Over the past two years, Forrabury & Minster Parish Council has been working behind the scenes to develop a new Community Emergency Plan for our parish.
In the coming weeks, households across the parish will receive an envelope containing important information about the Plan and some simple steps we can all take to become better prepared.
Please take a few minutes to read it – and then keep it somewhere safe and easy to find.
Parish Councillors and volunteers packing envelopes ready for mailing out
Why do we need a Community Emergency Plan?
Our parish has experienced first-hand how emergencies can affect a community.
But emergency planning isn’t only about flooding.
Prolonged power cuts, severe weather, telecommunications failures, road closures and communities becoming temporarily isolated are all situations that could disrupt everyday life.
The emergency services and statutory organisations remain responsible for responding to emergencies. Our Community Emergency Plan doesn’t seek to replace them.
Instead, it considers what our community can do alongside them particularly where disruption continues for hours or days.
That might mean sharing trusted local information, checking on neighbours, opening a Community Emergency Hub or coordinating local volunteers, skills and resources.
A plan built around our community
One thing has become increasingly clear as we’ve developed the Plan: community resilience cannot simply be written into a document.
It depends on people.
It means knowing our neighbours, understanding the skills and resources already within our community, knowing who might need additional support and building relationships before they’re needed.
That’s why the next stage of our work is about taking the conversation beyond the Parish Council and into our community.
Over the coming weeks, we’re asking “What if?”
There aren’t always complicated answers. Often, becoming more resilient starts with a few simple preparations and conversations.
Come and be part of it
On Thursday 15 October, we’re bringing the conversation together at our Community Resilience Emergency Preparedness Open Day at Boscastle Community & Recreation Centre.
Between 2pm and 6pm, residents can drop in, meet organisations involved in emergency preparedness and community resilience, get practical advice, take part in demonstrations and learn more about our Community Emergency Plan.
The event is free and everyone is welcome.
In the meantime, look out for your envelope, follow our “What if?” campaign and have a conversation with the people around you.
Community resilience is built before an emergency — and it begins with community.
