Community emergency plans

Groups within communities, whether formed around a locality (for example a street, a village or parish councils), can support the whole community to be more prepared and resilient to emergencies.

Community groups can help by:

  • being aware of the risks that your community might face 
  • having an emergency contacts list for your group so you can keep in touch during an emergency event 
  • identifying which members of your community might be vulnerable in an emergency, and be prepared to offer assistance if required 
  • developing, or helping to develop, an emergency plan for your organisation or community

Parish and town councils are not an emergency service and have no statutory responsibility to plan for, or respond to, emergencies. They are not trained, equipped, empowered or resourced to carry out the functions of an emergency service.

Developing a community emergency plan 

It is good practice for a community to identify local hazards and make plans on how to assist the emergency services and other responding agencies. A community emergency plan should focus on the welfare of people and help to maintain the local infrastructure, such as roads.

It should aim to:

  • provide a co-ordinated response from the local community 
  • identify key contacts and resources within the locality 
  • identify places of safety for residents should an evacuation be necessary 
  • identify vulnerable people or groups that may require additional assistance 
  • identify local hazards within the community 
  • assist in keeping residents within the parish informed of the situation. 

Templates and guides for community emergency plans 

To help communities develop their own emergency plans we have put together some guidance and a plan template: