Forum welcomes new campaign calling on people to prepare for extreme weather and power outages
The government’s newly-launched resilience campaign has been welcomed by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) as a timely reminder of the need for people and communities to be better prepared for local risks.
The LRF launched its own Risk Ready resilience programme in March this year, supporting local people and communities to prepare for key risks like flooding, extreme weather and utility outages.
Last month, Security Minister Dan Jarvis visited the LRF in the run-up to the national campaign launch, to see community resilience in action.
During his visit, he took part in a Risk Ready resilience workshop, alongside residents and organisations from across LLR.
The Risk Ready programme, run in partnership with Communities Prepared and Groundwork Five Counties, offers free workshops, webinars, resources and tailored support to help strengthen household and community resilience to everyday emergencies.
The government campaign highlights the way in which these emergencies can disrupt daily life and core services, including power, water, mobile phones and the internet.
Callum Faint, chair of the LRF and Chief Fire Officer for LLR, said: “The launch of the government’s national resilience campaign is a welcome reminder of the need for us all to be better prepared for local risks, like flooding, extreme weather, including wild fires, and power outages.
“By taking simple steps now, people can act faster in an emergency, support each other and recover more quickly.
"Being prepared also reduces demand on the emergency services and allows responders to focus their attention and resources on those in most need.”
Simple actions to take to be better prepared include knowing about local risks, getting to know your neighbours and particularly anyone who would find it harder to cope in an emergency and keeping a stock of essential supplies,ideally enough for three days, including tinned food, bottled water, a torch and batteries and prescription medication
People can sign up now for the next Risk Ready webinar on preparing for winter hazards which takes place on Wednesday November 4, 6.30 to 8pm.
Go to www.llrresilienceforum.org.uk /risk-ready-communities to sign up, and get free support from the Risk Ready programme.