Helping communities protect themselves in an emergency
A group of residents in a Lincolnshire village have been applauded for putting in place an emergency plan to help through times of crisis.
The group have been working with Lincolnshire County Council’s Emergency Planning and Business Continuity team since the devastating floods of January 2024 to help protect the communities of Pointon, Billingborough and Sempringham.
Following that flood, the group were determined to be better prepared for any future emergency. And, during the storms in January this year, the measures put in place throughout the previous 12 months turned out to be instrumental.
The group’s chairman, Sarah Hobbs, explained that with the guidance and advice of LCC’s Emergency Planning team, they have been able to take the correct actions themselves to protect their village. “The flooding incident of 2024 taught us that sometimes, as residents, you have to take some responsibility for keeping your village safe.”
“In a rural community, you have to be ready to help yourself. That’s what having an emergency plan is all about. If you live in a more remote community, as we do here in Pointon, you have to make sure you are ready for these kinds of incidents.
“And, at the same time, the authorities have to listen to residents about what can be done to help them most. That is what this emergency plan helps with.”
The community group at Pointon meet on a regular basis at the Village Hall. Their goal, following the most recent flooding incident, is to discover why water has not been able to flow quickly through the village and how homes can be better protected.
They have liaised with county and district councils, along with the Environment Agency and other partners, to produce a plan of action – an emergency plan.
“It is vital to have an emergency plan in place and that you have people willing to drive it,” Sarah added. “We submitted out plan to the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum who made a few tweaks and now it is ready and in place should the need arrive.
“Communication is key with these things and I am really pleased that those lines of communication are now open and we have a proper emergency plan to turn to in times of need.”
Is your community prepared?
Thankfully, real emergencies are rare, but when they do happen, getting the right information from the right source at the right time can help save lives.
Quick and accurate information can also save livelihoods and come to the rescue of the environment.
This is why Lincolnshire County Council’s Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Service is urging community groups in Lincolnshire to make an emergency plan, tailored to the needs of their area and their residents.
The purpose of the Community Emergency Plan is to help communities to be better prepared and more resilient in times of crisis until emergency services arrive.
In extreme conditions there is a possibility that the emergency services may not be able to reach communities immediately.
In such circumstances, the initial response may rely entirely on local people within the parish. It is not intended to replace the work of the emergency services, but rather enhance those services.
The emergency planning team is also available to assist with any questions or offer guidance.
To find out more, please visit the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum website Resilient Communities Programme - Lincolnshire Resilience Forum