Emergency Plan
This page has been put together to give the residents of the Parish information about the COMMUNITY EMERGENCY SCHEME. This was completed in October 2007 and updated and reissued in January 2023. It covers various situations which could occur in the Parish which could cause difficulties for some, or all, of the residents, and what has been planned to help with these problems.
The Parish Council hopes that these situations will never arise, but it is best to be as prepared as possible so that we can help ourselves, at least for a limited time. This leaflet is intended to give you some information on what the Emergency Planning Group thought might occur, and what we could do about it. We will also make some suggestions about what you could keep in the home by way of emergency supplies, and who to contact if you need help. Some of this information you will know already, but you might find it useful to refer to this page should the need arise.
The Emergency Plan contains a list of people considered to be at particular risk, with a nominated person who will call on them in an emergency to ensure they are safe. The Plan also contains a list of the location of equipment and machinery that can be called on to help with the removal of felled trees or other problems that might occur. Both these lists are kept completely confidential. A copy of the Emergency Plan has been sent the Emergency Planning Department of North Yorkshire Council, but this copy does not contain these confidential lists.
Flooding
Switch off all electrical appliances, remove plugs from sockets and turn off the main electricity switch.
Unplug the telephone, if it is likely to be submerged, and move it out of the way of the water. Move
valuables and anything else you can to higher levels if possible. Sandbags can be provided if you think they
will help. Contact Mark Stanley on 01969 663835 or Richard Nolan on 01969 663419.
Moorland/forest fire
If you notice a fire please ring 999 immediately and then leave the area as quickly as you can. If you have
a vehicle in the vicinity, move it out of the way as soon as possible.
Heavy snow
If heavy snow is forecast, ensure any valuable electrical equipment or vehicles are sheltered or
undercover. Stock up with tins or long life food in case the roads are blocked and you are unable to reach
the shops for a few days, and ensure that you have adequate heating fuel. During a storm, stay indoors as
much as possible and keep windows and doors closed to minimise heat loss. There is snow moving equipment
within the Parish, so if you are completely snowed in, let us know by phone and we will try to arrange to
get through to you.
High winds
If high winds are expected, check walls, fences, roofs and chimneys to see if there is anything that could
be damaged. If time, then get any problems attended to. Regular pruning of vulnerable trees can prevent them
from blowing over or from branches breaking off. Secure loose objects, such as garden furniture or anything
else that can be blown into windows, and park cars either in a garage or somewhere away from trees, walls
and fences, if possible. High winds often cause a failure of the electricity supply, so set up alternative
cooking facilities, if you have them, and stock up with food in case roads are closed due to fallen trees.
Loss of electrical supply
This can happen at any time of the year, but is more common during the winter. There are several things we
can do as individual householders, such as ensuring that we have a torch, plenty of candles, matches, or
other ways of lighting our houses, and putting them in a handy place. One idea could be to have an Emergency
Box (see below for suggestions as to what to put in it). If possible, invest in other types of heating such
as calor gas stoves. Many householders in the Parish have alternate types of cooking facilities and have
said that they are happy to help out. If necessary, then, ways of providing hot meals in an extended power
cut, can be organised. A battery operated radio will keep you in touch with the outside world and will give
you information about road and school closures. Loss of water supply. In the event of an extended loss of
supply, the Village Hall will be set up as a Rest Centre and will be powered with a generator. The Hall will
be open to everyone and will provide heating and lighting, hot water for drinks, and some cooking facility.
Mobile phones can also be charged. Information on this and other news can be accessed on the Village
WhatsApp group.
Loss of water supply
This has only happened once in recent times, but it could be a problem in the future. Unfortunately, as
with the electricity supply, there is no way of knowing when it could occur. There are independent water
supplies in the Parish, if we need them, and in an extended failure of supply, the water company will
provide bottled water. If collecting a supply of bottled water is a problem, please contact us and we can
arrange a delivery.
We hope, of course, that none of these emergencies will arise, but it is best to be as prepared as possible for these eventualities. As suggested above, an Emergency Box could be useful. Keeping a few essential things in a handy place could make life a bit more comfortable for a while. Below are some ideas.
Emergency Box
- A torch and spare batteries
- Candles and matches
- A few tins of food that do not need reheating
- Cartons of long life milk
- A first aid kit
Emergency contacts
- Use 999 for an urgent emergency, but other numbers are available for information or other enquiries:
- Police: 0845 60 60 247
- Yorkshire Fire and Rescue: 01609 780150
Public utilities
- Electricity: 0800 668 877
- Water company: 0845 124 2424
- British Telecom faults: 0800 800 151
- Floodline: 0845 988 1188
- Met Office for weather reports: 0870 900 0100