Emergency Plan for Hedon in preparation, reports East Riding Council

A RESILIENT COMMUNITY is one which can fend for itself in a state of emergency. The importance of this resilience was demonstrated in the floods of 2007 and again at this time last year when we were in the midst of the “Big Freeze”; in both cases some areas in Holderness  were cut off and the traditional emergency services were stretched, so communities literally had to help themselves.

It is for such occasions that Parish and Town Councils have been encouraged by the East Riding Council (ERYC) to lead on the development of Community Emergency Plans.

The ERYC’s Corporate and Communities Overview and Scrutiny sub-committee has recently looked at the progress made and reports that only 40 councils (less than a quarter of all councils) have completed their emergency plan (including Burstwick, Preston and Thorngumbald). Hedon Town Council is one of the 35% of councils (also includes Paull) that are still to complete their plans.

“Community emergency plans usually identify a local emergency co-ordination team, a place for the team to work from during an emergency, a safe place for any evacuees to shelter, a list of the vulnerable people that might need additional support, and contact details for people with skills or resources that may be helpful during the response to an emergency.” Corporate and Communities sub committee (PDF) 8th Dec 2011

In the Big Freeze last year then there were many reports from Hedon of neighbours helping each other to dig cars out and clear snow from paths and roads. But residents complained that parts of the town had been without bus and delivery services for over a week, and persistent compacted snow and ice on roads and pavements has effectively trapped people – particularly the elderly – in their homes.

The Town Council did apply at the time of the Big Freeze for £1,000 special help from ERYC which was used to purchase 120 bags of rock salt/grit and a manual spreader. One of the town councillors even volunteered and took the spreader out.

It is good news to find out that Hedon Town Council is near to completion on its Community Emergency Plan. The good neighbourliness and community spirit that revealed itself last year was spontaneous and welcome, but could be much more effective if part of a wider coordinated town council-led measures in any state of emergency.

Hopefully, a Community Emergency Plan may never have to be implemented – but unfortunately we all have to be ready for such eventualities and need to know our role in any disaster or emergency situation!