Emergency planning

We have the legal duty to maintain robust contingency plans. Our plans should be maintained and be resilient. This comes under the terms of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.

We need to have plans and procedures to deal with large-scale emergencies. This is known as emergency planning. The organisations involved in drawing up the plans include the:

  • Government.
  • Emergency services.
  • Health services.
  • London Borough of Harrow.

We have a small team of staff dedicated to preparing plans for Harrow. They are called the Emergency Planning Team (EPT). They ensure that we meet our duties under the 2004 Act and other legislation.

Harrow is part of the larger West London Local Resilience Forum. They form a group of agencies, which play a part in the event of an incident occurring. These agencies include:

  • The Metropolitan Police.
  • The London Fire Brigade.
  • The London Ambulance Service.
  • Volunteer agencies such as the British Red Cross.

This group works together and shares information. Our EPT also helps to plan for London-wide and national emergencies.

What to do in an emergency?

In an emergency in the UK, always dial 999: police, ambulance, fire, and rescue.

An emergency could happen at any time and have a variety of consequences. One way to be better prepared is to have a ready-made emergency bag. It would be wise to keep the bag in an accessible area of your home. Things you could keep in your emergency bag:

  • A torch (with batteries) or a wind-up torch.
  • A radio marked with local frequencies. (With batteries) or a wind-up radio.
  • A first-aid kit.
  • Some bottled water or canned drinks.
  • Some baby food and care items (if applicable).
  • A mobile phone (with a charger).
  • Some money and bank cards.
  • Some basic toiletries.
  • Any essential medicines.
  • A list of emergency phone numbers.
  • Any identification documents.
  • Your home and car keys.
  • Any insurance documents.

Evacuation checklist

  • Listen to the advice of the emergency services.
  • Collect your emergency bag. Make sure you have got the contents on the checklist.
  • Check that you have your keys, wallet, and phone.
  • Grab some warm clothing to change into.
  • Move pets to safety.
  • Make sure you secure your home properly.
  • Follow the directions from the emergency services.

The government is working hard to prepare the UK for emergencies. It is important that you are ready too. Being prepared can reduce risks to life and property.

Key contact details

Hospitals

  • Northwick Park Hospital NHS Trust: 020 8864 3232
  • Clementine Churchill Hospital: 020 8872 3872
  • St. Mark's Hospital: 020 8235 4000

Local emergency support

  • Harrow police station: 101
  • NHS: 111
  • Harrow Fire Service: 020 7587 4721
  • Fire service: 999
  • Fire service (non-emergency): 020 8555 1200
  • Anti-terrorism hotline: 0800 789 321

Floods

  • The Environment Agency: 0845 9333 111.