A major emergency within the borough could have an impact on you, or where you live. We have a team dedicated to emergency planning and response within the borough to help keep you safe. On this page you will find useful information and links to help you learn more about the potential emergencies that could affect you and what you can do to help prepare against them. Some of the emergencies that could have an impact on you include:
See also: Elmbridge Borough Council - Emergency Plan
Surrey Local Resilience Forum (SLRF)
We work with partners in Surrey to reduce the impact of incidents on residents, businesses, visitors and/or the environment. The partnership is referred to as a Surrey Local Resilience Forum (SLRF). The Surrey LRF is a multi-agency partnership that includes, but is not limited to, representation from the local authorities, the emergency services, the Environment Agency and NHS. It has a significant role to play in responding to and recovery from the effects of emergencies and was formed to meet the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The LRF aims to plan and prepare for local incidents and large-scale emergencies.
The borough of Elmbridge has flooded quite severely in the past, with fluvial flooding presenting the highest risk in the area. We have various emergency plans in place for if flooding were to occur again within the borough. To help you protect your property in case of a flood we recommend:
You can find information on how to protect your property on Surrey County Council’s emergency-planning page.
Sandbag protocol
We don’t have a legal responsibility to provide sandbags. Those residents and businesses wanting sandbags should make their own arrangements for example, sandbags are often available from builders’ merchants.
We work closely with the Environment Agency and may distribute sandbags to those properties identified to be at the highest risk of internal flooding, and only where sandbags can be safety deployed.
Severe weather covers a range of weather impacts that can cause emergencies in the UK, including winter storms and heatwaves.
Useful links:
Winter
Cold temperatures can cause a threat to your health and home. It is important that you take the right precautions to keep yourself and your house warm and prepare for disruption caused by ice or snow.
Useful links:
If you are concerned about an individual who could be vulnerable during the winter, please email the Vulnerable People Reporting System Project Team. You can also sign up for meals on wheels to make sure you or a relative is receiving a hot meal each day during the winter period.
Storms
Though not extremely likely, powerful storms can hit the UK causing major damage and disruption. You can use the Met Office for storm alerts and updates.
Useful link:
Heatwave
The Met Office operates an annual heat-health watch system. In association with the Department of Health they decide on the level of responses to recorded temperatures.
Heatwaves can be dangerous for the very young, older people and those with serious illnesses. In extreme cases, excess heat can lead to heatstroke.
When a heatwave does occur, it is important to be prepared and take steps to reduce the risks both for yourself and those friends and relatives that may be vulnerable. There are many simple ways to do this and you can find easy to follow guidance on NHS Choices (how to cope in a hot summer)and Healthy Surrey heatwave advice.
COVID-19 hasn't gone away - test regularly, get vaccinated and continue practicing key safety behaviours.
Pandemic flu outbreaks do happen. Swine flu in the UK in 2009 affected thousands of residents. We have incorporated the risk of pandemic flu in our business continuity plans.
Useful links:
Terrorism remains one of the biggest threats to the UK. In 2017 there were five terrorist attacks across the country.
In response to the threat of terrorism in the UK, the government is leading numerous campaigns and initiatives to help combat this threat.
ACT campaign
The ACT campaign is about communities staying alert and working together to combat terrorism. If you see something you are unsure about and think it may be related to terrorism you should report it using the ACT Campaign.
