Incident management

Following the declaration of a major incident, the council supports the Emergency Services through the response and consolidation phases.

The coordination of the recovery and return to normality phase is usually our responsibility.

We supply a wide range of assistance and resources:

  • Road closures and diversions 
  • Transport 
  • Reception, evacuees and friends and relatives centres 
  • Plant and equipment 
  • Building safety inspections 
  • Sanitation 
  • Maps and building plans 
  • Temporary accommodation 
  • Counselling for victims 
  • Interpretation 
  • Helplines 
  • Appeal fund arrangements 
  • Environmental health services 
  • Emergency lighting 
  • Clearance of debris and restoration of highways 
  • Provision of accommodation / equipment for temporary mortuaries 
  • Information bureau and media handling services

We work within the multi-agency arrangement developed for dealing with major incidents in Sussex.

Emergency Evacuation

In the event of a major incident it may be necessary to evacuate all, or part of, the town centre.

How will I know that an evacuation is required?
  • Messages will be broadcast on the ºÚÁÏÍøÕ¾ Radio Link Scheme to those that have joined the scheme 
  • Requests to evacuate may be broadcast using other public address systems in shopping centres, bus and rail stations 
  • Police Officers will coordinate the evacuation of required zones and assist your building management and security staff
What should I do if an evacuation of my zone is required?
  • Implement your appropriate building evacuation plan immediately 
  • Inform others who do not appear to be responding to the evacuation request 
  • Use security staff or nominated company representatives to escort everyone away from danger 
  • Follow police advice 
How can I prepare?

You should prepare an evacuation plan for your premises and:

  • Inform your staff of the plan 
  • Identify staff with specific responsibility for building evacuation 
  • Set up fire assembly points, a safe distance from your building 
  • Pre-identify bomb assembly points, possibly outside the town centre 
  • Establish how to alert your staff and visitors of an evacuation and how to inform them of the assembly points 
  • Ensure that all of your staff can reach assembly points 
  • Create specific procedures to assist staff and visitors with physical or visual difficulties 
  • Establish how you will account for all of your staff at the assembly point 
  • Decide how you will communicate with your staff while they are out of the premises 
  • Regularly test your evacuation plan