plans to prepare for the highest risks that pose the greatest threat to our communities. The Community Risk Register highlights the top risks in Sussex
- Warning, informing, and advising the public in the event of an emergency
- Share information and cooperate with other local responders to enhance co-ordination and efficiency
- Work in partnership with other responders, including the Military, other Government Departments, and the Voluntary Sector
Emergency Support
In an emergency, we have arrangements in place to support our residents when they need it the most. This includes:- Maintaining a 24/7 on-call response rota
- Providing support and specialist teams to emergency services
- Arranging transport, temporary shelter, and food provision
- Coordinating recovery from an incident
- Supporting and co-ordinating the voluntary sector response
Who to contact in an emergency
The Emergency Planning Service ensures that the Council is prepared to respond to any major emergency which occurs within the District, to support neighbouring authorities and emergency services and to respond to national disasters should they occur. In the event of a major emergency the points of contact are:- Emergency Services: 999 (24 hour)
- To report an incidents and emergency to the Council during office hours (9am to 5pm) please contact our offices on 01323 443322
- In a major emergency out of office hours our duty emergency response officer can be contacted on 01323 443599
- In a homelessness emergency out of office hours call 0330 123 3517 or email lifeline@corservcare.co.uk
- Council Housing Tenants requiring emergency repairs outside of office hours please call 01323 443375
- For an environmental health emergency out of office hours call 0330 123 3517 or email lifeline@corservcare.co.uk
Other Useful Contacts
There are also some useful contacts to have easily accessible in an emergency:- Your landlord / managing agent / housing association
- Your insurance company
- Police, Fire or Ambulance (emergency) – 999
- Sussex Police (non-emergency) – 101
- NHS (non-emergency) – 111
- East Sussex Fire Brigade (non-emergency) – 0303 999 1000
- Anti-Terrorism Hotline (to report anything suspicious – always call 999 in an emergency) – 0800 789 321
- Gas Emergency Services – 0800 111 999
- UK Power Networks -105
- Environment Agency Floodline – 0345 988 1188 / Typetalk 0345 602 6340
Emergency Advice
The following guidance can be followed to help stay safe in an emergency:Evacuation
There may be incidents where you are asked to evacuate your home. Please cooperate with the emergency services who are evacuating you, as they are doing this for your own safety.Temporary Accommodation
You may wish to stay with friends and family – if you do, please let the emergency services or the council know how to contact you. Check whether your home insurance covers temporary accommodation. If your property is managed by a housing association/ private agent, they are responsible for providing you with temporary accommodation.Emergency Rest Centres
If the incident requires it, the council will open an emergency rest centre to accommodate people who have been displaced by an emergency.Power Cut
Make a ‘power cut kit’ of essential items that can be easily found and used. This might include torches, emergency blankets, wind up radios and spare power packs for your phones. Keep your freezer door closed as food can last up to 24 hours. Turn off and unplug any non-essential electrical equipment, leaving one light on so that you know when power is restored. Keep warm by staying in one room and wearing several layers of clothing. Keep an eye on any elderly or ill neighbours.Flooding
Sign up to get automated flood warnings from the Environment Agency and severe weather warnings from the Met Office. Dial 999 if it is an emergency. Check whether your home insurance covers flooding and know how to turn off mains water, gas, and electricity. Make a ‘flood kit’ of essential items which might include a torch, key documents, bottled water, and warm clothing.Business Continuity
Business continuity is about ensuring your organisation can continue to function, at an agreed level, during a disruptive incident. The core types of disruption an organisation can prepare for are:- Loss of premises (e.g., uninhabitable due to fire damage, inaccessible as within a police cordon or due to public health restrictions)
- Loss of ICT (e.g., software/hardware issues, telecommunications failure, or cyber-attack)
- Loss of staff (e.g., transport disruptions, or a health pandemic)
- Loss of supplier (e.g., going into administration, or experiencing their own internal incident)
Communities
You can volunteer to help your community. The voluntary sector is a great source of help to the council and the emergency services during an emergency. You can become a volunteer to help improve community resilience. There are many organisations which you can join including:- British Red Cross
- Community Reserve Volunteers – You can sign up to help if an emergency happens in your area. You will help with tasks such as preparing kit and equipment, sorting and handing out supplies and making refreshments
- Emergency Response Volunteers – If you sign up, you will work alongside the emergency services to provide practical and emotional support to help people when they need it most
- Salvation Army
- St John’s Ambulance
- Royal Voluntary Service
Support for Vulnerable Residents
You may be eligible to sign up for the Priority Service Register through your utility provider and get extra help during an emergency. This register is a free service provided by suppliers and network operators. Each energy supplier maintains its own register, and you must apply through your supplier. You also can receive more information about the Priority Services Register through Ofgem or Citizens Advice Bureau.Eligibility
You will normally get priority services if your energy company classes you as ‘vulnerable’. This might include the following:- Disabled or have a long-term health condition
- Recovering from an injury
- Mental health problems
- Do not speak or read English well
- Children under 5 or are pregnant
- Reached your State Pension age
Support
The type of support you can receive will depend on your circumstances and what is offered by the supplier. Help that you could receive includes:- Advance notice of planned disruptions (e.g., planned maintenance work by your water / gas supplier)
- Priority help in the event of a utility disruption (e.g., power, electricity or gas cut)
- Password scheme so you can easily identify callers and visitors from the utility company
- Bills and account information in accessible formats such as large print, Braille, and audio
- Meter readings
- Nomination of an authorised friend / family member / third party person to support account management
- Arrangements to ensure that it is safe and practical for you to use your prepayment meter