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Home: Q&A
Emergency planning
Sean Westerby - August 2008
emergency.planning@kirklees.gov.uk
How to contact us...
| By email to: |
emergency.planning@kirklees.gov.uk |
| By phone: |
01484 226414 |
| In writing to: |
Corporate Safety and Resilience
Design & Property Service
Kirkgate Buildings
Byram Street
Huddersfield
HD1 1BY |
What is the Emergency Planning Section responsible for?
The Emergency Planning Section is responsible for preparing, maintaining
and updating the Emergency Plans, which set out the Kirklees response to
major emergencies or disasters that may affect the area. The plans comply
with Home Office guidelines and take into account the needs of the emergency
services (Police, fire and ambulance services), Kirklees residents, Utility
Companies (Gas, electricity, water and telephone providers) and neighbouring local authorities.
In the event of a Major Disaster, the emergency services, external agencies
and utility service providers may contact the Emergency Planning Officers
for help.
What is the Kirklees Council Emergency Plan?
The Emergency Plan sets out how we will respond to a request for help from any emergency service or any other agencies. It is
used as a reference manual for dealing with incidents that comply with our definition of a major emergency, and
contains contact details of Emergency Planning staff. It provides detailed guidance for dealing with different types
of incidents and comprises the following sections:
- public evacuation
- temporary mortuaries
- hazardous substances
- radiation
- severe weather or floods
- dealing with the media
- utility failures
- rabies
- Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN)
- Standedge tunnel
- Fuel contingency plan
- Influenza pandemic
The Emergency Plan is a confidential document and is reviewed and updated twice each year.
What is a Major Disaster for Kirklees Council?
A serious disruption to life, arising with little or no warning, causing
or threatening death or serious injury to, or rendering homeless, such numbers
of people in excess of those which can be dealt with by the local authority,
or other public services, operating under normal procedures and which calls
for the special mobilisation and organisation of those services.
The Emergency Planning Team has produced Planning for Emergencies (PDF 59KB) - a brief guide to help you prepare for an emergency such as fire, flood and severe weather.
What is the role of Kirklees Council in a Major Disaster?
When dealing with a disaster it is our responsibility to:
- Alert and call into action the appropriate Council service
- Co-ordinate all council services involved in dealing with the disaster
- Provide personnel and equipment
- Provide and co-ordinate any additional resources required from the
council or other agencies (while still seeking to maintain a good level
of ongoing council services).
What are the aims of all the services when dealing with a major disaster?
The common aims for all the services involved are as follows:
- Save lives
- Prevent the disaster escalating
- Relieve suffering
- Safeguard the environment
- Protect property
- Assist with criminal, judicial, public, technical or other inquiries
- Restore a normal situation as soon as possible
The main aims for the council officers are to:
- Support the emergency services
- Support and care for affected people and help them to return to living normal lives in the community
- Restore the environment
Who does what in emergency planning? |
Download Who does what in emergencies (PDF 832kb) (external link).
This document has been produced via the West Yorkshire Emergency Planning Officers' Forum. The forum is a non-statutory
or regulatory meeting of Emergency Planning Officers within West Yorkshire and is supported by the metropolitan
councils of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield; West Yorkshire Police; West Yorkshire Fire &
Rescue Service; Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS); Environment Agency; Northern and Yorkshire Regional Health
Authority and utilities.
What is the role of the emergency services in a major disaster?
- The Police:
The Police take overall control and co-ordination of those at and around
the incident scene. They establish cordons where possible, carry out criminal
investigations and help to deal with enquiries by other agencies, such
as the Health and Safety Executive and Air Accident Investigation Branch.
The Police also control access to the scene of terrorist incidents.
- The Fire Service:
The Fire Service is responsible for rescue work, extinguishing fires and
dealing with dangerous chemicals or substances. They help the ambulance
service with casualties and the Police to recover bodies. The Fire Service
is responsible for the health and safety of staff from all the agencies
working within the inner cordon at the scene of an incident and for liaising
with the Police about access to the site (except for terrorist incidents).
- The Ambulance Service:
The Ambulance Service is responsible for co-ordinating health services
at the scene of an incident. This includes providing supportive treatment
and sufficient ambulances, staff and equipment to evacuate casualties
from the scene to treatment centres. Those with serious injuries are evacuated
first.
What types of incident have been dealt with by the Emergency Planning Team |
Fortunately, to date, there has never been a major incident in Kirklees. However, there have been a number of minor
ones which have required the support of council services. Here a just a few:
- Flooding
- Gas explosion
- Gas failure
- Chemical Incident
- Fire
- Hostage situation
Based on the topography of the district, there are a number of areas across Kirklees which have a high potential for flooding.
Who issues emergency flooding information?
The Environment Agency is responsible for issuing flooding information. The The
online flood warning service shows the real time
current flood warning situation throughout England and Wales. It is automatically
updated every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Which areas of Kirklees are susceptible to river flooding and how do I
find out if a flood warning has been issued for these areas?
On the Environment Agency web site you can check the River Calder, River Colne, Fenay Beck and Batley Beck for each
of the areas shown below. There are two levels of warning, classed as 'Warning' and 'Severe warning'. Some locations
can have both levels of warning. Where this is the case, each level has a separate hyperlink.
You can telephone the Environment Agency emergency floodline on 0845 988 1188.
Who is responsible when river flooding occurs?
The Environment Agency is responsible for the maintenance of "main rivers and strategic streams"
which includes lengths of the Rivers Calder, Colne and Holme; Fenay Beck and Batley Beck in Kirklees.
For non "main rivers" and streams the responsibility for their maintenance and the removal of obstructions
etc. lies with the riparian owners of the land adjacent to the water course. Where a stream passes
through a culvert underneath a highway for which Kirklees Council is the highway authority, then the
Council is the responsible authority for the watercourse.
The use of sandbags?
If you need to protect your property from flooding, you may consider using filled sandbags to keep
the water out of air vents, doors and other water accessible points to your property or to divert
water away. There are two sandbag types - hessian sacking, or polypropylene. The hessian bags should
be stored empty, in a dry place and should be filled just before they are required. When properly
stacked these are the most efficient at stopping water, however they tend to decay once filled with sand.
Polypropylene sandbags are more durable when filled but may be slightly less efficient in their application.
Sandbags may be purchased from builders merchants and DIY stores, whose details can be found in the local telephone directory.
Where can I find information about other types of flooding?
For information about flooded houses, gardens, garages and cellars, and
leaking water mains or water valves you can visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/answers/floods/floods.shtml.
For information about blocked drains, blocked or flooded culverts, drainage
systems and sewers you can visit
www.kirklees.gov.uk/answers/drainage/drainage-menu.shtml.
What is the latest information on Avian Flu virus?
This is the lastest information from the Health & Safety Executive on the Avian Influenza Virus:
It includes advice for people working with poultry on avoiding the risk of infection, guidance for lab workers and advice for health care workers.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/avianflu.htm
The latest advice from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/index.htm
What is the latest advice and information from the Department of Health on pandemic influenza?
Here you can find the contingency plan, and information and resources for health professionals and the public on pandemic influenza. The plan has been produced to ensure that the Government, public and NHS are properly prepared in the event of a flu pandemic.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/PandemicFlu/index.htm (opens in a new window, goes to an external site)
Business continuity advice for commercial and voluntary organisations in West Yorkshire
Are you prepared leaflet? (External site. PDF 1.5Mb). Please note: This is a large file and will take approximately 10 minutes to download with a 56k modem.
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