Emergency preparedness - PLAN ahead

Emergencies can strike unexpectedly and cause a significant impact to life and livelihoods. Would you know what to do during an emergency to minimise this impact; how would you react to a flood or a sustained power outage? 

The best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, your business, and the community is to PLAN ahead. So that you are ready to act if the time comes. 

Prepare yourself

• Think about the emergencies that might affect you and your household

• Make a plan for each emergency and make sure everyone in your household knows what to do. For example, do you:

  • have adequate insurance?
  • know where to turn off power, gas, and water supplies?
  • have a list of emergency phone numbers?
  • know how your family will share essential tasks?
  • have an out-of-town friend or relative to be a contact point?
• Create an emergency kit and grab bag

Find out more about Bedfordshire’s emergency response plan.

• Sign-up vulnerable or isolated people to the priority services lists. This will help the services responding to an emergency, reach those who may need more support
• Share the information on this page, so others can prepare
• Keep an eye out for those in your community who may need extra support and help them prepare 
• Find out how to become an emergency volunteer

If the time comes act swiftly and calmly: 

• Follow the advice given by emergency services and responders
• Keep yourself and your family safe

Emergencies can happen at any time, so it’s important to be prepared to protect your business, staff, and customers. Make sure you plan ahead to safeguard both lives and your livelihood.

You should have a business continuity plan in place to help you respond during and after an emergency.

Here are some useful links and organisations to help you prepare:

• Fire safety advice from Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
• Prepare your business for flooding – GOV.UK
• Fraud prevention advice for businesses from Bedfordshire Police