Emergencies only South Hams District Council

01803 867034

The Environmental Health Service provides a basic out of hours service.  It is primarily for emergency use only.  The majority of calls will be responded to during the next working day.

Calls are routed to a call centre where someone will take the details and decide whether to pass it onto an Environmental Health Officer (EHO).  In most cases an EHO will call back the next working day.  If the matter is passed on to an EHO there and then, they will call you back for more information.  Based on their assessment of the situation they may provide you with some advice.  Only on rare occasions will they visit you or attend.

There are some general situations in which the Environmental Health Officer would be contacted:

(i) When circumstances exist that are likely to endanger life or health.

a) Major occurrences involving the SHDC as part of an overall contingency plan or where our own emergency plan requires urgent participation or action by Environmental Health.

b) A health emergency where people have received or are in need of urgent medical attention.  This may include a major food poisoning episode, serious or fatal accident or incident where people are affected by infectious disease or overcome by fumes or other agent.

c) A major public health incident involving extensive contamination of housing, food, water, land or air.

d) The widespread sale or distribution of unfit food.

e) At the request of the Environment Agency, Police or other authority.

(ii) Specific legislative requirements

a) Emergency action to deal with a misfiring motor vehicle alarm/house alarm.  (note that after 10.00pm it is likely that house alarms will need to be dealt with on the following morning as warrants are unavailable from Magistrates)

b) Action required in relation to complaints about premises where current statutory notices are enforced or where evidence is sought to serve a Notice.

(iii) Widespread nuisance problems

This is the most general classification and includes:

a) Industrial bonfires generating dark/black smoke affecting the health and safety of large numbers of people.

b) Rave or other large organised pay party involving amplified music affecting large numbers of people.  (the police will often be the originators of such calls)

iv) Emergency Housing Advice

a) Where someone or a family needs emergency housing.

Rabies (out of hours emergency line) Devon County Council 01392 499499

Reporting highways emergencies (operates 24 hours) Devon County Council 01392 383329