Life in the South Hams, an area of outstanding natural beauty, can easily be disrupted when a major emergency occurs. A number of such incidents have occurred over recent years, which have resulted in South Hams District Council staff responding to the emergency by offering support to the emergency services.
Some of these incidents are detailed in the 'Responding to major emergenices' leaflet.
The District Council employs an Emergency Planning Officer who is responsible for maintaining the South Hams Major Emergency Procedures Response Guide. Contained in this document are the responsibilities certain Council officers have in the event of a major emergency which could include a major fire, chemical incident, major oil spill or a nuclear incident inHM Naval base, Devonport. These officers can be contacted 24 hours a day through the Council's out of hours service.
Assistance has been given to parish councils to enable them to prepare their own emergency plans, particularly in the event of serious flooding, which could occur across the district, as was the case in Autumn 2000. The Flood Advice / Public Health leaflet prepared by the South Hams District Council Environmental Health Department gives advice on what to do.
If anyone would like to discuss the Council's response to major emergencies or receive copies of the Emergency Planning leaflet referred to, please contact:
