What is Emergency Planning?

Combined Response to Emergencies

The principal concerns of Local Authorities in the immediate aftermath of an emergency are to provide support for the people in their area. Generally, this is achieved by co-operating with the emergency services in the overall response and by co-ordinating the response activities of organisations other than the emergency services. However, there are also specific responsibilities.

Resources of local authority departments will be used to mitigate the effects of emergencies on people, property and infrastructure. In addition to dealing with the incident normal support and care for the local and wider community must continue throughout any disruption. When incidents involve multiple fatalities, the coroner’s office will liaise with the local authority on the establishment of temporary mortuaries. As the emphasis moves in time from immediate response to recovery, the local authority will take a leading role to facilitate the rehabilitation of the community and restoration of the environment.

See more information about the Combined Response to Emergencies in Bedfordshire and Luton here.

Mid Bedfordshire District Council

Mid Beds DC works in close partnership through the Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum. This is a group that works to ‘integrate’ the response of all agencies that would be involved in managing a Major Incident in Bedfordshire. Membership of this group includes all the ‘blue light’ services, the health services, and local authorities including Luton Borough Council. 

Mid Beds DC as a district council has particular involvement and responsibilities in relation to emergency re-housing and environmental health issues. In addition Planning services are involved in minimising risk from natural hazards in new developments and investigating incidents when they occur. The response from Mid Beds DC would be co-ordinated with Bedfordshire County Council, and joint plans have been produced to cover specific areas such as Rest Centres, Temporary Mortuaries, Flood response, Pipeline emergencies and Fuel Shortage.

Internal Emergency Procedures are in place to ensure that should an incident occur, a Crisis Management Team can be established to ensure that both the demands of the incident and the demands of continuing normal service under unusual circumstances is achieved. This includes Business Continuity Management to plan how Mid Beds DC will continue to function if the incident involves council property or staff.