St Helens is ramping up its plans for a temporary command centre during emergencies after receiving a donation from Southern Electric Power Distribution (SEPD).
The parish on the outskirts of Ryde will now be able to buy essential emergency equipment such as two-way radios, thermal blankets and equipment for its temporary command centre, after receiving a grant of nearly £1,700 from SEPD’s Resilient Communities Fund. The fund offers support to local groups as they work to improve the ability of their towns and villages to withstand extreme weather and emergencies.
The command centre will only be used during a crisis situation and the main focus of the local volunteers will be to look after the more vulnerable members of the community, in a village that has a large aging population.
Lisa Dyer, Clerk for the Parish Council, is delighted with the funding from SEPD and explained what the money will be used for:
“We’ve held open days to try and find out more about what our community feels is important to them. During an emergency the common thread running through the feedback is that the local people want to feel more self-reliant and have the resources readily available within the community to deal with a crisis ourselves.
“Following on from these open days and meetings with the Isle of Wight Council, we are formulating our local Emergency Plan and we’ve been really successful in attracting volunteers who are ready, willing and able to lend a hand during a crisis or storm situation. The kind of equipment we’re buying with this funding is all essential if we are going to be able to look after ourselves and co-ordinate our teams, and we’d like to thank SEPD for their help.”
Stuart Hogarth, SEPD’s Director of Distribution, said that St Helens Parish Council is a great example of the kind of group that the Resilient Communities Fund is looking to support:
“I think is a great example of a community where people care for each other and one that is looking out for its most vulnerable members. We do everything we can to keep the lights on, but unfortunately there are some occasions, such as during a storm, when the power does go off. By planning ahead and thinking of what they’d need to do in an emergency, St Helens Parish Council is ensuring that they’re ready to deal with such a crisis.”
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