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Version 1 – published 4 July 2014
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County Durham and Darlington
Local Resilience Forum (LRF)
Community Risk Register
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Introduction
County Durham
Situated in the north east of the country, County Durham stretches from
Peterlee and Seaham in the east, to
Harwood and Killhope in the west
and from Burnopfield in the north to
Barningham in the south.
County Durham is bordered by
Sunderland, Cumbria, Gateshead,
Northumberland, North Yorkshire,
Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees and
Hartlepool. Between 2005 and 2010
the county’s estimated population
increased by 3.1% to 513,000 – an increase of over 15,000..
The County Durham and Darlington Profile
County Durham and Darlington present unique challenges due to
their geography, population and social circumstances. Both local
authorities include areas of immense beauty but also areas of
deprivation and social problems.
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The county has an ageing population increasing by 7.1% since 2005. This has
a significant impact on resources and services provided to county residents.
Over the last 25 years traditional industries, such as coal mining and steel
manufacturing, have disappeared and replaced by high-tech factories and
modern business parks. Tourism is vital for the economy. Key attractions such
as Durham Cathedral, Beamish Museum, the North Pennines and Emirates
Durham International Cricket Ground attract hundreds of thousands of visitors
annually.
Darlington
The market town of Darlington is in the Borough of Darlington, part of the
ceremonial county of County Durham. It lies on the River Skerne and is the
borough’s main population centre with a population of 106,000 in 2011. The
town owes much of its development to the influence of local Quaker families
during the Victorian era.
Darlington has a well-
established weekly outdoor
market, regular farmers
markets and a thriving indoor
market located underneath the
town clock on Prebend Row.
Also at Prebend Row is the
Cornmill Shopping centre, the
town’s main retail centre.
Darlington attracts people from a wide area and the retail area remains
resolute even after the economic downturn of 2009.
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The Community Risk Register
The Community Risk Register (CRR) provides
information on emergencies that could occur
within County Durham and Darlington. It
provides, an assessment of how likely they
may happen and the impacts should they do
so.
The full CRR is available
www.durham.police.uk/Information-and-advice/Pages/Local-Resilience-
Forum.aspx
It summarises the CRR in a format which can be easily used by residents and
communities.
It identifies:
1. Emergency Management Steps.
2. County Durham and Darlington’s Top Risks.
Pandemic Influenza.
Flooding.
Severe Weather
Industrial Accident, Environmental Pollution and Major Water Pollution.
Fuel Shortage.
Local Electrical Network Failure.
Animal Health.
Industrial Action.
3. What you can do to be prepared in your home.
4. How your local community can be prepared.
5. How your business can be prepared.
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Emergency Management Steps
Mitigation
How are agencies across County Durham and Darlington working to ensure
the effects of an emergency can be reduced?
Understanding risks, their cause and the impact
they would have locally.
Partnership working to reduce the likelihood of
the risk happening and lessen the impacts if the
risk occurs.
Preparation – Being ready to respond to an incident
Understanding the impact and consequence of each risk.
Developing emergency plans and procedures for response to the risks.
Training staff and testing procedures.
Matching our capabilities to the needs of each emergency.
Developing longer-term recovery plans.
Raising awareness of each organisation’s roles and responsibilities.
Learning lessons from previous incidents.
Establishing links for help and assistance from other counties for lengthy or
widespread incidents.
Response – Reacting in the event of an incident
Initial emergency activities (such as public safety, evacuation and shelter,
limiting the spread of the incident, search and rescue).
Initial damage assessment.
Multi-agency coordination.
Warning and informing the public.
Recovery – Actions following an incident
Initial and long-term recovery efforts.
Re-housing of displaced persons.
Humanitarian Assistance.
Regeneration.
Welfare Arrangements.
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Top Risks
Influenza - type Disease (Pandemic)
A pandemic occurs when a new virus spreads easily from person to
person.
A pandemic can occur at any time - the last
being in 2009. Fortunately the virus caused only
a mild flu illness in most people affected. A
future pandemic virus may cause more severe
illness.
If the virus causes severe illness:
Health care and local authority social care systems may become
overloaded.
Normal life is likely to face wide disruption, particularly if staff shortages
affect the supply of essential services, including production and transport of
goods.
Up to 750,000 additional deaths could occur in the UK by the end of a
pandemic.
Who can be affected?
A pandemic is likely to occur in one or more waves, possibly weeks or months
apart. Each wave may last around 15 weeks and up to half the UK population
may be infected.
What are we doing in County Durham and Darlington?
We work together to plan for:
Management of the demand on the NHS and social care.
Distribution of anti-viral medication to the public.
Vaccination with the newly developed pandemic vaccine once available.
Public awareness.
Making plans to deal with the potential number of deaths.
Making sure individual organisations have their own business continuity
plans in place to cope in times of staff shortage.
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What can you do?
Look out for and observe advice and NHS
guidance, particularly about reducing the
spread of illness.
Identify a flu friend – who can collect your
medication, food and other supplies
allowing you to stay at home when ill.
Keep small personal stocks of ‘over the
counter’ cold and flu medication to help
relieve your symptoms.
Know the arrangements of your child’s
school.
Where can you get further information?
Visit: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pandemic-flu/Pages/Introduction.aspx NHS Direct 111
NHS Direct (Text Phone) 0845 6064647
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Flooding
This is the most common and widespread natural disaster in the UK; we
need to prepare in advance to minimise the impact that flooding could have.
Flooding can occur from the sea, rivers and
from continuous and/or abnormal rainfall
levels. The highest flooding risk is surface
water flooding (where drainage systems are
unable to cope with the volume of rainfall).
Issues associated with flooding are
widespread and can include:
Risk to life.
Damage and disruption to homes, personal property, businesses,
infrastructure.
Pollution of local environments.
Disruption to utilities and evacuation.
Short, medium and long-term homelessness.
Long term health and psychological impacts.
Who can be affected?
Those at risk from river and coastal flooding are relatively easy to identify.
Surface water flooding can occur anywhere but is more common in built up
areas.
What are we doing in County Durham and Darlington?
We work together to plan for:
Working with emergency services, local authorities, utilities and other
agencies to develop flood response plans and procedures.
Identifying where the flood water could go and who is at risk.
Working with communities in flood risk areas.
Providing guidance to the public about flooding, including flood warnings
and how people can help themselves.
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Regular maintenance and clearing programme of gullies and culverts,
especially in the event of storm warnings.
What can you do?
See if you can receive “flood warnings direct” – a free service operated by
the Environment Agency – by ringing 0345 988 1188.
Know what different flood warnings mean
(See further information below).
Report instances of flooding to the local council.
Where possible, move valuable/irreplaceable items to upper floors during
times of flood risk.
Plan where you will go if you have to evacuate and how you will get there.
Who can look after your pets and have your medication to hand (see
section “What can you do to be better prepared in your home”).
Identify neighbours who may need assistance or can provide assistance to
you, in case of evacuation.
Buy sandbags/aqua sacs now – there will not be time in the event of an
emergency.
Have supplies in your home enabling you to cope for up to three days
should you be unable to evacuate.
Where can you get further information?
Environment Agency http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/ Public Health England http://www.hpa.org.uk/flooding Met Office
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/advice/flooding.html
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Severe Weather
The UK experiences a wide variety of weather systems.
The impacts are as varied as the types of weather and include:
Ill health.
Property damage.
Disruption to utilities.
Travel disruption.
School closures.
Increased number of admissions
to hospitals and GPs.
These produce a knock-on effect to individuals, businesses and the ability for
organisations to deliver essential community functions.
Who can be affected?
In the event of a weather warning ask; is it necessary to make the journey?
Could a telephone call do instead? The elderly and vulnerable are at an
increased risk in heat waves or cold snaps.
What are we doing in County Durham and Darlington?
Production of multi-agency plans to manage the effects of severe weather
events including any impact on utility networks.
The MET Office provides advice and severe weather warnings which can
be received in many ways, such as television, internet, radio or social
media.
Winter planning undertaken by many agencies such as gritting routes.
The NHS provides winter flu jabs and plans for expected surges.
Additional support via health and social services is identified for elderly and
vulnerable people.
Utilities companies plan their own responses to maintain power, gas and
water supply
All emergency service organisations have their own Business Continuity
Plans to make sure they are still able to function.
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What can you do?
Make sure you can access the latest weather forecasts. Depending on the
level of warning:
Follow instructions and advice
given by authorities.
Avoid non-essential journeys.
If you must make a journey, plan
ahead and carry such items as
emergency food/ clothing/
blanket/water and flask of hot
drink.
Check on elderly or vulnerable
relatives and friends.
If you are aware of property damage that may get worse in strong winds -
get it fixed now.
Where can you get further information?
Met Office
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings/?regionName=uk
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/guide/warnings.html
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Environmental and Major Water Pollution
This could be a biological substances release or a pollution incident
impacting on controlled watercourses, such as a chemical spillage or
release or untreated sewage.
Impacts might include:
Ill health.
Persistent and/or extensive impact on water
quality.
Damage to wildlife and the environment.
Economic impact to agriculture and tourism
economy.
Who can be affected?
Those at risk of contamination include:
Public using the amenity.
Businesses operating on or by the immediate watercourse and
downstream of the occurrence.
Providers of drinking water using abstracted water.
The aquatic environment.
What are we doing in County Durham and Darlington?
We work together to:
Understand the risks.
Reduce the risk through provision of
advice and regulation.
Develop multi-agency plans for sites
and situations posing a risk to the
environment.
Test and exercise those plans.
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What can you do?
Look out for and observe advice and guidance from the NHS, water
companies and Environment Agency.
If you are vulnerable, register with your water company as a vulnerable
customer.
If you see anything that poses a risk or notice a pollution incident, notify
the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.
Where can you get further information?
Environment Agency
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/pollution/water/
Public Health England
http://www.hpa.org.uk/
Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water - Your Home
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Fuel Shortage
Organisations rely to some extent on fuel, for getting staff to work,
distributing products or providing services. UK fuel availability is generally
very good. However, there have been recent examples of brief disruptions
to supply at regional and national levels.
Disruption could be caused by a number of factors including:
Scarcity of supply.
A technical problem with the fuel
supply infrastructure.
Industrial action.
Public protest.
Such disruption could see further
depletion through increased
consumer demand (panic buying).
Fuel shortages could result in curtailment of non-essential services to
vulnerable individuals and have a significant local, regional and national
economic impact.
Who can be affected?
Motor vehicle drivers or those relying on a service provided by a vehicle
using road fuel.
What are we doing in County Durham and Darlington?
As an LRF we will work together to co-ordinate our response and
Make sure all organisations conserve as much fuel as possible, whilst still delivering an appropriate level of service and/or product.
Promote measures (public / business use) to achieve useful reductions in fuel consumption.
Produce multi-agency plans to manage the effects of fuel supply restrictions.
If necessary invoke organisational Business Continuity plans.
The Police would handle such issues as protests and blockades.
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What can you do?
Maintain your vehicle to be as fuel
efficient as possible.
Make only essential journeys.
Consider ways of conserving fuel -
car-sharing, walking, cycling, and
home working.
Avoid panic buying.
Avoid storing fuel at domestic
properties and businesses not
equipped for fuel storage.
Where can you get further information?
Cabinet Office
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/
60552/business-continuity-plan-fuel-nov2008.pdf
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Widespread, Long Duration Local Electric Network Failure
This assumes the failure of the electricity network over an entire region
during the working week, lasting for 24 hours.
Because of our reliance on
electricity, even localised
losses of electricity can have
a significant impact on those
affected.
Over Christmas 2013,
storms battered parts of the
UK and some areas were left
without electricity for nearly a week.
What are we doing in County Durham and Darlington?
There has been no increase in the likelihood
of a power cut affecting the whole of a
region for 24 hours in recent years.
The UK electricity system is well managed,
robust and resilient and is operated to
minimise the effect of any failure.
There are comprehensive plans in place for
handling a complete national outage as well
as outages in a number of local areas.
Working with the local electricity company,
emergency services, local authorities, other
utility companies and agencies to minimise
the impact.
Identifying vulnerable people requiring
special treatment in the event of a
prolonged electric network failure.
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What can you do?
Keep an emergency kit in your home containing items such as a
wind-up torch and supplies of tinned food and drinking water.
Where appropriate register as a vulnerable customer with relevant
companies.
Outages may come without warning, so consider how you can be
prepared.
Be on alert for bogus callers posing as utility company workers.
Where can you get further information?
Northern Powergrid
Northern Powergrid has comprehensive advice and information regarding
local power cuts on its website
http://www.northernpowergrid.com/page/powercuts
HM Government
http://www.ready.gov/
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sector-resilience-plans
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Animal Health
Some animal diseases may be passed to humans. Others may only be
passed from animal to animal.
The 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak resulted in over 10 million sheep and cattle
being killed across the country.
The impacts of a similar outbreak would include:
Risk to health.
Risk to animal health.
Damage to the economy.
Damage to tourism and recreational sectors.
Access restrictions causing problems with
delivery of utility /essential services.
Who can be affected?
Previous incidents have devastated rural economies and communities.
However, incidents can extend wider and impact upon tourism.
What are we doing in County Durham and Darlington?
On-going work with DEFRA to make sure that lessons identified from previous
incidents are incorporated into emergency plans.
What can you do?
For those involved in farming:
Register livestock with DEFRA.
Make sure sick animals are checked and reported.
Vaccinate livestock where possible.
If an outbreak is declared, follow government advice to limit the spread
of the disease and protect your livestock.
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For the public:
Put up with restrictions limiting the spread of the disease, such as
closed footpaths in rural areas.
Where can you get further information?
HM Government
Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency - Defra
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/a-z/foot-and-mouth/
https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/protecting-animal-health-and-
preventing-disease-including-in-trade
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Industrial Action - Firefighters
Industrial action usually happens when trade union members are involved in a
dispute with the government or their employer that fails to be resolved by
negotiation.
Disruption to services could affect any public
sector organisation in the event of industrial
action. Strike action by firefighters has been
particularly highlighted by government and
special arrangements are now in place.
An example would be a reduction in emergency fire and rescue cover in County
Durham and Darlington because of industrial action.
Fire service industrial action
Who can be affected?
Those needing the assistance of the fire and rescue service during times of
industrial action.
What are we doing in County Durham and Darlington?
The government’s decision to withdraw military support during periods of
industrial action means that since 2008 fire authorities nationwide have
needed to plan and prepare to be self-reliant.
Fire authorities are legally required to provide an appropriate emergency
response during times of large absence numbers including industrial action.
To comply with this responsibility, County Durham and Darlington Fire and
Rescue Service have robust plans in place to provide a fire and rescue
emergency response from strategic locations across County Durham and
Darlington.
The service uses trained fire officers to both drive and staff fire appliances
along with other emergency response vehicles during any period of strike
action.
In the lead up to any industrial action the service will continue to raise
awareness of fire and other risks within the local community and with
businesses across County Durham and Darlington.
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The service website at www.ddire.gov.uk will carry information about strike
action as well as practical information for the public, businesses and
organisations about how to stay safe. Updates are available via Twitter and
Facebook.
www.twitter.com/CDDFRS and
www.facebook.com/CoDurhamAndDarlingtonFireandRescueService
What can you do?
Increase your awareness of the main causes of fire, such as electrics,
smoking materials and unattended pans in the kitchen and take action to
reduce the risk of fire at home and work.
Make sure that you have working smoke alarms fitted and test them
regularly.
Develop a night-time routine to improve home safety.
Prepare an escape plan that can be used in the event of a fire and
make sure that everyone in your household is aware of it.
Never leave cooking unattended on the kitchen hob.
Take extra care when driving and only make essential journeys.
Leave refuse out as close to collection times as possible and store
empty bins in a secure place off the street.
In the event of a fire – get out, stay out and call 999.
Where can you get further information?
Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service
The website contains information on a wide range of safety topics and urgent
public safety information.
http://www.ddfra.co.uk/
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What can you do to be better prepared in your home?
Some emergencies require evacuation, others to stay put. Are you ready?
In most major emergencies, the simple advice is to go inside, stay there and
tune into local radio for updates or check the web sites of the various
agencies or follow social media.
We use local radio, websites and social media to
broadcast emergency warnings and information. These
are the most accessible means of communication and
can be received in most homes, businesses and cars.
Radio is particularly reliable and can still broadcast and
be received during a power cut by using a wind-up or
battery powered radio.
With most incidents, the safest place to be is indoors. With correct preparation
you should be able to stay there safely for some time.
Agencies such as the Police, Fire & Rescue Service, Ambulance, Met Office,
Local Authorities, Environment Agency and Health agencies work together with
local radio stations and other media outlets. They make sure they give out
accurate and up-to-date information to keep people fully informed on what to do
during any emergency.
Knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part of being prepared
and may make all the difference when seconds count.
Planning for an emergency
To prepare for an emergency, take time to find out:
Where and how to turn off water, gas and electricity supplies in your
home.
The emergency procedures for your children or school.
The emergency procedures at your workplace.
How your family will stay in contact during an emergency.
If any elderly or vulnerable neighbours might need your help.
How to tune into your local radio station.
Where you would go if you were asked to evacuate.
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At home in an emergency
If you are at home and an emergency happens, prepare a grab bag that
contains:
A list of useful phone numbers such as those for your doctor and close
relatives.
House and car keys.
Toiletries, sanitary supplies and any regularly prescribed medication
A battery or wind-up radio and torch
with spare batteries.
A first aid kit.
Your mobile phone and charger.
Cash and credit cards.
Spare clothes and blankets.
Bottled water, ready-to-eat food (like
tinned food) and a bottle/tin opener
should you need to remain in your home for several days.
Baby food and care items where necessary.
Important documents in a waterproof wallet (such as personal ID,
banking and insurance documents).
In certain circumstances the emergency services may ask you to leave
your home. If so, leave quickly and calmly as possible.
If you have time:
Turn off electricity, gas and water supplies, unplug appliances and lock
all doors and windows.
Take the items with you listed above – and your ‘grab bag’.
Take your pets (with suitable carriers or leads) and pet food.
Inform emergency services where you have gone and how to be
contacted.
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Returning home after an emergency
Listen to advice from emergency services or local authorities about specific
actions you should follow when it is safe to return home.
What can your local community do to be prepared?
Wide-scale emergencies do happen. In the last five years the UK has
experienced heavy snow, flooding, chemical incidents, drought, riots,
terrorist attacks, utility failures and fuel shortages.
What is Community Resilience?
“Communities and individuals harnessing local resources and expertise to
help themselves in an emergency, in a way that complements the response of
the emergency services” (Cabinet Office 2009).
What is a community emergency plan?
It provides advice and guidance to a local community (parish council,
neighbourhood watch area or even a single street) in advance of and during
any significant emergency.
Why have a community emergency plan?
It encourages people to plan and be prepared to put in place a self-help
response in a community affected by an emergency.
Experience has shown that, sometimes due
to the scale and nature of an emergency, the
normal response provided by emergency
services and local authorities can be
delayed. In such occasions anything the
local community can do to support each
other will help them deal with the emergency
more effectively.
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How to get started
Community resilience measures can be as little as designating a point of
contact in the parish to receive warnings and messages from emergency
services and local authorities. The plan can grow over time to include areas
such as:
An emergency team.
Community buildings which
can be used as emergency
evacuation facilities.
Knowledge of skills and
expertise in the community.
Knowledge of special
equipment or vehicles
in the community.
Identification of vulnerable
premises and people in the local area.
Specific actions based on specific risks.
If you need help getting started with your Community Emergency Plan email
Where can you get further information?
https://www.gov.uk/resilience-in-society-infrastructure-communities-and-
businesses
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/
60923/PFE-Guide-for-Communities_0.pdf
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How can your business be prepared?
Business Continuity Management is the process through which organisations
aim to continue the delivery of their key products and services during and
following disruptive events. Effective business continuity is the first line of
defence for any organisation to make sure they can maintain delivery of their
core services and, in the long-run, assure their survival.
If you own or are responsible for a business, have you considered the
impacts from external emergencies?
How would your organisation cope with:
A sudden and significant reduction in staff?
Denial of access to a site or geographical area?
Unexpected loss of utilities - such as water, gas, electricity?
Significant disruption to transport?
Disruption to the availability of oil and fuel?
A loss or disruption to computer systems and telecommunications?
A disruption which affects your key suppliers or partners which can result in a
loss of customers?
A loss of customers?
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Five Steps to Effective Business Continuity
1. Understand your business
What parts of the business are critical and what priority would you
allocate to restoring functions if they fail?
2. Risk Assessment
What risks does your business face
(internal and external)?
Consider these risks in your business risk
assessment. What can you put in place to
reduce the likelihood of the risks and/or the
impact of them?
3. Consider the resource needs of each of your business functions
People.
Premises.
Equipment.
Information.
Communications.
External suppliers / contractors.
4. Document information in a user-friendly format about your businesses’
critical functions and the resources required including alternatives /
backups for each. This will assist you during an emergency.
5. Train and test your staff in activating the continuity plan and the roles and
procedures within it.
Where can you get further information?
If you need help getting started with your Business Continuity
Planning email
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