Community Risk Register

The Community Risk Register is a document which is designed to inform the public about the key emergency risks that could occur in our county.

The aim of the Community risk register is to help you as an individual prepare your home, business or local community for an emergency situation.

The community risk register will provide you with a list of the Top 13 risks in Northamptonshire and the likelihood of them happening in the next 3 years.

The National Risk Register

The National Risk Register is a public facing version of the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA), Which is a classified cross-government and scientifically rigorous assessment of the most serious risk facing the UK or its interests overseas.

It provides information of the most significant risks that could occur in the next two years which could have a wide range of impacts on the UK. The National Risk Register also sets out what the government, devolved administrators and other partners are doing about them.

Read more about the National Risk Register (NRR).

What is an emergency?

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 defines an emergency as ''An event or situation that threatens serious damage to human welfare in a place in the UK or to the environment of a place in the UK, or war or terrorism which threatens serious damage to the security of the UK. To constitute an emergency this event or situation must require the implementation of special arrangements by one or more Category 1 responder.”

Northamptonshire is most commonly known for its trading and industrial history due to its central location in the UK. Traders from around the UK used to travel to Northampton market to sell their produce.

The major river systems and canals which connect Northamptonshire to various major towns and cities provided crucial water transportation via narrow boats.

Northampton town is well known for being the home of fine English shoes dating all the way back to the 15th century.

Demographics and geography

The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire Council  and West Northamptonshire Council. It is known as "The Rose of the Shires".

Northamptonshire is one of the UK's larger counties with its main town, Northampton, and several large towns surrounding it such as Kettering, Corby, and Wellingborough. The latest demographic statistics suggest that Northamptonshire's population is approximately 747,622 and it covers 913 square miles.

68.8% of the total population live in Urban areas, and currently there are around 3,360 new houses built every year.

Population growth for the next 10 years is predicted to increase by 7.2%, and by 2041 it is predicted that Northamptonshire will increase its population by 14%.

The county is landlocked between 8 other counties, and is also located in the East Midlands region. Whilst this is a major advantage for businesses within Northamptonshire this also makes Northamptonshire an ideal location to house evacuees from the other 8 counties as well as London.

About the Local Resilience Forum

The Local Resilience Forum (most commonly known as the LRF) was formed as a result of the Civil Contingencies act 2004. The Forum's main aim is to provide multi-agency co-ordination between category 1 responders across the country.

There is always an allocated person for a specific area who is named the lead co-ordinator. This individuals main role is to organise multi- agency meetings, co-ordinate response in an emergency and manage relevant documents on online shared websites.

For this reason the LRF is not a responder itself but it's sole duty is to maintain effective co-operation and co-ordination of responders so that efforts are not duplicated and that responders understand how their partner agencies work.

The LRF can also conduct debriefs of past emergency incidents especially if there were more than one agency involved in the response to the incident. Once the debrief is conducted, gaps in the response will be identified and the finished document will be used as a future training exercise to ensure all future responses are dealt with precision.

Northamptonshire Local Resilience Forum is made up of the following organisations:

• North Northamptonshire Council
• West Northamptonshire Council
• Northamptonshire Police
• Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service
• East Midlands Ambulance Service
• Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
• Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust
• Northamptonshire CCG
• Northamptonshire Health Foundation Trust
• Ministry of Defence
• Met Office
• Highways England
• Public Health England
• Environment Agency
• the voluntary sector through the Northamptonshire Emergency Response Corps

Being prepared can help reduce the effects on people’s lives, reduce the need for support from others and enable you to support the vulnerable members of your street and community.

The risks described in this booklet are the most extreme examples of what can happen. Other smaller events, like a gas leak or adverse weather, could require you to leave your home for a period of time or leave you stranded, affecting your everyday life.

If you are involved in an incident and believe you may be in danger always dial 999 and request the appropriate emergency assistance. If you are not in danger but may be affected indirectly, you may be advised to Go in, Stay in, Tune in. 

Emergencies can affect anybody with little or no notice.

Complete a Household Emergency Plan and keep it in a safe and accessible place in your home.

What are the risks in Northamptonshire?

• pandemic flu
• fuel shortages
• loss of infrastructure
• flooding
• weather
• poor air quality
• fire
• severe space weather
• cyber attack
• terrorism
• mass influx of evacuees
• food supply contamination
• animal disease

As a partnership the Local Resilience Forum considers all risks by looking at the likelihood of them occurring and considering the potential impacts, to our health (casualties, fatalities and psychological effects), the local economy, the local environment and people’s lives (evacuation, shelter, utilities).

These are the risks that are currently being reviewed by the Local Resilience Forum.

Be prepared at home

Some emergencies require evacuation; some require staying in and sheltering - are you ready?

In the case of most major emergencies, the simple advice is to go inside, stay inside, and tune into local radio. We use local radio to broadcast emergency warnings and information. It is one of the most accessible means of communication as it can be received in homes, businesses, and cars.

Radio is very reliable as it 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, and with correct preparation you should be able to stay there safely for some time. Remember, in the case of a fire in a building you are in – get out, stay out and call the fire brigade out.

Agencies such as the Police, Fire and Rescue service, Met Office, Environment Agency and Health agencies work together with BBC Radio Northampton (and other media outlets) to make sure that 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.

Personal emergency management steps - planning for an emergency

To prepare for an emergency, you should 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 at school
• the emergency procedures at your workplace
• how your family will stay in contact in the event of an emergency
• if any elderly or vulnerable neighbours will need your help
• how to tune in to your local radio station
• a list of useful phone numbers, for example your doctor and close relatives
• where you would go if you were asked to evacuate

Make sure that you have prepared a ‘grab bag’ of items that you may need in the event of an emergency. If you are at home and an emergency happens, try to gather together:

• house and car keys
• toiletries, sanitary supplies and any regularly prescribed medication
• a battery or wind-up radio and torch (include some spare batteries)
• first aid kit
• baby food and care items where necessary
• your mobile phone and charger
• cash and credit cards
• warm, waterproof clothing and blankets
• bottled water, ready-to-eat food (tinned food) and a bottle / tin opener, in case you have to remain in your home for several days
• gather important documents in a waterproof wallet (personal ID, banking and insurance documents)

Be prepared to leave quickly, in certain situations, emergency services may ask you to leave your home 
If this happens, leave as quickly and calmly as possible. If you have time and it is relevant to do so:

• turn off electricity, gas and water supplies, unplug appliances and lock all doors and windows and take the items identified previously
• if you leave by car, take bottled water and blankets
• take your pets (with suitable carriers or leads)
• tune in to local radio for emergency advice and instructions
• inform emergency services of where you have gone and how you can be contacted
• ensure you take all health aids, including glasses, hearing aids, ability aids and any prescribed medication

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.

Be wary of anyone who knocks on your door offering to carry-out building or repair work, check their credentials first.

How can your local community be prepared?

It is proven that if communities are prepared for emergencies, they not only mitigate the effects of the incident but respond quicker and more effectively. This section explains how you can join or start a community resilience scheme in your area.

Community resilience encourages people to plan for local risks and be prepared to help themselves as a community if affected by an emergency. Experience has shown that, sometimes due to the scale and nature of an emergency, the normal response provided by the emergency services and the local authorities can be delayed. On these occasions anything the local community can do to support each other will help them deal with the emergency more effectively.

Northamptonshire LRF encourages and assists communities to develop emergency and flood plans in order to prepare for the realistic risks they face. 

Preparing your business

If you own or are responsible for a business or organisation, 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 mains electricity
• a temporary disruption to gas supplies
• a disruption to the supply of mains water and sewerage
• significant disruption to transport
• disruption to the availability of oil and fuel
• a loss of telecommunications
• a loss of, or disruption to your computer systems
• a disruption which affects your key suppliers or partners
• does your organisation have adequate business continuity measures in place

Business continuity management

Business continuity management is the process through which organisations aim to continue the delivery of their key products and services during and following a disruption to normal activity, and to recover afterwards. Effective business continuity is the first line of defence for any organisation to ensure they are able to maintain the delivery of their core services and, in the long run, to assure their survival.

Organisations should consider a wide range of potentially disruptive challenges, both internal, for example disruption to computer systems, and external, for example severe weather.

The Community Risk Register provides Northamptonshire businesses with information on the likelihood and potential impact of a range of different risks, in order to assist their own risk management and business continuity management arrangements.

See the latest National business continuity planning assumptions.

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 within 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 and after an emergency
5. Train and test your staff
   In activating the continuity plan and the roles and procedures within it

By nature, influenza type diseases will contain different viruses and will therefore have different impacts. Based on previous experiences of pandemics, it is likely that a pandemic will happen in one or more waves, possibly weeks or months apart and up-to half the population can be affected if not the entire population.

An Influenza type disease can bring various different risks to Northamptonshire which include:

• reduced workforce across the county
• panic buying. Potential disruption to essential
• health of population if the Virus cannot be controlled
• potential expansion of burial services

How we prepare as a county

• managing, and creating plans for the potential pressure placed on NHS and social care systems
• planning for the distribution and administration of anti-viral medication as well as vaccinations
• inform the public of Northamptonshire and engage with the media.

How you can prepare?

• ensure you can receive the flu jab
• keep a basic stock of cold and flu medications and vitamins in your home
• ensure you educate yourself with the latest NHS guidance and advice
• identify friends and family who can help you in case you get ill, or who you can help in case they get ill

COVID-19

Is the disease caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. The World Health Organisation first learned of this new virus on 31 December 2019, following a report of a cluster of cases of 'viral pneumonia' in Wuhan, People's Republic of China.

The Symptoms of this virus includes:

• fever
• dry cough
• fatigue
• loss of taste or smell
• sore throat
• headache
• muscle or joint pain
• different types of skin rash
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhoea
• chills or dizziness

Stay safe by:

• physical distancing
• wearing a mask
• keeping rooms well ventilated
• avoiding crowds and close contact
• regularly clean your hands and coughing into a tissue

Cyber attacks would usually occur on major organisation's systems such as financial systems like banking, or healthcare systems like the NHS, which would not only impact locally but also nationally. Some risks include:

• interruption to communication systems resulting in public health impacts such as disruption to emergency service operations
• financial systems resulting in loss of funds, economic impacts etc.
• healthcare systems resulting in public health impacts

How we prepare as a county

• ensuring IT systems and infrastructure are continuously reviewed against any cyber attacks
• IT staff education and briefing to ensure they are always looking out for suspicious cyber activity

How you can prepare

• ensure you keep your IT systems up to date and the latest versions of anti-virus programmes
• ne extra cautious of random and suspicious web links and emails you receive
• make sure you have strong secure passwords which are difficult to replicate

In the event of a disruption to infrastructure systems there are various risks and associations:

• disruption to essential services
• potential impact on logistics of essential supplies such as food and medication

How we prepare as a county

• we work directly with utility companies and create plans and arrangements for scenarios where utilities such as electricity, gas or water suddenly gets disrupted
• identify areas within Northamptonshire where there are more vulnerable people and ensure those areas receive the extra support they need

How you can prepare

• ensure you keep an emergency kit in your property which will contain essential items such as a wind-up torch, batteries, wind up radio and supplies of tinned food
• disruptions to utilities may come with a forewarning, which helps you prepare, such as fill the bathtub with drinking water in case you won't have access to clean drinking water
• make sure you are aware of the cut off points within your property in case of gas or electricity emergencies

Flooding is the most widespread natural risk in the UK. By preparing in advance you can minimise the impact that flooding could have. Flooding can occur from the sea, rivers, surface water flooding (where drainage systems cannot cope with the amount of rainfall), ground water and reservoirs. The issues associated with flooding are widespread and can include:

• risk to life
• damage to homes, personal property, businesses and infrastructure
• pollution of the local environment
• disruption to utilities
• the possibility of evacuation
• short, medium and long-term homelessness
• long term health and psychological impacts.

How we prepare as a county

• identification of flood risk areas within Northamptonshire taking in to consideration the local population of the area and geographically mapping out the area to see where the higher risks are and where the lower risks are
• strategic planning to ensure risk areas are protected
• developing better ways to alert the public as early as possible
• continuing investment in maintenance of river systems and flood defence systems
• develop flood rescue and assistance teams
• Multi-agency planning to assist with the evacuation of those at risk

How you can prepare

• prepare supplies in your home which will be sufficient enough for you for up to 3 days in case you have to evacuate or even if you are stuck within your home
• make sure you have adequate insurance for yourself and your property
• if you are in a flood risk area, make sure you have signed up to flood warnings and weather warnings
• identify neighbours who may need assistance during a flood
• where possible place all valuable items to upper floors
• Identify where you will evacuate in case there is a flood

Useful information

Check to see if you can receive “flood warnings direct” a free service operated by the Environment Agency by ringing 0345 988 1188 or Sign up for flood warnings - GOV.UK.

Know what the different flood warnings mean

The Environment Agency’s Flood Information Service has three types of warnings that will help you prepare for flooding and take action.

• Flood alert
  Flooding is possible. Be prepared. When a flood alert is issued for your area you should:
  • be prepared
  • prepare a grab bag of essential items
  • monitor local water levels on the environment agency website
• Flood warning
  Flooding is expected. Immediate action required. When a flood warning is issued for your area, you should:
  • protect yourself, your family and help others
  • move family, pets and valuables to a safe place
  • keep your grab bag ready
  • turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if it is safe to do so
  • put flood protection equipment in place
• Severe flood warning
  Severe flooding. Danger to life. When a severe flood warning is issued for your area, you should:
  • Stay in a safe place with means of escape
  • be ready should you need to evacuate your home
  • co-operate with the emergency services
  • call 999 if you are in immediate danger.

If you would like more information about flooding, please visit the following websites:

• Flood Toolkit
• Blue Pages
• Flood and Water Management Act 2010
• Flooding: health guidance and advice - GOV.UK

Risk of severe weather can include Heatwaves, extreme low temperatures, extreme rain, wind, or snow storms. The likely risks associated with severe weather are:

• exposure to extreme elements can cause a danger to life
• increased risk to wild fires in a heatwave
• potential damage to some infrastructure such as rail networks
• extreme snow fall / snow storm could affect farmers and animals on the farm
• likely school closures across the county
• disruption to essential supplies due to extreme weather

How we prepare as a county

• multi-agency plans are put in place to prepare for any severe weather that could occur in Northamptonshire
• we are in direct contact with environment agencies which enables us access to weather alerts and forecasts for the county
• volunteer organisations are a great help in severe weather conditions as they provide general support where it is needed

How you can prepare

• pay attention to weather forecasts and any warnings of extreme weather
• make sure you have a stock of food supplies sufficient enough for at least 3 days in your household, and in case of a severe heatwave make sure you have sufficient amount of water supplies
• plan any journeys you might have with the weather in mind at all times

Air quality is an important risk to assess as we all need fresh air to live our lives, and without it serious health issues can arise. Short term surges in poor air quality occur primarily due to weather conditions preventing pollution from dispersing. These conditions include low winds, or a layer of warmer air trapping colder air close to the ground (known as 'Temperature Inversion').

Consequences of short-term exposure to high air pollution episode may include:

• exacerbation of pre-existing health conditions, such as asthma
• adverse effects on lung function
• coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath
• increases in respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions and fatalities
• environmental and economic damage

How we prepare as a county

• The Met Office constantly monitors air quality levels and has information readily available for the public
• DEFRA UK air information resources provide accurate data and information
• Local Public health teams have plans in place which mitigate against poor air quality
• East Midlands Air Quality Network is also available for information and accurate data

How you can prepare

• stay local and avoid using vehicle which emit any pollution, for example carbon monoxide (CO emissions)
• pay extra attention to your energy usage in your home and make sure you are not wasting any energy which causes pollution
• plant more greenery such as trees in your local area
• cut down on meat and dairy intake as agriculture is considered to be one of the largest producers of air pollutants

Fires in general have the same risks but can be caused by different events such as industrial accidents, wildfires caused naturally or by vandalism, malfunction of a system resulting in a fire or explosion. The risks associated with fires are:

• incident potentially resulting in casualties, or mass fatalities
• economic impacts of areas that are high risk of fires resulting in property prices to drop
• environmental pollution from substances burning, as well as major exposure to smoke in the surrounding areas
• if a major gas pipe has been damaged by the fire/ explosion this will cause disruption to utility services for Northamptonshire

How we prepare as a county

• the main responder for a fire incident is of course Northamptonshire fire and rescue, but a lot of multi-agency working is required when responding to an incident, for this the LRF produce plans and work streams which connect the different agencies
• weather forecasts for heatwaves are constantly reviewed as heatwaves result a higher risk to fires around the county
• Fire services undertake regular consultation with major organisations across the county to develop appropriate risks assessments and help them to prepare for a fire incident

How you can prepare

• make sure you lower risk of an accidental fire within your home or business
• follow public awareness information
• identify areas of Northamptonshire which could be a higher risk to things such as wildfires, and ensure you are not lighting fires where it is not permitted to do so

Severe space weather incidents are very unlikely to happen but, if they do, they have significant impacts nationally not just locally. The risks of a severe space weather event are:

• an increase error rate in the electronics of flight control systems
• temporary loss of high frequency (HF) radio and satellite communication systems
• degradation of GPS augmentation services
• an increase in GPS horizontal and vertical error margins
• potential power outage. Major disruptions to financial systems
• disruption to emergency services. Disruption to communication resulting in social, environmental and health impacts

How we prepare as a county

As you can imagine space weather would most likely affect the whole of the UK rather than specifically Northamptonshire itself. For this reason planning and research is being conducted on a national level. 
Some of the ways the UK is preparing for such an event is improving system resilience in case of a major solar flare which would disrupt all electrical items and communication systems. 

Developing space weather forecasts is also one of the ways the UK is preparing for a severe space weather event.

How you can prepare

In case of such event follow the governments guidance on how you can stay safe during the event.

Prepare items and supplies which you will be able to access and use whilst you wait for your electricity and communication systems to return.

Attacks are extremely difficult to forecast and therefore extreme importance is placed on making sure all preparations are in place in order to mitigate the effects of an attack on Northamptonshire as well as nationally. Some risks of a terrorist attack include:

• high risks to a loss of life and mass casualties/ fatalities in Northamptonshire
• disruption to major infrastructure systems
• disruptions to Emergency services and their systems, and potentially reduced availability of these services due to high demand of dealing with an incident
• information is vital. If you see or hear something that could be terrorist related, trust your instincts and call the confidential Anti-Terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321

Useful Links: 

• ACT Awareness eLearning - GOV.UK
• Threat Levels | MI5 - The Security Service
• What You Can Do | Counter Terrorism Policing

How we prepare as a county

• Police, Fire, Ambulance, local authorities, and other partners have a role in preventing vulnerable people being drawn into terrorism or extremism
• the LRF partners assess risks and impacts of potential attacks and develop plans to protect against and respond to attacks to keep our communities safe

How you can prepare

• be highly alert to suspicious or unattended bags on public transport or any other potential suspicious activity you may encounter
• the likelihood of being caught up in a terrorist attack is very low and therefore you should not let that affect you on a day to day basis
• if you notice something suspicious, do not hesitate to contact the authorities regardless of how small of a concern you may feel it is. You could be providing the missing piece of an investigation

A major contamination incident involving a microbial pathogen in the food chain causing illness, hospitalisation and possible fatalities in moderate to large number of people over a period of few days to weeks to identify the contaminant and months for the response.

There are several laws which give major hazard sites the responsibility to prevent and mitigate accidents which involve dangerous substances, which include:

• Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations (2015)
• Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations (Northern Ireland) (2015) (COMAH).

These are regulated by enforcement agencies such as:

• The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
• Office for Nuclear Regulation
• The relevant Environment Agency in England, Scotland or Wales
• The Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (enforcing equivalent COMAH Regulations in Northern Ireland

How we prepare as a county

• random product sampling requirements enforced on manufacturer
• Trading standards liaison with SME retailers
• Veterinary presence in slaughterhouses

How you can prepare

• pay extra attention to cross contamination between raw meat and cooked meat. Some raw meats can carry salmonella and E.coli which are both dangerous diseases
• pay attention to foods that have been involved in the contamination and avoid them at all costs until further notice
• always wash your hand when dealing with any food and/ or cooking surfaces
• protect kitchen areas and food from insects, pests and other animals

Animal disease is a medium risk and can be controlled as of now, but a new virus or disease always has a potential to develop any day. The risk associated with animal disease incidents are:

• viral outbreaks leading to pandemics, as virus will be distributed in the food
• the distribution of farm animals means the diseases can be easily spread around the country not just Northamptonshire
• an outbreak would put more pressure on the public health system, resulting in decreased operating capacity

How we prepare as a county

• producing multi-agency plans enables us to work more efficiently in an emergency scenario
• informing farmers and locals of Northamptonshire about animal diseases in order to raise awareness
• ensure the disease is contained and cannot spread further
• prepare plans which enable animal businesses to continue operation (business continuity plans)

How you can prepare

• vaccinate livestock where possible
• if an outbreak is declared ensure you follow guidance from the government to protect livestock from catching the disease

Alert service

The Alerts Service can keep animal owners up to date with the latest news and animal disease alerts. The Health and Safety Executive have published guidance on work related zoonotic diseases.

Anyone keeping livestock or poultry (even as pets) should follow the strict biosecurity practices, rules on imports and exports and rules on feeding to farmed livestock to prevent animals from being infected with an exotic disease.

Useful information and advice

Concerns about the health of animals should be discussed with a private vet. If they or the animal owner suspects a notifiable disease, it should be reported using the details below:

• In England, call the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs rural service helpline on 03000 200 301
• In Scotland, contact the local APHA field services office
• In Wales, call the APHA field services Wales helpline on 0300 303 8268
• In Northern Ireland, call the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or local DAERA direct regional office

Anyone who:

• has been bitten or scratched by a bat or imported pet
• is concerned about rabies
• is concerned about having contracted a zoonotic disease from animals should contact their GP or call the 24/7 NHS non-emergency numbers below. 

The 24/7 NHS non-emergency numbers can help with concerns about symptoms. 
Dial 111 for:

• NHS 111
• NHS 111 Wales or GIG 111 Cymru
• NHS 24 Scotland NHS 111 Northern Ireland

Individuals with hearing loss can use the NHS 111 British Sign Language service:

• England NHS 111 BSL interpreter service
• Scotland NHS 24 111 BSL interpreter service
• Wales NHS 111 BSL interpreter service
• Northern Ireland NHS 111 BSL interpreter service 

Individuals with hearing loss can also call 18001 111 on a textphone. 

Everyone should dial 999 in emergencies.

There are 3 principle causes which may impact on the supply of fuel to forecourts, these are:

• industrial actions by workers within the fuel supply industry including logistics of fuel supply
• fuel protests (as seen in 2000)
• significant international incident affecting upstream supplies.

As this is an infrastructure risk it would directly affect the entire population. The risks that Fuel shortages can cause are the following:

• panic buying
• disruption to food supplies
• disruption to Medical supplies
• significant disruption and/ or reduction of the use of emergency services

How we prepare as a county

• identify designated filling stations
• production of multi-agency plans in order to manage distribution of fuel and maintain key public services
• develop methods to efficiently communicate the emergency situation across the public of Northamptonshire

How you can prepare

• avoid panic buying
• minimise vehicular travel during a time of fuel shortage and only travel when essential
• be aware that Emergency services will potentially be operating in a reduced number or could even be entirely disrupted
• ensure you have adequate food supplies in your home which can be sufficient for your family for at least 3 days
• ensure you have adequate medical supplies in your home which can be sufficient for your family for at least 3 days

Originally, the ‘preparedness games’ concept was developed by the Clark Regional Emergency Services in Vancouver, Washington. In the USA it has been running since 2010 as 30days30ways during ‘National Preparedness Month’.

In the UK, the Northamptonshire Emergency Planning Team adapted the preparedness games concept for social media and it took off as hashtag #30days30waysUK in 2015. Uptake was so successful that in 2017 it gained its own twitter and facebook handle @30days30waysUK and this website. Today the #30days30waysUK network has hundreds of partners reaching wide audiences.

September is Preparedness Month #30days30waysUK is coordinated at Local Resilience Forum (LRF) level. Countless dedicated professional volunteers generously give their time and expertise. Some give a small donation to pay for this website. All make excellent use of open-source content and free social media. 30days30waysUK.org.uk has no budget and does not advertise. All growth is organic and networked. 30days30waysUK is a member of GNDR, the largest Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Risk Reduction. We are not a registered charity precisely so that our social media emergency risk communication approach via preparedness games is freely transferable to other regions worldwide with minimal hurdles.

The 30days30waysUK vision is to:

• inspire and empower people of all walks of life to build household and community preparedness and resilience in a world increasingly impacted by climate change and a wide range of risks
• serve as an open source, evidence-based, transferable and adaptable emergency risk communication and education approach for disaster risk reduction using positive psychology and gamification
• run and evaluate #30days30waysUK every year on social media with a wide range of stakeholders, advocating ‘be prepared not scared’

What is the Community Risk Register (CRR)?

At its most basic the risk register is a list of emergencies which might happen in the area, ranked in order of how likely they are to happen and how badly they will affect the community.

Why produce a risk register?

It is a legal requirement under The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and it is a tool to both ensure communities have an awareness of the risks in their area and that organisations resources are being targeted to have the most benefit.

What science is the CRR based on?

The CRR is based on a National Risk Register produced by the Government. This is centred around a range of data including historic, scientific and expert analysis to assess the risks to the UK as a whole. Using this information we can identify which are relevant locally and add any additional risks. Again this process involves looking at a range of data, including incidents that have occurred, local knowledge and expert guidance.

What has it got to do with me?

By producing this information and sharing it with you we hope that you will be in a better position to cope in the event of an incident. But it goes beyond you if your place of work is at risk of flooding, raising the issue with managers may ensure that in the event of flooding the business survives. Checking that an elderly relation is okay in the event of severe weather may save their life.

Isn’t this all just common sense?

Yes, a lot of the information contained in this document is common sense but by combining all the common sense from a large number of agencies into one document, we hope to provide a useful checklist and source of information.

Why should I do this as it will never happen to me?

Unfortunately not – whilst rare, major incidents do happen both locally and nationally. If we plan and prepare for such incidents they will have less of an impact. Surely it is better to spend a little time now preparing for something which may or may not happen as opposed to regretting not doing anything later.

Won’t the emergency services just respond?

In the event of a large scale incident the emergency services and others will be forced to prioritise their response to those who need it most.

The community can reduce the strain on the emergency services and others by taking some simple actions before, during, and after an event. Some of these are outlined in this document.

Joanne Maddams (Co-Author & LRF Risk Group Chair) 
Email: [email protected] 
Tel: 07711 492 067

Richard Kopnyicky (Co-Author & Business continuity officer) 
Email: [email protected] 
Tel: 07950 416638

Mark Pape (LRF Coordinator) 
Email: [email protected] 
Tel: 07557 775 236

Darren Dovey (LRF Chair & Chief Fire Officer) 
Email: [email protected]