Civil Emergency
Information about emergency planning and how the Council is ready to respond during emergencies, business disruption or major catastrophies.
As a local authority it is our role to support the emergency services in the case of a major incident. We are on call 24 hours and will coordinate the Councils response during a major incident.
What is a Civil Emergency?
A civil emergency is an event/situation that:
- could cause serious damage to people's welfare, the environment or national security, and
- requires the Council to either
- change the deployment of its staff and other resources, or
- bring in additional people/resources to respond effectively.
Examples of major incidents
- natural disasters such as floods and storms
- pollution i.e. spillages, radioactive substances, toxic gases
- war or terrorism
- any incident which is a threat to the welfare of the community
The Emergency Plan
The Council has an Emergency Plan in order to deliver services during a major incident. The plan contains details of actions to be taken following a request for assistance by the emergency services or the Council. The following are contained in the plan:
- Emergency call out list
- Flood Plan
- Severe Weather Warnings
- District Snow Plan
- Chemical/Biological Incident Plan
- Rest Centre Plan
- Media Plan
What the Council does
- Provides a 24 hour emergency response, 365 days a year.
- Ensures that the effects of any incident are minimised.
- Advises and helps key organisations across the Borough create their emergency plans.
- Liaises and co-operates with the emergency services, voluntary organisations and neighbouring local authorities when preparing for and responding to emergencies.
- Makes sure that staff, residents and organisations across the Borough know about the role of the Council in an emergency.
- Ensures that our most critical services can keep going at times of disruption.
Anchor Point:whatWhat to do in an Emergency
The most important action to take is to keep up to date with what is happening. The media, including the local radio stations, will receive updates from the Council.
It could be useful to have a battery or clockwork radio so you can receive information even if there is a power cut.
The Media
| Local Radio Stations | Frequency |
|---|---|
| BRMB | 96.4 FM |
| Coventry - CWR | 94.8 FM and 103.7 FM |
| Heart FM | 100.7 FM |
| Mercia Sound | Coventry: 97 FM |
| Warwickshire: 102.9 FM | |
| Radio WM | 95.6 FM |
Depending on the scale of the incident, updates may also be available on the http://www.solihull.gov.uk/ homepage and on Local/National TV.
What to do if you are evacuated?
Evacuation is only usually undertaken as a last resort during an emergency.
If the decision to evacuate is taken, the Police will instruct you to go to a designated evacuation point. These will be staffed by Council employees and volunteers, who will ensure that your welfare needs are met.
What should you do: upon being informed of an evacuation.
- Listen to the evacuation instructions.
- Ensure that you know where your family are.
- Gather toiletries and suitable clothing.
- Take any essential medication or special food with you. (Normal food requirements will be provided at the evacuation centre)
- Secure your property:
- Make sure fires are out.
- Turn off all utilities (gas, water, electricity).
- Lock all doors and close all windows.
- If you do not wish to use the evacuation points and go elsewhere, please inform the police or the Council staff at the evacuation points of your decision.
For more information about Emergency Planning and Business Continuity, please contact the Resilience Team
To return to this page later, you can type in the following address: http://www.solihull.gov.uk/emergencyplan/