Domestic Civil Defence - Community Action in a Crisis

Annex : Community Action in a Crisis -
Neighbourhood Support

Introduction :

Neighbourhood support is a way of saying that you discuss with your neighbours any common problems and work out a way to deal with them. It might be such things as organising water deliveries for arthritic Mrs. Jones down the road or taking a trailer-load of domestic rubbish up to the municipal tip. Water treatment, rubbish processing and sewage treatment, can often be dealt with locally rather than on a community basis. Whilst a group of neighbours can do it together, sometimes it helps to nominate a Street Adviser or Street Warden to advise the street.

Street Adviser or Street Warden :
This is an individual who is briefed to :-

• Advise the street, hamlet or block, on crisis measures.
• Provide a lead in setting up communal facilities at street level.
• Provide a contact to the Community Office.
• Co-ordinate issue of relief supplies in a crisis.

The Brief for a Street Adviser :

1. A crisis has occurred which means that your street, block or hamlet is going to have to organise its own response. The possible problems are identified on this website.
   
   1. Government Advice
   2. No Power ! : Problems may be immediate.
   3. No Water ! : Problems may be immediate.
   4. No Phone ! : Problems within 8 hours.
   5. Roads Blocked ! : Problems within 8 hours.
   6. No Food !
   : Problems within 8 hours.
   7. Refuse Disposal : Problems within 12 hours.
   8. Sewage Disposal : Problems within 7 days.
   9. Disasters : Problems within 1 hour of onset.
   10. Shelters : Problems within 1 hour of attack.
   Read the pages to identify the problems you face and the relevant Annexes to get an indication as to what you should do.
2. Walk along your street, block or hamlet - your Neighbourhood - and check with householders as to their needs. This will help you establish the scale of the problem. Write down what you have found out.
3. Contact your Emergency Planning Office, your Community Councillor or your local Policeman, identify yourself, explain the nature and scale of the problem and ask what help will be given. Arrange some way to stay in contact at agreed intervals - at least once per day.
4. If you are told that action needs to be taken - or no help is forthcoming within a set time period, discuss the situation with your street and see whether between all there you have resources to deal with the problem.
5. Agree on a course of action, advise on any improvisations and put them into action.
6. Report on actions taken and their results at agreed intervals to your Emergency Planning Office, your Community Councillor or your local Policeman.
7. Keep your neighborhood informed about any developments.
8. Monitor the situation and take such action as is needed to deal with problems.

Typical Problems and their Solutions :

• No Power !
  No Lighting - improvise lights. No Heating - move people to
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Community Organisation and Emergency Information :-

[Assessing Needs and Resources] [Holding a Public Meeting] [Neighbourhood Support]
[Rest Centres] [Communal Feeding] [Communal Services] [First Aid Post] [Law and Order]