Emergency Planning
The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 defines an emergency as:
- an event which threatens human welfare.
- damage to the environment.
- or war/terrorism which threatens serious damage to security of the UK.
Rising Tide Emergency: an emergency for which there is some level of advance warning.
No Notice Emergency: an emergency which is instantaneous.
Leeds City Council launched their Leeds Prepared Facebook page in mid July and have held a number of briefings on emergency resilience for ward councillors and parish councillors.
Community Resilience Plan:
Emergencies happen. Local emergency responders will always have to prioritise those in greatest need during an emergency, especially where life is in danger.
During these times, communities need to know how to help themselves. By becoming more resilient a community can complement the work of local responders and reduce the impact of an emergency.
Bramhope and Carlton Parish Council will prepare a local plan, identifying the risks in our community, and local resources. It will also be important to identify the most vulnerable within our community and the role of neighbours in looking out for each other is important.
Risks include:
- Severe weather
- Flooding
- Electricity loss / disruption to communications networks including loss of mobile signal
- Health pandemic
- Cyber crime
- Malicious attack
- Public disorder
Emergency alert:
In a severe emergency, mobile phone masts in the surrounding area will broadcast an alert. Every compatible mobile phone or tablet in range of a mast will receive the alert, which will give details of the local risk.
The Leeds Prepared FB page will post up to date information and advice. https://www.facebook.com/LeedsPrepared
QR code:
The West Yorkshire Prepared website is a useful resource.
Flood risks:
Bramhope and Carlton are in an elevated position, and the risk of serious flooding is minimal. However, there are a number of culverts and streams that have caused local flooding in the past. The Parish Council ensures that the culvert running through Jubilee Copse is cleared on a regular basis. It is important that if residents have a stream or culvert running through their property that they keep it clear.
Paving front gardens can increase flood risk by increasing surface water runoff. The council’s “Don’t Pave it, Save it” campaign encourages residents to retain green space. Leeds City Council requires planning permission if you pave more than 5 square metres of your front garden with an impermeable surface, such as concrete or asphalt.
Leeds City Council no longer supply sandbags (difficult to store, hessian sacks disintegrate) and a simple solution is to fill black refuse bags with water and tie them. If water is likely to enter through the front or back door special boards are available.
Local roads may flood due to blockers drains or gullies. You can report a blocked drain to Leeds City Council online through their reporting tool or by calling 0113 222 4407. For immediate, out-of-hours emergencies like missing manhole covers or flooding that poses a risk, call the emergency number 0113 376 0499.
If the problem is a public sewer or water main, you should report this to Yorkshire Water on 0345 1 24 24 24 or online at https://www.yorkshirewater.com/your-water/view-report-problems/report-a-problem/