Emergency incidents in Dacorum

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• Local authorities - our role

  The principal concern of local authorities in an emergency is to provide support for the people in their area. Generally, this is achieved by co-operating with the emergency services in the overall response and by co-ordinating the response activities of organisations other than the emergency services.

  Resources of the local authority will be used to lessen the impact of emergencies on people, property and infrastructure. In addition to dealing with the incident, normal support and care for the local and wider community must continue throughout any disruption.
   
  As the emphasis moves in time from immediate response to recovery, the local authority will take a leading role in the rehabilitation of the community and the restoration of the environment.

  At Dacorum Borough Council, we have particular responsibilities in emergencies in relation to the safety of structures, emergency shelter and rehousing, and environmental health issues.

• Our emergency arrangements

  We have procedures in place to ensure that, should an incident occur, an Incident Management Team and Business Continuity Crisis Team can be established to make sure both the incident and continuing normal service can be managed. This includes planning how we will continue to function if the incident involves council property or staff.

  We buy into the traded service provided by Hertfordshire County Council District Emergency Planning Team, and benefit from a dedicated HCC emergency planning officer, who works in partnership with us to enhance our emergency preparedness.

  In addition to key officers, whose jobs automatically mean they could have a role to play in our response to an incident, we also have a volunteer team. These are members of our staff who have volunteered to help in an incident. For example, by staffing a rest centre, helping in the control centre, or supporting key officers at the scene. All volunteers are provided with appropriate equipment for their role and take part in a training programme, so that they are familiar with their roles and responsibilities in an emergency.