An effective response to emergencies depends on robust preparation. An informed and prepared community is a safer community. 

Community emergency plans

Emergency services will always have to prioritise those in greatest need during an emergency, especially where life is in danger. 

Communities may therefore need to rely on their own resources to minimise the impact of an emergency before the emergency services arrive. Emergencies can take many forms, from small house fires through to widespread loss of electricity or flooding.

Many communities already help each other in times of need, but experience shows that those who are prepared cope better during an emergency. Communities with local knowledge, enthusiasm and information are a great asset and a community emergency plan can help. 

Having a community plan and knowing what to do if there is an emergency can help your community respond and recover more quickly.

Communities should consider:

• a co-ordination or meeting point, such as a village hall
• short-term safe refuge places for people displaced from their homes
• emergency volunteers
• useful emergency equipment
• vulnerable people in the community
• useful emergency contacts

If your community has a plan, or it is a work in progress, speak to your parish or town council as they may be looking for volunteers to help them.

If you want to get your community ready, double check with your parish or town council to ensure work is not already planned, then contact your local emergency planning team for more information. Contact us.

The team can provide support to your plan, including: 

•   a simple template (pdf / 384 KB) and help to tailor it to your community 
• attending your parish or town council meetings to promote the scheme
• putting you in touch with communities that already have plan
• helping promote your plan within your community
• providing a free emergency kit for your community, while stocks last
• providing maps of your community or parish
• helping promote personal and business preparedness to increase local resilience 
• signing you up to local warnings such as those from the Met Office and Environment Agency

Community grab bag

Make sure your community has an emergency grab bag prepared in case an incident affects your community. 

Funding is available to provide communities with one free kit if you complete an emergency plan and send us a copy.