Community resilience

Make a household emergency plan

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council developed a template household emergency plan to help households prepare for emergencies - including fires, flooding, severe weather, power-cuts and more. It provides useful information for before, during and after an emergency and can be used to create your own personal plan.

It includes examples and actions to help reduce the possible costs and impacts of an emergency. Also, a handy checklist and recommended items for a quick access grab-bag. The plan has contact details for main service providers and prompts you to list other community or service information, so you have everything in one place for easy reference.

See the plan as a PDF: Reigate & Banstead Borough Council Household Emergency Plan (PDF)

Protect your property and belongings

• store items of value and important documents such as birth certificates and passports in waterproof or sealed plastic bags upstairs or high up in case of flood.
• find out where and how to turn off water, gas and electricity supplies in your own home (mark taps and switches to help you remember).
• leave a light on so you know when a power cut has been resolved.
• check that you are insured. Find out exactly what your insurance company will cover, for example temporary accommodation, and if they will arrange clean-up and repair work.
• think about how to protect your property from flooding.
• contact your electricity network operator to report the power cut, either by calling 105 or via their other channels. Visit the power cut 105 website for details of your local network operator.

Think about what you might need in an emergency

• have a list of useful phone numbers (local authority, insurance company, family and friends, relatives, doctor, utilities and gas safe registered engineer and trained electrician)
• toiletries and medication
• first aid kit including a supply of any essential medication
• battery-powered radio (with spare batteries) or wind-up radio (useful for keeping up to date with relevant local news)
• torch with spare batteries, or a wind up torch - they are much safer than using candles
• spare clothes and blankets
• supply of bottled water
• stock your cupboard with food and drink (non-perishable) that doesn’t require electricity to prepare it
• keep your mobile phone and laptop fully charged

Take time to find out

• if friends and family can offer you a place to stay if you had to leave your property
• a suitable escape route, ensure you have keys for window locks, both up and down stairs
• if you have pets, think about who could look after them and how you will get them there
• emergency procedures for your children at school
• emergency procedures at your workplace
• how your family will stay in contact in an emergency
• if there are any elderly or vulnerable neighbours who might need your help
• how to tune into your local radio station

Priority services register

The priority services register provides extra support and communications to vulnerable people from different utilities services (water, electricity, gas). Extra support can be provided through forms of advance notice of a scheduled utility outage, providing accessible information, providing a nominee scheme, providing support during an emergency etc.  

To find out more information, visit Ofgem - join your suppliers priority services register.