Emergency Information
This page contains information which may be of use in emergency situations.
Much of the information lower down on this page was issued during notible events in the past but has been archived here incase any remains useful and relevant to residents.
We encourage all residents to make basic preparations for emergency situations. To assist this we have prepared a simple handout which can be completed and kept in an easy to find place.
This file can be downloaded here to print at home otherwise please contact a councillor or the clerk to request a paper copy.
FIRST STEPS IN AN EMERGENCY
If you become aware of a serious incident happening or threatening to develop, call the emergency services on 999 with the following information:
- Your name, contact telephone number, address / location
- Full details of the incident as far as you are able to ascertain without putting yourself at risk:
- When
- Where (exact location)
- What happened and what is happening now
- Emergency Services requested
- Estimated human casualties
- Estimated animal casualties (if any)
- Hazards and road blockages
Preparation
The Doctors and local Pharmacy
Bellingham Practice hold a list of vulnerable patients who in the event of an emergency will be checked on as necessary by the District Nursing Team. If you are registered with the practice and feel you are vulnerable you are invited to ask for your name to be added to this list. Please contact the doctors surgery directly – 01434 220 203.
The pharmacy is responsible for having their own contingencies in place for emergencies. If you have any concerns that you could end up without importance medicine if cut off for several days during an emergency, we suggest you speak to your dispensary to outline potential problems and ask them to clarify their plans.
Acetylene Gas Cylinders
Do you own or use acetylene gas in your business or garage?
If there is a fire on your premises, the danger of acetylene cylinders exploding means a hazard zone of a 200m radius is initially set up every time they are reported to be involved in a fire. This can remain in place for many hours, causing major disruption to roads and public transport and evacuations from homes and businesses. And, of course, danger to the fire crews and people nearby.
So if you have or use compressed gas, you can inform the fire service of its presence by displaying a sign on your garage/workshop. If the fire service are attending a fire on your premises or close by, they can take appropriate action to avoid further danger.
Phones and communication.
The removal of BT copper landlines (which work without a separate power source) is of great concern to the Parish Council. If possible, we suggest you retain yours and resist the digital switchover until you are happy you will have a suitable alternative for an emergency. We are told that vulnerable customers are entitled to a battery backup which will give some more time to use a home phone during a power cut. We encourage you to speak to your own phone provider about this.
Many of the local mobile masts require power to work and do not yet have generator back-ups , this leaves our area especially vulnerable to losing signal almost completely. The Parish Council will continue to campaign for contingencies to be put in place by the providers. In the meantime please be aware (and make others aware) that during loss of power you may be completely out of reach when at home.
Household checklist and Grab bag
Please see our download or ask for a printed copy to help prepare your household.
High Risk Areas
The road from The Bay Horse in the centre of West Woodburn to Bellingham passes very close to the River Rede and despite efforts to mitigate is known to flood. Please avoid driving through when you cannot see the depth of the water on the road. It takes very little water to damage a car or cause an accident which then puts others at risk.
During an emergency
Local points of contact
The Gun at Ridsdale and Corsenside Parish Hall at West Woodburn are places within our community which have the intention of helping the parish during times of emergency. Precise details of what is needed and what can be offered will vary according to the situation and immediately available resources (including volunteers). It is hoped that at the least these locations will provide a point of contact so the community can communicate with one another sharing news. In future formal arrangements such as message books may be put in place, in the meantime we encourage you to visit these buildings, only if safe to do so, as a first point of contact to reach out to others.
If properties need to be evacuated this will be co-ordinated by Police, Fire Service or County Council. They can designate Corsenside Parish Hall as an official Reception Centre.
Useful additional local information
It has been noticed that in recent years when power outages have stopped the mobile phone network coverage across much of the parish, a signal can often be found in the layby along the A68 South of the entrance to Four Laws.
Supporting one another
The residents of Corsenside have a long history of looking after one another as was evidenced again in recent years during Covid and after Storm Arwen. We know this will continue. How bad anyone is effected by an emergency varies hugely according to among other things health, experience and resources
Problems you may be to help a neighbour with, or a neighbour may be able to help you with include:
· Communicating with someone outside the parish.
If phone lines are down some people still may be able to drive to an area of signal or charge their phone in the car. Can you also send a message on behalf of someone who doesn’t drive?
· Sharing hot water or hot food
Some homes are set up to be able to heat water or cook without electricity – can you offer a flask of water for a hot water bottle or cup of tea
· Charging up phones.
Not everyone has power bank backups, solar panels, generators or the ability to drive and charge in the car, but lots of residents do. If you are desperate to top up your phone battery someone may be able to help.
· Sharing news & providing company
Emergencies can be especially lonely and worrying times, spreading the word about how others are doing and any official updates can be very reassuring. Communicating widely will help identify anyone who may need extra attention or support, in which case please escalate to the appropriate organisation – details in appendix.
If you are regularly online, for example getting emails from official organisations, checking the weather forecast or keeping in touch locally on social media please consider repeating any useful information to residents you suspect may not be able to access the internet.
1. Contact details:
Northumberland County Council
www.northumberland.gov.uk or 03456006400
Northumbria Police
https://www.northumbria.police.uk 01661 872555 or 101.
Hexham Police Station, Shaftoe Leazes, Hexham, NE46 3DG Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
UK Power Networks
maintains electricity cables and lines ukpowernetworks.co.uk/liveupdates
Northern Powergrid - 105 or 0800 011 3332
Environment Agency
0800 80 70 60 Damage or danger to the natural environment, Pollution to water or land, Watercourses blocked, Domestic oil leak
Environment Agency Flood line: 0345 988 1188
Northumbrian Water: 0800 393084
Health
Information on medical conditions:
www.nhs.uk or call 111
Local Doctor:
The Bellingham Practice
01434 220 203.
The nearest Doctors Surgery is Bellingham Practice, NE48 2HE. 01434 220203.
For Accident and Emergency visit Northumbria Wy, Cramlington NE23 6NZ
A map showing the location can be seen here.
A list of Walk in Centres in the region can be accessed here.
Northumbria Police cover this area and can be reached by calling 101 for non-emergencies, further details of how to contact them can be found online.
Defibrillators
Corsenside has 2 defibrillators maintained by the council, these are checked regularly but if you spot a problem with either or wish to inform us that one has been used, please contact the clerk.
The West Woodburn defibrillator is located on the side of the Bay Horse and the Ridsdale defibrillator is located on Armstrong Street.
In the event of an emergency always dial 999. If you are advised to get the defibrillator by the emergency services they will issue you with the code in order for you to get into the box where the defibrillator is kept. You will remove the defibrillator and take it to the casualty. The defibrillator is designed so that anyone can use it, you do not need to be trained. Follow advice from the emergency services & the defibrillator itself. The defibrillator will only work if it senses the casualty needs it.
Extreme Weather
The following information was released during Storm Arwen and may remain relevant in the event of future storms:
From Northumberland Counrty Council, working with Northern PowerGrid:
We’re continuing to do everything we can to support residents in the aftermath of Storm Arwen, working alongside emergency services, utility companies and voluntary organisations. The focus continues to be supporting our communities in our hardest hit areas and our most vulnerable residents.
This update includes useful information and contact details from the Council to help you over the coming days.
Financial Assistance
Northern Powergrid will provide financial assistance to any domestic customer who is still off supply from 29 November. This will include the reasonable costs of alternative accommodation and food (up to £15 per person per meal). It will also contribute to other reasonably incurred costs; for example, where a customer arranges for their own back-up generator. Customers are advised to keep all of their receipts. All reasonable retrospective claims will be honoured.
Northern Powergrid will consider each customer’s circumstances on a case-by-case basis. All vulnerable customers will be eligible. Customers who require assistance should email StormArwen@northernpowergrid.com and they will be in contact as quickly as possible to agree how they can help.
Taking Care When Outside
Please take extreme care when out and about due to storm damage.
Northern Powergrid is also reminding people of the importance of reporting damaged cables or equipment by calling 105 and not to approach the area as equipment may still be live.
To report a power outage call: Northern Power Grid 105
For anyone struggling with food or other essential supplies call: Northumberland Communities Together 01670 620015
(Monday to Friday 9am – 6pm)
For concerns about vulnerable residents or safeguarding issues call: Onecall 01670 536400
For general Council queries call our Contact Centre 0345 6006400
To find your nearest Community Hub visit nland.uk/hubs
Please help your neighbours who may not be online by sharing this information with them. If further assistance is required please contact the Parish Council via Christine the clerk on 07737518867.
Corona Virus - Covid 19 Response
25th May 2020
We are using The Clarion Facebook Page to get this message out due to the current government restrictions on staying at home and not wanting to have councillors exposed to infection or acting as a conduit for transmission by delivering printed matter door to door. We would encourage parishioners receiving this to pass the message on to others within the parish by whatever safe means possible. We are fortunate to live in a parish which is so obviously caring for each other. Corsenside Parish Council wish to assist in any way we can during the current unprecedented times.
Hopefully no one within the parish will be without the support they need from family, friends and neighbours. If, however, you or someone you know of may need support please let us know.
Alternatively, you can use the Northumbria Healthcare Trusts Onecall number 01670 536400 if you are worried about a child or adult’s welfare.
Corsenside Parish Council is a small parish council with only seven councillors of whom more than half fall into vulnerable categories by nature of age or occupation and as such there is a limit to what we’ll be able to offer, but we will do our best with the limited resources we have to help those in need. We would like to appeal for volunteers who would be willing to collect vital supplies, should the need arise, for those who are self-isolating and have no other support. If you are able to help (under 70, not in an ‘at risk’ group, healthy and symptom free) please contact the clerk who will maintain a log and get in touch if requests for support are made. Thank you.
For those self-isolating there are various useful provisions already in place to assist you:
• West Woodburn Shop and Post Office will now do home deliveries – telephone 01434 270062 or email westwoodburnshop@gmail.com
• George Jennings Fruit and Vegetables in Bellingham offer home deliveries – telephone 07398 123603.
• Bellingham Craft Butchers have a delivery service – telephone 01434 220033.
• Parkside Pharmacy in Bellingham offer a prescription delivery service – telephone 01434 220231.
• The Border Reiver in Otterburn offer home deliveries – telephone 01830 520682
• Local churches are offering a telephone call around service so there will be someone to chat to on a regular basis – telephone Rector Susan 01434 220019 or Elaine Ryder 01830 520212.
I have spoken to George Jennings, Bellingham Butchers and The Border Reiver and they all confirm they are happy to deliver to our parish. Just give them a call and make your arrangements directly with them.
We sincerely thank all the above local services for their willingness to serve our parish in this way. As previously stated, if you need support, do let us know and we will do our best to put you in touch with someone who can assist you.
We would urge everyone to carry on supporting and looking after each other whilst following the government advice to stay in your homes and maintain social distancing whilst engaged in essential trips for shopping supplies.
Stay well, stay strong and together we’ll come though this present darkness and emerge into sunnier times once again.
Carl Hamilton
Chair