An emergency or major incident is any event or circumstance happening (with or without warning) that causes, or threatens to cause death or injury, disruption to the community, or damage to property or to the environment on such a scale that the effect cannot be dealt with by the emergency services, local authorities and other organisations as part of their normal day-to day activities.
All major emergencies are dealt with by the Emergency Services, Local Authorities, Utilities and Voluntary Agencies, known locally as the Sussex Resilience Forum (SRF), a combined response. When emergencies happen, our local emergency responders will always prioritise those in greatest need during an emergency, especially where life is in danger.
There will be times when you may be affected by an emergency but your life is not in immediate danger. For times such as these, HTNC believes that if would be useful for residents to know how to administer self-help and support friends, family and neighbours. By becoming more resilient, residents and the community can complement the work of local emergency responders and reduce the impact of an emergency.
HTNC aim to increase resilience within our community through the information provided below:
The West Sussex Community Risk Management Plan 2022 – 2026 can be located here
Havens of Warmth are located at:
St Andrews Methodist Church
Crawley Road, Roffey, RH12 4DX
Tuesday 11.30am to 1.30pm
Free tea, coffee, and other food available. This is a cafe service, where you pay if you can afford to.
Age UK Lavinia House
Dukes Square Horsham RH12 1GZ
Thursdays, 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Free tea, coffee and soup
Broadbridge Heath Parish Council Office
Sargent Way, BBH, RH12 3TS
Thursdays, 10am to 2pm
Free tea, coffee, soup and wifi
Southern Water: Consider asking to go on their Priority Register if you have children 5 or under or a medical condition. This will also link to the energy Priority Register.
‘Help Through Hardship’: ‘Help Through Hardship’ can offer support if you are worrying about the essentials. Call 0808 208 2138 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Horsham Matters: Horsham Matters can offer support with food and energy. Phone: 0300 124 0204 or e-mail: info@horsham-matters.org.uk
It is even more important than ever to look out for others, be it neighbours, relatives, or friends. If you have concerns about anyone in Horsham who is experiencing hardship, please follow the links below.
Child Safeguarding: Report concerns regarding Children to West Sussex County Council Children’s Safeguarding : https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/keeping-children-safe/raise-a-concern-about-a-child/
Adult Safeguarding: Report concerns regarding adults to West Sussex County Council Adult Safeguarding:https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/social-care-support/adults/raise-a-concern-about-an-adult/
AGE UK: Alternative support: Age UK is an independent local charity working in the local community to help older people their families and carers, providing services to the over 50s. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/westsussexbrightonhove/activities-and-events/horsham-district/
West Susses Fire and Rescue Service: A Safe and Well Visit is a free service carried out by West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service. It involves a pre-arranged visit to your home to offer advice on how to make it safer and, where appropriate, fit smoke alarms or other specialist fire detection equipment free of charge. https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/west-sussex-fire-and-rescue-service/home-fire-safety/safe-and-well-visit/
Rough Sleeping / Homelessness: If you are concerned about someone over the age of 18 that you have seen sleeping rough in England or Wales, you can use this website to send an alert to StreetLink. The details you provide are sent to the local authority or outreach service for the area in which you have seen the person, to help them find the individual and connect them to support. It is important to note that if you think the person you are concerned about is under 18 please do not contact StreetLink but instead call the police. https://www.streetlink.org.uk/
West Sussex MIND: West Sussex MIND offers mental health support: https://www.westsussexmind.org/ . Monday to Friday, 10am until 4pm on 0300 303 5652 or email helppoint@westsussexmind.org
Time to Talk: If residents are feeling sad, lost, or anxious, at Time to Talk, they offer a range of talking therapies that can help people feel better. Their friendly therapists can help anyone work through their problems and provide support that enables them to live life to the fullest again https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/services/time-to-talk-nhs-talking-therapies-in-west-sussex/109066
Self-Harm: For further information and support regarding self-harm, please use these links.
- To raise a concern to West Sussex County Council https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/about-the-council/have-your-say/
Energy Support
Warmer Homes Grants: Visit: www.westsussexenergy.co.uk for support and Warmer Homes grants. www.warmerhomes.org.uk for off-gas fully funded energy products.
LEAP: call LEAP energy support on 0800 060 7567. Grants are also available.
Silver Line Age is a free, confidential helpline providing friendship to older people – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 0800 4 70 80 90
Residents are invited to notify the clerk of any vulnerable friends, family or neighbours who are in need and unable to administer self-help during emergency situations
In an effort to co-ordinate aid, HTNC will post on this site any short notice need for volunteers or resources, should an emergency situation occur; full details of where, when and how this can be provided/dropped off will also be listed at the time.
Suggestions for what residents could ensure they keep in the house as back-up for emergancy situations:
Cash in the house, as cards may not work for a number of days
Enough medicine to cover 2 to 3 weeks
Full tank of Petrol at all times – petrol stations without internet can only use cash
Bottled water
Lap top charged fully at all times
Mobile phone charged fully
BBQ bricks for cooking
Cooking Camping equipment
Water butt or containers for flushing toilets.
Suggested steps residents may wish take for known emergencies caused by extreme weather and winter storms:
If you have a camping stove ensure you have spare gas, if not then it would be a good investment.
Stock up on candles, matches and batteries for torches.
If you have an open fire or wood burner, make sure that you have a good supply of logs or coal and firelighters. Ensure your chimney is kept regularly swept and ready for use,
If you still have a corded telephone it is worth keeping it handy, loss of power will of course affect both your cordless phones and mobiles. Flasks for hot water or drinks will be useful and consider investing in a traditional hot water bottle, don’t forget microwavable ones or electric blankets will be render useless without power.
Check for a stock of tinned/packet soups and other non-perishable food stocks, particularly useful for the more vulnerable unable to leave their homes in treacherous conditions.
Horsham Trafalgar Neighbourhood Council 