Preparing for an emergency in your community

Helping parish councils, community groups and volunteers understand how they can prepare to provide support in an emergency.

Community resilience is about how people work together to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. Strong, connected communities can support each other and bounce back more quickly from challenges.

Whether you are part of a parish council or a local group, there are simple steps you can take to help your community become more resilient.

You can visit our partners’ Prepared Communities website to find out how your community can get involved and build resilience.

Community emergency plans

Having a local emergency plan helps your community respond quickly and effectively when something goes wrong. Each plan should reflect what works best for your area – there is no one-size-fits-all approach. When developing a plan, communities often:

  • identify local risks and resources
  • agree on roles and responsibilities
  • plan how to communicate and support each other during an emergency

Find guidance on how to create a community emergency plan on the Wiltshire and Swindon Prepared website.

Community emergency contacts

During an emergency, responders need accurate local information to coordinate support and make decisions quickly. The Community Emergency Contacts network helps provide this vital link between communities and the local authority. These contacts can help us:

  • share real-time information about what is happening in their area
  • help to coordinate support and resources effectively
  • keep communities connected to the wider emergency response

Each community area or parish aims to have at least three contacts, ensuring that responders can reach people quickly and reliably during incidents.

Anyone with strong local connections and an interest in supporting their community can take on this role, including:

  • parish or town council leads
  • local volunteers
  • community group coordinators
  • local businesses or venues that can offer support

To get involved:

Emergency community hubs

Emergency community hubs are local places set up by the community and run by volunteers to provide trusted support during an emergency. They give people a central point to:

  • get the latest information
  • ask for help
  • offer support to others nearby

Hubs also keep communication flowing between residents and the emergency services. They make sure important messages reach the community and also let responders know what local people need.

If you would like to set up or support a hub, training and guidance are available. Find out how to register and get involved on the Wiltshire and Swindon Prepared website.

Stay prepared and informed

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.

For trusted updates and local information during an emergency, visit our staying informed in an emergency page.

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