Why plan for emergencies?

The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) places statutory duties on Oxfordshire County Council. The Emergency Planning Unit helps the council meet these duties.

The seven duties are:

• risk assessment
• maintain emergency plans
• business continuity
• sharing information
• cooperation
• warning and informing
• promoting business continuity.

What does the Emergency Planning Unit do?

The purpose of the council's Emergency Planning Unit is to provide staff with the plans, procedures and information they require to enable them to reduce the effects of any major emergency occurring within Oxfordshire, while allowing our services to continue to provide their usual day to day services as much as possible.

Our emergency plans detail the information and procedures to ensure an effective, flexible and timely response to an emergency, thus minimising the distress and disruption caused by such an incident.

Role of the emergency services

Whatever the situation, it is important to be ready to follow the instructions from the police and other emergency services. Planning for an emergency is never easy, but whatever happens police, fire and ambulance services will be in the front line of a tough situation.

Although every incident is different, they will operate in accordance with procedures set out in the Emergency Services Major Incident Procedure Manual. These procedures are constantly being updated, and we have our own plans for mobilising social services, housing, highways and environmental health. Public utilities, voluntary organisations and many businesses also have their own emergency plans.