North Devon Council prepares contingency plans and organises training, working alongside various agencies, Devon County Council and the emergency services. We are part of the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) working across the peninsula to ensure we are prepared to respond to the agreed Community Risk Register. This can be found here.

However, there are many things that you can do to help protect yourself, your family, your property, business and community, should the worst occur.

What individuals can do

As an individual, you have a role to play, by ensuring you know what to do in case of an emergency. Having a personal emergency plan in place can help you prepare. Many organisations have emergency plan templates for you to use, such as the Local Resilience Forum.

Download the LRF emergency plan template

Other things to bear in mind include:

• keep oil and bottled gas supplies topped up over winter
• ensure pumps and water supply pumps are properly insulated
• keep a supply of long-life and tinned food
• have a map reference to your house
• identify safe escape routes from your home
• keep emergency bags available and stocked

The Local Resilience Forum has also put together an emergency planning advice leaflet, which gives further information on some of these points, including a checklist of what to put in emergency bags.

The Environment Agency has also produced a CLEAR plan video, which helps give further information.

There is further information about preparing for emergencies on the GOV.UK webpage.

What parishes can do

All communities are encouraged to organise a level of resilience. The main thing is for parishes to create an emergency plan, which can be found on Devon County Council's website. Other aspects may include:

• identifying and locating professional skills, such as doctors, nurses, tradesmen, tractors in advance
• holding, filling and delivering sandbags
• sourcing 4x4 vehicles and drivers that can collect prescriptions, essential food and materials
• Set up snow wardens 

What business can do

Businesses are also encouraged to have their own continuity management process in place, which identifies any potential impact that could threaten their business. More information on this can be found on Devon County Council's business continuity planning webpage.