Get Set September
For the month of September, Highland, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils are partnering for the Get Set September campaign, to help the public consider how to respond to an emergency or severe weather incident in their local communities.
Week one: Personal preparedness
Vice Convener of the Council and Chair of Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, said: “With winter on the horizon, now is an ideal time to begin preparing and planning to ensure you feel ready to react quickly in an emergency and can support yourself and others in your community.”
We often rely solely on emergency services during incidents but there are many things we can do within our own communities to plan for emergency response as well as the recovery period that follows. This is known as personal resilience or preparedness and there is lots of advice and information available at www.ready.scot for those looking to learn more.
Stay informed
There are a number of information sources for monitoring disruption such as weather, traffic, flooding and emergency events including Met Office, SEPA, Scottish Fire and Rescue, Traffic Scotland, SSEN, Police Scotland, Scottish Water and Scottish Power. It’s a good idea to follow these accounts on social media for the most up-to-date information.
There is also a national system for emergency alerts which is designed to alert people to situations where there is an imminent danger to life. This will next be tested on Sunday 7 September around 3pm and will send an alert to mobile phones and tablets which will vibrate and activate a loud siren.
Plan and prepare
Would you know what to do in an emergency and how to keep yourself and your family safe?
It can be a good idea to create a home emergency plan with information such as:
- An agreed safe meeting place if you and your family had to leave home
- The location of important personal and insurance documents
- Emergency contact numbers
- Details of where the fuse box, stop cock and emergency supplies can be accessed
Checking the essentials
Easy to access home emergency kits stored in waterproof bags can be useful if leaving the house in a hurry and should include:
- Torch and batteries
- Mobile phone with charger or power bank
- Radio
- First aid kit and essential medications
- Blankets and warm clothes
- Ready to eat food and bottled water
- Baby food and pet supplies
- Personal important items such as passports, birth certificates and insurance details
Communities coming together
Local community groups are key when preparing for a potential emergency. They bring together the skills and knowledge of individuals, groups and businesses in local communities and offer an opportunity to discuss what the risks are and how they can be prevented or prepared for.
Community groups have an important role to play and can help plan how a community will respond. This can include checking in on friends, family and neighbours, especially those who are vulnerable or may need extra support during power cuts or loss of water supply. They can also help install flood protection measures such as sandbags, clear paths of snow and ice and become a hub for information sharing locally.
Extra support
Some people may need extra help in times of crisis and may be eligible for free support in particularly challenging times. Scottish Water has a confidential Priority Services Register for those with a disability or medical condition. SSEN and Scottish Power also have a Priority Services Register for those:
- aged over 60
- who have a child under the age of five
- who depend on electricity for home or medical care
- who have a chronic illness
- who feel they need extra help for another reason
If you are over 75 and use heating oil, you may be eligible to register for the free Cold Weather Priority Initiative, which prioritises members for deliveries of heating oil in times of shortage or extreme cold weather.
More information
Taking the time to check your personal resilience beforehand could make all the difference during an emergency or severe weather incident.
Find out more at Ready Scotland.
