Emergency plan

When minor emergencies occur they are usually dealt with by a responding organisation such as police, fire or ambulance service. The Council has well established working practices for minor incidents. 

Emergency plan

Councils are required by law to prepare an emergency plan so that resources and experienced people are on standby to respond quickly and in the best possible way when a major crisis - of whatever kind - occurs.

Our Emergency Plan is reviewed regularly and updated annually. It sets out procedures and guidance for responding to a major incident or large emergency that affects the Borough.

In response to an emergency, both we and Surrey County Council will principally be required to 

• support emergency services with resources (usually our normal services)
• look after the care and welfare of people (shelter and re-housing)
• warn and inform the public
• protect the environment.

Runnymede Borough Council emergency plan allows us to

• make good, immediate decisions
• co-ordinate our efforts to be most effective

Emergency plan

For the plan to be used there has to be what is classed as a major incident. A member of the emergency services or an emergency planning representative of the National Health Service or a local council can declare a major incident if they feel certain criteria have been met. The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 allows for the terms major incident and emergency to mean

• an event or situation which threatens serious damage to human welfare in a place or the UK
• an event or situation which threatens serious damage to the environment of a place in the UK
• war, or terrorism, which threatens serious damage to the security of the UK

Damage to human welfare involves, causes, or may cause

• loss of human life
• human illness or injury
• homelessness
• damage to property
• disruption of a supply of money, food, water, energy or fuel
• disruption of a system of communication
• disruption of facilities for transport
• disruption of services relating to health