Staying informed in an emergency

The safest thing to do in an emergency or during severe weather is to follow the instructions of the emergency services. You can stay up to date through radio, television, social media, and trusted websites. An emergency can affect you, your family or your community. Examples include:

• severe weather such as cold weather and snow, hot weather, flooding, and storms
• a fire
• a public health emergency such as infectious diseases
• a terrorist attack

Radio

Local and national radio stations share regular emergency updates:

• BBC Radio 2: 88–91 FM
• BBC Radio 4: 92–95 FM, 103–105 FM
• BBC Radio Wiltshire: 103.5 FM, 103.6 FM, 104.3 FM, 104.9 FM

Television

Regional television channels also provide updates during emergencies:

• BBC Points West
• ITV West

Useful phone numbers

It helps to know who to contact for the right support. These national numbers can connect you to essential services and information:

• Call 999 for emergencies requiring police, fire or ambulance
• Call 101 for Wiltshire Police (non-urgent situations)
• Call 111 for NHS medical advice when it is not an emergency
• Call 105 for power cuts and updates from your local electricity network

Social media

• Updates from Swindon Borough Council are shared on our Facebook page
• Wiltshire Police also share emergency information on their social media channels

Service updates

• Disruption to council services
  • Find out which council services are affected
• Buses
  • Bus services in Swindon are run by Swindon’s Bus Company and Stagecoach. Visit their websites or social media accounts for the latest information.
• Leisure centres
  • We do not run leisure centres. Check directly with your local centre.
• Roads
  • Information on road closures is published on the Wiltshire Police website
• Schools
  • We do not issue individual school closure notices. For updates, check the school’s website or social media, listen to local radio, or visit GOV.UK for school contact details.

Reporting local issues

• Fallen trees
  • Report a problem with a tree online or call our tree maintenance team on 01793 445500
• Flooding
  • Report flooding or standing water online or call 01793 445500
• Power cuts
  • Call 105 for a free report and information about power cuts in your area
  • Scottish and Southern Energy provide a live power outages map on their website

Stay prepared and informed

For help from social services, housing, or the Council, see our list of emergency phone numbers.

See how you can build personal resilience before an emergency, including creating a grab bag and knowing who to contact, on our preparing yourself and others for an emergency page.

Remember, if you need urgent support, help is always available. Call 999 in an emergency or 101 for non-urgent situations.