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Emergency planning
The Cabinet office is currently undertaking a public consultation regarding community resilience. For information relating to the consultation please visit the Cabinet office, community resilience website.
To access the consultation feedback form please visit
For information regarding Business Continuity and how to prepare for an emergency that may affect your business or organisation please visit Business Continuity.
On this page
- Emergency planning
- In an emergency
- Merton's Emergency Plan
- Purpose of the plan
- Amendments
- Emergency information
- See Also
- Related websites
- Contact us
Emergency planning has been around for sometime, but over the past few years it has become a requirement for all local authorities to have plans in place so we are able to respond to an incident or emergency within our borough quickly and effectively.
The Civil Contingencies act (2004) defines an emergency as something that threatens serious damage to either:
- human welfare in the UK
- the environment in the UK, or
an act of war or terrorism that threatens the security of the UK.
It can also be an event or situation which poses a considerable test to an organisation's ability to perform its functions, in other words something that may limit our ability to perform our daily working duties, particularly our essential services.
In an emergency
If you find yourself in the middle of an emergency it is important to remember a few simple facts:
If you are at home and have to be evacuated, there are a few things that may be important to take with you such as;
- Home and car keys
- Cash and credit cards
- Important documents such as insurance documents and any prescriptions you may need
- Toiletries, medication and any essential supplies (especially if you have small children)
- Your mobile phone and charger
If you have a torch or radio remember to take spare batteries.
If you are away from home and you are caught up in an emergency it is important not to panic but take advice from the emergency services who are dealing with the situation.
If your child is at school you will want to collect them but this may not always be possible, however all schools have plans in place to deal with emergencies such as fire and flood and the teachers and staff are equipped to look after their pupils.
If you are at work your employer has responsibility for the safety and security of all their staff. All businesses should have an evacuation plan and you should be made aware of this once you have taken up employment.
Merton's Emergency Plan
Our plan is written using guidance from the Cabinet office. We work very closely with all the emergency services both before, during and after an incident and discuss any lessons learned from incidents.
Purpose of the plan
The purpose of the plan is to provide procedures and guidance that will create a flexible, timely and effective response by the council in the event of a major emergency. This will contribute to alleviating the distress and disruption caused by such incidents.
The Emergency plan
This provides an introduction to how the plan is developed describing the aims, objectives, and the council's role and definitions.
Parts of the plan are classified and are not available to the general public and have therefore been removed.
Amendments
The plan and its supporting documentation are reviewed and updated regularly by the Emergency Planning Officer. If you wish to comment on any aspect of the plan or have any suggestions please email the Emergency Planning Officer civilcontingencies@merton.gov.uk
The rest of the document deals with the procedures associated with emergency planning and the roles of the various council, civil and government organisations.
One of the duties imposed upon Local Authorities under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) is to assess the risk of an emergency occurring within or affecting their geographical area. This duty is discharged at the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) level and is a collaborative evaluation of risk used to inform emergency planning, business continuity and warning and informing the public.
Risk assessment for the London Borough of Merton is conducted through the Risk working group of the South West London LRF. You can view the South West London Community Risk Register here.
Emergency Information
The emergency information page gives current emergency information.
Here at Merton we have produced a leaflet (link below) which gives advice on what to do in the event of an emergency. It gives advice on who to contact and what you may need to do and take with you if you have to be evacuated from your home.
Download a copy of Merton's Preparing for Emergencies
Please note the correct phone number for the authority is 020 8274 4901. The number quoted on the Useful Contacts page of the leaflet which has been issued to households in Merton is incorrect. Please accept our apologies for any confusion this may have caused.
See also
Related websites
The Cabinet Office plays a central role in planning for emergencies and works with other government departments to ensure that the UK is prepared to deal with unexpected events. On the Cabinet Office website you can view among other things the national risk register and the national security strategy.
The London Prepared website provides information to Londoners' and its many visitors on how to cope with an emergency, either by way of accidental, natural or malicious intent. It is also where you can view the London Prepared document. This includes the common sense advice found in Preparing for Emergencies booklet and information on what the government is doing to protect the country as a whole.
This is the website of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat which is within the Cabinet Office. It gives advice on a wide range of emergencies that can affect the UK, and gives guidance on Emergency Planning and recovery.
Find out if you are at risk from flooding by using the flood map. How to prepare and take precautions against the risk of flood.
If you prefer to speak to someone regarding the risk of flooding, the floodline phone number is: 0845 988 1188
The Security Service is responsible for protecting the UK against threats to national security. The MI5 website provides information on the current major threats to UK security and practical advice to help businesses and organisations to protect against them.
The Home Office security website gives guidance on planning, background to legislation and how partners and stakeholders are working together to respond to terrorist attacks.
Health Protection Agency website
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is an independent body that protects the health and well-being of the population. The Agency plays a critical role in protecting people from infectious diseases and in preventing harm when hazards involving chemicals, poisons or radiation occur.
Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust website
Here in the Emergency Planning section we work closely with the local PCT to ensure we are prepared for all health requirements in the event of an emergency.
Click on the above link for information regarding your local health service and relevant contacts.
Contact us
Emergency Planning Team
Merton Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX
Email:civilcontingencies@merton.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 8274 4901
This page was last updated on Wednesday 23 June 2010