What we do
We have a legal duty to make sure that we cope well with any emergency or disruption.
Working in partnership with agencies such as Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, National Health Service and the Voluntary Sector, we are always developing, testing and reviewing our emergency plans.
Our aim is to raise awareness of hazards and threats and protect local people and the environment from them as best we can.
We work closely with community councils to help our local communities prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. For more information on how your community can prepare for emergencies, please visit Ready Scotland.
Why we do it
Under the Civil Contingences Act 2004, we and our partners a duty to:
- Assess risk
- Maintain emergency plans
- Maintain business continuity plans
- Promote business continuity
- Communicate with the public
- Share information with other emergency responders
- Cooperate with other emergency responders
More information on local and national emergency planning can be found in the Scottish Government's 'Preparing Scotland' guidance.
Testing our plans
Testing our emergency plans involves a process known as 'exercising'. Legally, our plans must be tested frequently to make sure they are effective in the event of an emergency or disruption.
Exercising plans allows us to train with our multi agency partners, test new procedures and make changes to plans if needed.
Emergency response procedures
Our emergency procedures allow us to respond to situations while continuing to deliver our day-to-day services.
The procedures focus on the effects of an incident rather than the cause. In order to lessen the effects of an emergency on people, property and the environment, our plans are flexible and can be adapted to allow us, and our partners, to respond effectively to a range of situations.