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IN AND County Durham and Darlington Local Resilience Forum April 2017

County Durham and Darlington Risk Register www.durham.police.uk/Information-and-advice

Contents

Introduction: the County Durham and Darlington profile 4

The Community Risk register 6

Emergency management steps 7

Pandemic influenza 8

Flooding 9

Adverse weather 10

Emerging infectious diseases 11

Fuel shortage 12

Widespread, long duration electricity network failure 13

Animal disease 14

Building collapse 15

What can you do to be prepared in your home? 16

How can your local community be prepared? 16

Business continuity management 17

Frequently asked questions 18

Personal information page 19

Flood advice 20

Useful contacts 21 Newcastle International Airport A1058

A69 A1 Newcastle

Gateshead A1018 A194(M) A1231 A68 A692 A1(M) Stanley A19 A693 -le-Street A690

A691 A167 Durham A19

A1(M) Stanhope A690 A689 A181

A179 A68

A689 A689

Middleton in A688 A1(M) A19 A66

A68 Stockton-on-Tees A66 A174 Darlington A66 Durham Airport A68

A19

Introduction The County Durham and Darlington profile

Due to their geography, population and social circumstances, County Durham and Darlington present unique challenges. Both local authorities include areas of immense beauty but also areas of deprivation and social problems.

4 County Durham An area of extreme beauty, County , , Over the last 25 years traditional Durham with its rolling dales and Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees and industries, such as coal mining rugged coastline, is situated in Hartlepool. During 2005 and 2010 and steel manufacturing, have the north east of England, and its estimated population increased disappeared to be replaced by referred to as the Land of the by 3.1% to 513,000 – an increase of high-tech factories and modern Prince Bishops. It stretches from over 15,000. business parks. Tourism is vital for Peterlee and Seaham in the east, the economy. Durham Cathedral, to Harwood and Killhope in the The county has an aging Beamish Museum, the North west and from in the population. It has increased Pennines, Emirates Durham north to Barningham in the south. by 7.1% since 2005, making a International Cricket Ground significant impact on resources and other key attractions attract County Durham is bordered by and services provided to county hundreds of thousands of visitors Sunderland, , , residents. annually.

Darlington A market town, Darlington is Darlington has a well-established Darlington attracts visitors from a in the of Darlington, weekly outdoor market, regular wide area and the retail area enjoys part of the ceremonial county of farmers markets and a thriving continued success even after the County Durham. It lies on the River indoor market located underneath economic downturn of 2009. Skerne and is the borough’s main the town clock on Prebend Row. population centre. In 2011 it had The Cornmill Shopping Centre at a population of 106,000. The town Prebend Row is the town’s main owes much of its development retail centre. to the influence of local Quaker families during the Victorian era.

5 The Community Risk Register

The Community Risk Register (CRR) provides information on emergencies that could occur – and provides an assessment of how likely they are to happen and the impacts if they do.

The full CRR is available on request It identifies: from the County Durham and Darlington LRF Coordinator at 1. Emergency Management Steps [email protected] 2. County Durham and Darlington’s top risks This document aims to summarise • Pandemic influenza the CRR in a format which can • Flooding be easily used by residents and • Adverse weather communities. • Emerging infectious diseases • Fuel shortage • Widespread, long duration electric network failure • Animal disease • Building collapse. 3. What you can do to be prepared in your home. 4. How your local community can be prepared. 5. Business continuity management. 6. Further information

County Durham and Darlington Local Resilience Forum Preparing for Emergencies - Cabinet Office Guidance Further information

6 Returning home after an emergency Emergency Listen to advice from emergency services or local authorities about specific management steps actions you should follow when it is safe to return home. Planning for an emergency

To prepare for an If you are at home and an In certain circumstances emergency, take time to emergency happens, try the emergency services find out: to gather together: may ask you to leave your home. • Where and how to turn off water, • House and car keys. gas and electricity supplies in • Toiletries, sanitary supplies If this happens, leave as quickly your home. and any regularly prescribed and calmly as possible. • The emergency procedures for medication your children or school. • A battery or wind-up radio and If you have time, and it is relevant • The emergency procedures at torch with spare batteries. to do so: your workplace. • A first aid kit. • Turn off electricity, gas and water • How your family will stay in • Your mobile phone and charger. supplies, unplug appliances and contact during an emergency. • Cash and credit cards. lock all doors and windows. • If any elderly or vulnerable • Warm waterproof clothing • Take the items previously neighbours might need and blankets. mentioned and your ‘grab bag’. your help. • Bottled water, ready-to-eat food • Take your pets (with suitable • How to tune into your local (like tinned food) and a bottle/ carriers or leads) and pet food. radio station. tin opener should you need • Inform emergency services • Where you would go if you were to remain in your home for where you have gone and how asked to evacuate. several days. to be contacted. • Baby food and care items where • Tune into local radio for Make sure you have prepared a necessary. emergency advice and ‘grab bag’ of items that you might • Gather important documents instructions. need in an emergency. in a waterproof wallet (such • Ensure you take all health as personal ID, banking and utilities including glasses, insurance documents). hearing aids and any prescribed medication.

7 Pandemic influenza An influenza pandemic Who can be affected? • Ensuring individual LRF organisations have their occurs when a new flu A pandemic is likely to occur in one own business continuity virus appears and there is or more waves, possibly weeks or plans in place to cope in no natural immunity to the months apart. Each wave may last times of staff shortage. virus and it spreads easily around 15 weeks and up to from person to person. half the UK population may What can you do? become infected. A flu pandemic can occur at any • Look out for and observe advice time. The last pandemic was in 2009 What are we doing in and guidance from the NHS, in particular about reducing the when fortunately the virus caused County Durham and only a mild flu illness in most spread of illness. people affected. However, a future Darlington? • Identify a flu friend – somebody pandemic virus may cause more who would collect your We work together to plan for: severe illness. medication, food and other • Management of the demand on supplies allowing you to stay at the NHS and social care. home when ill. If the virus causes • Distribution of anti-viral • Keep small personal stocks of severe illness: medication to the public. ‘over the counter’ cold and flu • Vaccination with the newly medication to help relieve your • Health care and local authority developed pandemic vaccine symptoms. social care systems may become once available. • Know the arrangements of your overloaded. • Public awareness. child’s school. • Normal life is likely to face • Managing excessive numbers widespread disruption, of deaths. particularly due to staff shortages affecting the provision of essential services, including production and transport of goods. • Up to 750,000 additional deaths could occur in the UK by the end NHS: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pandemic-flu

of a pandemic. Further information

8 Flooding Flooding is the most Who can be affected? • Regular maintenance and clearing programme of gullies common and widespread Those at risk from river and and culverts, especially in the natural disaster in the UK. coastal flooding are relatively event of storm warnings. By preparing in advance easy to identify. Surface water you can minimise flooding has the potential to occur What can you do? the impact flooding anywhere, but is more common in built up areas. • Check to see if you can receive could have. “flood warnings direct” – a free service operated by the Flooding can occur from the sea, What are we doing in Environment Agency – by rivers and continuous or abnormal County Durham and ringing . rainfall levels. The highest flooding 0845 988 1188 Darlington? • Know what different flood risk is surface water flooding warnings mean (where drainage systems are We work together to plan for: • Report instances of flooding to unable to cope with the volume • Working with emergency the local council. of rainfall). services, local authorities, • Where possible, move valuable/ utilities and other agencies to irreplaceable items to upper The issues associated with develop flood response plans floors during times of flood risk. and procedures. flooding are widespread • Plan where you will go if you • Identifying where the flood have to evacuate and how you and can include: water could go and who is will get there. at risk. • Who can look after your pets • Risk to life. • Working with communities in and have your medication to • Damage to homes, personal flood risk areas. hand. Buy sandbags now – there property, businesses, • Providing guidance to the public will not be time in the event of infrastructure. about flooding, including flood an emergency. • Pollution of local environments. warnings and how people can • Do not drive, cycle or walk • Disruption to utilities and help themselves. through flooded water. evacuation. • Short, medium and long-term homelessness. NHS: fwd.environment-agency.gov.uk/app/olr/home • Long term health and Further

psychological impacts. information 9 Adverse weather The UK experiences some What are we doing in What can you do? of the most dynamic County Durham and Ensure you can access the latest weather patterns – Darlington? weather forecasts. Depending on ranging from snow and the level of warning: • The MET Office provides advice ice to heatwaves. and severe weather warnings • Follow instructions and advice which can be received in many given by authorities. The impacts are as varied ways, such as television, internet, • Avoid non-essential journeys. radio or social media. as the types of weather • If you must make a journey, plan • Winter planning undertaken and include: ahead and carry such items by many agencies such as as emergency food/ clothing/ gritting routes. • Ill health. blanket etc. • The NHS provides winter flu jabs • Property damage. • Check on elderly or vulnerable and plans for expected surges. • Disruption to utilities. relatives and friends. • Additional support via health • Travel disruption. • If you are aware of property and social services is identified • School closures. damage that may get worse in for elderly and vulnerable • Increased number of admissions strong winds - get it fixed now. to hospitals and GPs. people. • We have produced an adverse weather protocol to ensure that Who can be affected? agencies’ limited resources can be used best in the event of Those travelling are often affected. adverse weather. In the event of a warning, ask yourself if it is essential to make the journey? Could a telephone call do instead? The elderly and vulnerable are at an increased risk www.metoffice.gov.uk/guide/weather/ in heat waves or cold snaps. severe-weather-advice Further information

10 Emerging infectious diseases Newly recognised care may be under particular • Ensure that healthcare workers pressure for some infections. have access to up-to-date infections or • Travel restrictions or advice information to help them treat re-emergence of known may be required for some or all patients effectively and safely. infections continue to travellers. • Plan to manage the demand on be identified across the NHS services. • Provide information and advice globe and may impact on Who can be affected? to the public. communities in England The types of people who may be or in returning travellers. affected will be dependent on the What can you do? Examples include: specific disease that emerges. • Look out for and observe Public • Respiratory infections e.g. What are we doing in Health England advice and NHS SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory County Durham and guidance, particularly about Syndrome) and MERS-CoV reducing the spread of illness. (Middle East Respiratory Darlington? • Always practice good hand Syndrome coronavirus) hygiene and use disposable We work together to: • Insect borne infections tissues if you have a cough • Ensure surveillance is in place e.g. Zika virus to cover your mouth and with national and international • Infections spread by body fluids dispose of them safely and partners to identify any e.g. Ebola virus wash your hands. emerging infectious diseases. • If you are unwell after foreign • Put in place measures to control Impacts might include: travel always remember to tell the spread of infectious disease. your doctor or nurse the details • Health care systems may of where you visited and when. become overloaded with ill patients or the worried well. • Specialist health facilities for Public Health England - Health information NHS Choices - Health A-Z infectious disease and critical Further information

11 Fuel shortage

Organisations rely to Fuel shortages could result • Promote measures (public / in curtailment of non-essential business use) to achieve useful some extent on fuel, for services to vulnerable individuals reductions in fuel consumption. getting staff to work, and have a significant local, • Produce multi-agency plans distributing products regional and national economic to manage the effects of fuel or providing services. impact. supply restrictions. • If necessary invoke UK fuel availability is organisational Business generally very good. Who can be affected? Continuity plans. However, there have • The Police would handle Vehicle drivers or those relying on such issues as protests and been recent examples a service provided by a vehicle blockades. of brief disruptions to using road fuel. supply at regional and What can you do? national levels. What are we doing in County Durham and • Maintain your vehicle to be as Disruption could be caused by a fuel efficient as possible. number of factors including: Darlington? • Make only essential journeys. As an LRF we will work together to • Consider ways of conserving fuel • Scarcity of supply. co-ordinate our response and - car-sharing, walking, cycling, • A technical problem with the and home working. fuel supply infrastructure. • Make sure all organisations • Avoid panic buying. • Industrial action. conserve as much fuel as • Avoid storing fuel at domestic • Public protest. possible, whilst still delivering an properties and businesses not appropriate level of service. equipped for fuel storage. Such disruption could see further depletion through increased consumer demand (panic buying). HM Government: Preparing and responding to energy emergencies Further information

12 Widespread, long duration electricity network failure

This assumes the failure • The UK electricity system is well What can you do? managed, robust and resilient of the electricity network and is operated to minimise the • Keep an emergency kit in your over an entire region effect of any failure. home containing items such as during the working week, • There are comprehensive plans a wind-up torch and supplies of lasting for 24 hours. in place for handling a complete tinned food and drinking water. national outage as well as • Where appropriate register Because of our reliance on outages in a number of local as a vulnerable customer with electricity, even localised losses of areas. relevant companies. electricity can have a significant • Working with the local electricity • Outages may come without impact on those affected. company, emergency services, warning, so consider how you Over Christmas 2013, storms local authorities, other utility can be prepared. battered parts of the UK and some companies and agencies to • Be on alert for bogus callers areas were left without electricity minimise the impact. posing as utility company for nearly a week. • Identifying vulnerable people workers. requiring special treatment in the event of a prolonged What are we doing in electricity network failure. County Durham and Darlington?

• There has been no increase in the likelihood of a power cut Northern Powergrid, power cuts: affecting the whole of a region www.northernpowergrid.com/power-cuts for 24 hours in recent years. HM Government:

Further https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ information sector-resilience-plans

13 Animal disease

Some animal diseases Who can be affected? What can you do? may be passed to Previous incidents have devastated If involved in farming: humans - others may rural economies and communities. • Register livestock with DEFRA. only be passed from However, incidents can extend • Ensure sick animals are checked animal to animal. wider and impact upon tourism. and reported. • Vaccinate livestock where The 2001 Foot and Mouth possible. outbreak resulted in over 10million What are we doing in • If an outbreak is declared, follow sheep and cattle being killed County Durham and Government advice to limit nationwide. Darlington? the spread of the disease and protect your livestock. The impacts of a similar • On-going work with the government department for As a member of the public: outbreak would include: the environment, food and • Abide by restrictions in place rural affairs (DEFRA), to make to limit the spread of the • Risk to human health. sure that lessons identified disease, such as closed • Risk to animal health. from previous incidents are footpaths in rural areas. • Damage to the economy. incorporated into emergency • Damage to tourism and plans. recreational sectors. • Looking ahead to identify and • Access restrictions causing cut off potential disease risks. problems with delivery of utility / • Maintaining quarantine essential services. procedures for animals arriving in the UK from abroad.

DEFRA: www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases Further information

14 Building collapse Who can be affected? What are we doing in What can you do? County Durham and Problems with buildings can arise Darlington? The local authorities provide a 24/7 at any time of the day or night response which can be activated as and for a variety of reasons. A follows: Broadly speaking, buildings considerable amount of County • For dangerous structures within become dangerous for a range Durham and Darlington sits County Durham please call of reasons some of which are on previous coal mining areas 03000 262 195. mundane such as settlement, old and incidents including shaft age, vehicle impact or indeed and ground collapses are very • For dangerous structures within design defects. In some cases common. Darlington please call the causes are more dramatic and 01325 406 214. include fire, explosion and external • Building control will examine factors related to the weather. the nature and extent of the Both of our local authorities take problem and, if necessary, take their statutory duty to ensure that immediate action to make the all structures within the area which structure or building safe. are considered dangerous are made safe as quickly as possible.

County Durham: www.durham.gov.uk/article/3738/Dangerous-structures Darlington: www.darlington.gov.uk/media/121409/dangerousstructures.pdf Further information

15 What can you do to be better prepared in your home?

Some emergencies require evacuation. Some require staying in and sheltering.

Are you ready? In the case of most major able to stay there safely for some emergencies, the simple advice is time. Remember, in the case of a to go inside, stay inside and tune fire in a building that you are in – into local radio. get out, stay out and call out the Go in, Stay in, Tune in fire and rescue service. We use local radio, websites and social media to broadcast Agencies such as the Police, Fire emergency warnings and and Rescue Service, Met Office, information. These are the Environment Agency and Health most accessible means of agencies work together with local communication and can be radio stations and other media received in most homes, outlets. They ensure they give businesses and cars. out accurate and up-to-date information to keep people fully Radio is very reliable and can still informed on what to do during any broadcast and be received during emergency. a power cut by using a wind-up or battery powered radio. Knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part With most incidents, the safest of being prepared and may place to be is indoors and with make all the difference when correct preparation you should be seconds count.

How can your local community be prepared? Wide-scale emergencies do were better equipped to deal with happen. In the last five years the the impacts. UK has experienced heavy snow, flooding, chemical incidents, County Durham and Darlington drought, riots, terrorist attacks, Local Resilience Forum is utility failures and fuel shortages. encouraging and assisting communities to develop The lessons learned from the 2007 emergency plans in order to floods showed communities which prepare for the realistic risks which were prepared for emergencies they face.

16 continuity arrangements in place – something you may refer to as your “staying in business” plan.

Let’s think about something that happens to your business that you are not expecting and puts the whole future at threat. It might be a flood, a fire, a robbery or one of your key suppliers goes out of business leaving you high and dry. This can be stressful and worrying unless you have a plan to maintain Business continuity the critical parts of your business. The first step is to think what your management critical activities are. There are lots Business Continuity Management • Denial of access to a site or of activities which you take on but is the process through which geographical area? critical activities are those essential organisations aim to continue • Unexpected loss of utilities - and fundamental to your business. the delivery of key products and such as water, gas, electricity? services during and following • Significant disruption to Then consider the risks that might disruptive events. Effective transport? realistically affect your business business continuity is the first line • Disruption to the availability of and what are the crucial resources of defence for any organisation to oil and fuel? that you require. ensure they can maintain delivery • A loss or disruption to of their core services and, in the computer systems and The next thing is to write it down. long-run, assure their survival. telecommunications? • A disruption which affects your What information do you need - If you own or are key suppliers or partners which for example, to contact suppliers responsible for a can result in a loss of customers? and employees? Can you give • A loss of customers? other key employees a copy of business, have you your plan so they know the ends considered the to which they are working? impacts from external Some simple steps Ensure it is action-oriented and emergencies? to effective business occasionally, go through the plan continuity with your staff so that in the stress How would your organisation of a real-time situation they are cope with: Every business, regardless of size, clear about what you expect and • A sudden and significant needs simple workable business what they need to do. reduction in staff?

Business Emergency Resilience Group (BERG): 10 minute plan If you need help getting started with your Business Continuity

Further Planning email: [email protected] information

17 Frequently asked questions

What is the Community Risk Register Isn’t this all just common sense? (CRR)? Yes, a lot of the information contained in this At its most basic the risk register is a list of what document is common sense but by combining all the emergencies might happen in County Durham and common sense from a large number of agencies into Darlington. They are ranked in order of how likely one document, we hope to provide a useful checklist they are to happen and how badly they will affect and source of information. the community. Isn’t this all a bit extreme? Why produce a risk register? Unfortunately not - whilst rare, major incidents do It is a legal requirement under the Civil Contingencies happen both locally and nationally. If we plan and Act (2004) and a tool to both ensure communities prepare for such incidents they will have less impact. have an awareness of the risks in their area and that It is much better to plan ahead and be prepared now organisations resources are being targeted to have than regret being unprepared later. the most benefit. If you want me to prepare for What science is the CRR based on? emergencies – why do I pay council tax The CRR is based on a National Risk Register for the emergency services to respond? produced by the Government. This is centred around In the event of a large scale incident the emergency a range of data including historic, scientific and expert services and others will be forced to prioritise their analysis to assess the risks to the UK as a whole. response to those who need it most. The community can reduce the strain on emergency services and Using this information we can identify which are others by taking some simple actions before, during relevant locally and add any additional risks. Again this and after an event. Some of these are outlined in process involves looking at a range of data, including this document. 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.

18 Personal information page

Useful contacts Name Details

Schools

Work

Electricity

Gas provider

Water company

Telephone provider

Insurance company and policy number

Doctor

Other

Other

If evacuated, where could you stay?

Name Contact details Location

First choice

Second choice

19 Flood advice

The Environment Agency Flood Warning Direct Service has three types of warnings that will help you prepare for flooding and take action. IN COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON

Be prepared Immediate action Danger to life

• Prepare to grab a bag required • Stay in a safe place with of essential items. • Protect yourself, your a means of escape. • Monitor local family and help others. • Be ready should you water levels on • Move family, pets and need to evacuate the Environment valuables to a safe place. your home. Agency website. • Keep your grab bag ready. • Co-operate with the • Turn off gas, electricity and emergency services. water supplies if it is safe • Call 999 if you are in to do so. immediate danger. • Put flood protection equipment in place.

20 Useful contacts

Environment Agency (floodline) 0345 988 1188

NHS 111 111

NHS 111 (Textphone) 0845 606 4647

Gas Leaks 0800 111 999

Electricity Faults (North East) 105 / 0800 66 88 77

Northumbrian Water (Emergencies) 0800 717 1100

Durham Constabulary 101

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service 0845 305 8383

BBC Tees 95.0 FM

BBC Newcastle 95.4 FM

You can sign up now to receive critical information from Durham Police in the event of an incident using Twitter Alerts www.twitter.com/durhampolice/alerts

21 County Durham and Darlington Local Resilience Forum

County Durham and Darlington Risk Register

www.durham.police.uk/Information-and-advice

Version 1.0