Here you will find information on how we deal with civil emergencies.
An integral part of our work is, therefore, to prepare and plan for emergencies and to help protect/support communities when emergencies occur. In order to do this, we identify, examine and record key risks and prepare appropriate emergency response plans, train our staff and test these arrangements.
The work is co-ordinated by the civil contingencies team based at fire and rescue service headquarters and is conducted in collaboration with multi-agency partners who share the council’s objectives in community protection.
Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, Northumberland County Council is classified as a 'category one' responder with responsibility for the care and welfare of its residents, visitors and environment during emergency situations.
As a 'category one' responder, Northumberland County Council must:
Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, 'category one' responders are the organisations that will be at the core of the response to most emergencies and are subject to the full set of civil protection duties.
'Category two' responders are co-operating bodies and are less likely to be involved in core activities of a civil emergency response. However, they will be heavily involved in planning for and responding to incidents that affect their sector.
The CRR provides information on emergencies that could happen within our area and what you can to prepare.
The Community Risk Register is the responsibility of the Northumbria Local Resilience Forum (LRF).
The forum is a multi-agency partnership of different organisation’s including the emergency services, health services, local councils, Environment Agency, voluntary agencies, utility companies, transport providers and some private businesses.
They aim to:
Download a copy of the Community Risk Register for full details.
We produce the plan so we are prepared to mitigate and alleviate the effects of emergencies that may disrupt the normal provision of services, or which might threaten the safety of the community. Northumberland Incident Response Plan.
The plan has been developed in a format that takes account of advice contained in ‘emergency preparedness’ and ‘emergency response and recovery’ within the guidance of on the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
View the latest version of the Northumberland County Council Northumberland Incident Response Plan here.
Northumberland County Council provides humanitarian assistance during and after emergencies. Humanitarian assistance is the ability to provide a virtual ‘one stop shop’ for information in the aftermath of an emergency.
It should provide those affected, directly or indirectly, by the emergency with as much information and help as is possible in a convenient and accessible medium or location.
View the Northumberland County Council Humanitarian Assistance Guidance here.
The following related documents are also available: Reception / Rest Centre Guidance
More information is available on the Northumbria Local Resilience Forum.
Marine and coastal pollution is a hazard in Northumberland. The level of risk of an oil pollution incident ranges from “high” to “low”, based on how likely it is to occur and the potential impact on the environment, our economy, public health and social wellbeing. For more information visit the ‘risks’ section of the community risk register.
Nearly the entire intertidal zone of the Northumberland coast is included in sites of special scientific interests (SSSIs) or other environmental protection designations.
We have contingency plans in place to protect these special areas from pollution, especially oil pollution. The plans include measures to limit the effects of pollution, including dispersing, containing and disposing of oil.
Some businesses, which store or process hazardous substances, are required by law to inform people who live nearby of the risks associated with hazardous sites.
This requirement currently applies to the following site:
Campact Ltd, (within EGGER UK site), Anick Grange Road, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 4JS.
If you live in the immediate vicinity of the above site you should have received an information card from the company. Make sure that you and everyone who lives in your property understand the information and advice, so you can take the appropriate action if an accident happens. If you have not received their information card, contact the company.
The operator for the notified major accident hazard pipelines in this area is Northern Gas Networks (NGN). For more information and guidance on natural gas emergencies, click here.
During an emergency in Northumberland, it will usually be Northumberland County Council’s responsibility to prepare for and establish reception or rest centres. Reception or rest centres will usually be established following a request from the police or another uniformed organisation.
The Northumberland County Council reception / rest centre guidance aims to provide those called upon to establish and manage a rest centre during an emergency with a structured and agreed process to ensure it is done effectively and efficiently.
A reception / rest centre or centres may be required for the safe evacuation and shelter of people or uninjured survivors affected by an emergency or anticipated emergency situation which threatens life, property or the environment.
Experience of previous emergency situations shows the care and support for evacuees and uninjured survivors prior to, during and / or after any emergency situation is important to the individuals and community’s recovery and welfare.
View the Northumberland County Council Reception / Rest Centre Guidance here.
Due to the geographic size of Northumberland, it may take time to get a full complement of rest centre personnel on site. By making the reception/rest centre guidance document publicly available, partner organisations and/or members of the public have the information they need to self-help and build community resilience until support becomes available.
Within the reception/rest centre guidance, Northumberland County Council acknowledges the reliance on the support of other agencies and the community / voluntary sector in delivering services to and in rest centres. However, Northumberland County Council can only accept responsibility for those centres which it specifically establishes and authorises in response to an emergency.
Northumberland County Council has developed recovery and restoration guidance to provide an effective framework to facilitate an integrated response by the county council, and its partner organisations, to mitigate and alleviate the effects of any emergency which disrupts the normal provision of services following an emergency.
Planning for recovery and restoration actually begins while the emergency is ongoing. This work has no fixed timeline and may go on for days, weeks, months or longer, depending on the impacts of the emergency and the needs of the communities affected.
View the Recovery and Restoration Guidance here.
The county council’s recovery and restoration plan outlines basic principles for planning and implementing actions as part of the recovery and restoration phases of an emergency. The Plan can be implemented after any emergency, regardless of the size or location of the emergency. The actual level of recovery and restoration activity will be proportionate to the impacts and effects of the emergency and will take into account not only the physical damage which might occur but also:
The recovery and restoration guidance has been developed in a format that takes account of advice contained in "emergency preparedness" and "emergency response and recovery" guidance within the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
Consider your business continuity management.
Business continuity management (BCM) is a management process through which potential threats to an organisation and its business operations are identified and controlled as far as is practicable. This enables a business to develop plans to ensure that it can continue delivering key services during emergencies and business interruptions. This in turn safeguards the interests of key stakeholders, and the business’ reputation and brand.
Business continuity enables businesses to:
The benefits of an effective BCM programme are that the organisation:
To make a success of your business continuity programme there are a series of steps to follow, as identified by the Business Continuity Institute (BCI). Following these steps on an annual basis will assist you in creating business continuity plans and arrangements that are valid, fit-for-purpose and which will add value to your organisation.
Please see the business continuity leaflet for further information and guidance on how to implement a business continuity programme and how to develop a business continuity plan.
Business Continuity Leaflet Business Continuity Survival Guide Business Continuity for Dummies Business Impact Analysis Template
Business Continuity Institute Continuity Central Gov.uk: Resilience in Society - infrastructure, communities and businesses Gov.uk: Preparing your business for flooding
Please click here for tips from the Environment Agency.
For more information about different products please visit:
If flooding is forecast, warnings are issued using a set of four easily recognisable codes:
Northumberland flood action plan (NFAP) Northumberland County Council has prepared the NFAP which is designed to document the response to severe and/or widespread flooding within the Northumberland area.
It was developed using guidance created by NLRF and sits alongside similar plans developed by all councils within Northumbria, detailing all areas known to be at risk from flooding.
The plan also describes the Environment Agency's flood warning system and how this will be used to trigger individual and multi-agency cooperation in response to flooding in specified areas.
In order to ensure reservoirs are properly maintained and to minimise the possibility of reservoir failure, large reservoirs in England and Wales are regulated under the Reservoirs Act 1975.
This is enforced by the Environment Agency and requires reservoirs to be routinely maintained to an appropriate standard. At present there are about 2,000 reservoirs in England and Wales covered by the Reservoirs Act.
The Northumberland area reservoirs are covered by the Northumbria Generic Reservoir Flooding Off-Site Plan
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