Community Resilience

What is Community Resilience?

Community Resilience Defined

Community resilience can be defined as the ability communities and individuals have to harness local resources and expertise to help them, in ways that complement the responses of the emergency services. Doncaster residents need to be prepared for any emergency.

Planning for Emergencies

You will be more resilient if you:

Know how to turn off water, gas and electricity in your home
Know the emergency procedures for your workplace and/or child’s school
Consider how your family will stay in touch in the event of an emergency
Have a household emergency plan
Consider whether elderly or vulnerable neighbours might want/need your assistance in the event of an emergency
Have a battery powered (with spare batteries) or wind up radio in your home and know how to tune into your local radio stations
Have a torch (wind up or battery powered)
Have a supply of bottled water, ready to eat food
Have an emergency kit prepared in a 'grab bag'
Find out whether your home is subject to any specific risks, such as flooding, and what you can do to help protect it
Sign up for flood warnings (if appropriate in your area)
Consider your insurance cover

If you or your community group would like further information please contact the Emergency Planning Team using the details at the bottom of the page.

During an Emergency

If you are involved in an emergency:

Call 999 if people are injured or if there is a threat to life
Don’t put yourself, or others, in danger
Follow advice given by the emergency services
Remain calm, and try to help others if you are able and it is safe to do so

If you are not involved in an emergency but are close by, or believe you may be in danger, in most cases:

'Go in' to your home, or other building, if it is safe to do so
'Stay inside' until the emergency is over or you are instructed by the emergency services
'Tune in' to a local radio station or TV news station to hear the latest information about the emergency

During some emergencies, it may not be safe to 'go in' to a building, for example if there is a fire. Always follow the advice given by the emergency services.

Keeping all of the things you might need in an emergency in a 'grab bag' is a good idea. However, we know this is often not realistic but you could keep a list of where to find the items in a hurry. An emergency grab bag might be kept at home and in the car.

Emergency Grab Bag

Ideally, your emergency grab bag might contain the following:

Important documents (such as passport, insurance certificates, driving licence, pet vaccination certificates)
Torch (with spare batteries if not wind up)/candles and matches
Radio (with spare batteries if not wind up)
Mobile phone and wind up or battery powered charger
First aid kit including a list of current medication (or spares so long as they do not go out of date)
Bottled water (to be changed regularly as noted on best before dates) and in date tinned food and tin opener/long life snacks
A change of clothes per person or an emergency blanket
Wash kit, sanitary items and toiletries
Baby food and baby care items
Emergency cash
Household emergency plan with contact details of members of the family you will need to inform, local doctors number, etc

What to do if Required to Evacuate your Home?

If you need to evacuate your home in the event of an emergency then:

Listen and comply with instructions from the emergency services
Account for all family members
Get your pets together with leads, cages, etc
Take any important items you may need with you, such as mobile phone, credit cards, medication, ID, etc
Get your emergency 'grab bag'

Find out, where safe to do so, if neighbours need any assistance. Consider now where you might go in case you are asked to evacuate your home. If lots of people have to leave their homes then the local authority will provide temporary emergency accommodation. However, you may want to go to a relative or friend who lives outside the evacuation area instead. It may be worth checking your home insurance policy as some providers cover for alternative accommodation.

For further information, please contact us: