Major emergencies

The Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Resilience Team

Emergency planning in Solihull is carried out by the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Resilience Team. Visit their website to find out about the types of emergencies we plan for and what steps you can take to be better prepared.

An emergency can occur at any time without warning and have adverse effects on the people and environment of Solihull, this could include:

  • flooding
  • fires
  • severe weather
  • industrial accidents
  • disease or flu outbreaks
  • business disruptions

If a major incident occurs the first people to become aware of it will usually be the 'blue light' emergency services. West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service, and West Midlands Ambulance Service will inform the CSW Resilience team.

CSW Resilience is a shared service team that fulfils the Emergency Planning function for the local authorities of Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire and will initiate the Council's emergency response.

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

What 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.

For more information and advice on different types of emergencies and how you can increase your Resilience visit the CSW Resilience Teams website, download and have a go at completing a copy of their home emergency plan and learn about what items you could keep in an emergency grab bag.

Flooding

Fire safety

  • fire prevention is important in reducing tragedies and the West Midlands Fire Service offers a free Safe and Well visit 
  • for more details, please call 0800 389 5525 or visit: www.wmfs.net/contact-us/

Gas

  • the national gas emergency number is 0800 111 999, please call this number if you smell gas or suspect a leak

Local Resilience Forum

Solihull Council is part of the West Midlands Local Resilience Forum (LRF). An LRF brings together the emergency services and other partners such as Local Authorities, Utility and Transport Companies as well as partners from the health sector.

The LRF meets to ensure that agencies across the West Midlands are prepared for major emergencies and co-ordinated in their planning, training and exercising. The LRF also undertakes risk assessments and produce a Community Risk Register which outlines the types of risks that may occur in the area and also gives advice on how to be better prepared for such events.

You can download a copy of the Community Risk Register for the West Midlands.

Business continuity

If you are a business owner, have you thought about how you would continue to operate if your business was affected by an emergency? Taking steps now to prepare your business and produce a business continuity plan will reduce the disruption that your business may face should it be affected by an incident.

Visit the CSW Resilience Team’s website for advice on Business Continuity.