The Government has published updated advice to help communities prepare for emergencies, following consultation with local resilience forums.

It is part of the Government's three-year national resilience campaign, titled ‘Be Ready’, which aims to support households in readying themselves for emergency events such as severe weather and disruption to essential services.

In the advice released yesterday, households are urged to take simple steps to help them manage in an event which interferes with services like power, water, and the internet.

The actions suggested in the campaign include signing up to the Priority Services Register – a free service that helps utility companies identify customers who might need extra support during emergencies.

Additionally, it recommends that households build up three days’ worth of supplies, from bottled water and non-perishable food to hygiene products and communication tools.

According to the Government, taking these cost-free steps in advance could help emergency services prioritise those who are most in need if an emergency occurred.

The guidance has been formed through close work with local resilience forums, to ‘root the advice in what works for local communities’, as well as through collaboration with charities and campaigners who advocate for under-represented groups.

Best practice tips have also been drawn from existing campaigns created by other countries including France, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

Comments

Dan Jarvis MP, Security Minister, said: ‘Those who can follow this advice should follow this advice. By taking simple steps to be ready for everyday emergencies like severe storms, people can reduce pressure on emergency services, helping them prioritise people who need more support in an emergency. 

‘This is just the sort of community-focused campaign the UK needs to improve our resilience as a nation. It will bring us into line with European counterparts, where advice like this is a normal part of everyday life.’

Laura Scott, British Red Cross Director for UK Resilience, added: ‘We know from our work across the UK that local people know their communities best and want to play a part when a crisis happens. Having clear and trusted advice for people, especially those who may be more at-risk, could help reduce the impact of crises and even save lives.’