Community Emergency Plan

Millom Without Parish Council

1. PURPOSE

1.1 Definition of an emergency:

An emergency / major incident is any event or circumstance (happening with or without warning) that causes or threatens death or injury, disruption to the community, or damage to property or to the environment on such a scale that the effect cannot be dealt with by the emergency services, local authorities and other organisations as part of their normal day-to day activities.

1.2 Aims of the Community Emergency Plan:

To increase resilience within the local community before, during and after emergencies, and to link into the county and district councils’, and emergency services’ emergency response structures. This Plan documents how Millom without Parish Council would respond in an emergency situation e.g. while awaiting the assistance of statutory authorities / emergency services, or in support of them.

It is not the role of the community to take on the responsibilities of these agencies e.g. to save life, to take any risks to themselves or to cope for long hours without agencies’ help and support.

1.3Objectives:

Identify the risks to the community and relevant response actions

Identify vulnerable people / groups in the community

Identify resources in the community available to assist during an emergency

Provide contact details for the Community Response Group (CRG), key community resources, the Emergency Services, and County and District Councils.

2. Characteristics of the Millom without Parish

The parish of Millom Without is a sparsely populated rural community including 2 larger villages (The Green and The Hill), several smaller hamlets (Hallthwaites, Lady Hall) and a number of outlying farms and residential properties with a total population of circa 850. The Carlisle to Barrow railway line passes through the parish with a station at Green Road. There are 2 major roads through the parish the A595 and A5093 and a network of minor roads and tracks.

Landline telephone and broadband are available with mobile phone coverage patchy in some areas.

3. COMMUNITY RESPONSE GROUP (CRG)

Details of contact numbers will be held by the CRG Members. The Plan will also be accessible to local authorities and emergency services via the Cumbria Community Messaging System (CCMS).

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∙*Will coordinate with Local Authorities and Agencies

4.POSSIBLE EMERGENCIES AND RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk assessment of the types of emergencies that would have an impact on our community and how local emergency planning could help.

5. ACTIVATION OF THE PLAN

This plan will be activated when an emergency has occurred or if warnings are received, prior to an anticipated event. It will also be activated when emergency services need support or are not able to attend immediately e.g. in severe weather.

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If this is the case, the CRG will assess the situation, ring Emergency Services if necessary, and consult with the District Council (see contact below). The CRG will then put all or part of the Plan into effect as appropriate.

6.COMMUNITY RESOURCES 6.1 Volunteers

Volunteers have indicated what tasks they may be prepared to carry out if an emergency occurs and what resources they can offer. This List will be held by members of the CRG.

(An electronic copy of the unrestricted emergency plan will also be made accessible to local authorities and emergency services via the secure Cumbria Community Messaging System (CCMS) - contact ACTion with Communities in Cumbria for details of how to do this.)

6.2 Place of Safety

District councils are responsible for setting up a central rest centre during an emergency. However, it may be necessary to set up a temporary place of safety within the community e.g. for visitors or for people evacuated from their homes. In our community, the place of safety will be Thwaites Village Hall / The Hill Village Hall. The CRG will contact the key holder and other volunteers as necessary.

During an emergency, volunteers will keep a record of actions taken. These will be entered in to a central log, kept by the CRG, so that they can be evaluated, and the plan altered if necessary. Information can be entered at the time, or directly after the emergency.

7. COMMUNICATION AND CONTACTS

Contact details for statutory authorities, emergency services can be found below.

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Other useful numbers are set out in Appendix 1 following an Emergency

8. PLAN REVIEW AND UPDATE

In order to keep this plan up to date, contact lists will be revised as needed, and the plan reviewed by the Community Response Group on annual basis.

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Appendix 1 – Other Useful Points of Contact Following an Emergency

Following an emergency

British Red Cross – welfare support and

Practical help particularly if you are moved from

Your home. 0773 990 5956

Copeland Flood Recovery Fund – for grants and financial help 01900 825760

Citizen Advice Bureau – help with insurance claims, money issues and they can signpost you to other sources of help.

Whitehaven Office

–01946 693321 Millom Office – 01229 772395

First Step – for emotional support following any trauma. Someone to talk to about how you are feeling.

0300 123 9122

NHS Direct – if you are feeling unwell following

a flood or after cleaning up. 0845 4647 – available 24 hours

Copeland South Team comprises postcode districts:

LA18 (Millom).

01946 506269

01228 526690 – Out of Hours

Age UK West Cumbria 08443 843 843

Children and Families Info line 08457 125 737

Cumbria Partnership NHS Trust 01228 602000

Shelter – advice with money worries as well as

Homelessness and other concerns. 0808 800 4444

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