All councils in Northern Ireland have a major coordinating and supporting role in planning how to respond in an emergency situation and helping the community to recover from major incidents.

 

An emergency situation is any event causing or threatening death or injury, damage to property or the environment or disruption to the community, which, because the scale of its effects cannot be dealt with by the emergency services and public service providers as part of their day to day activities.

 

Our Aim

Newtownabbey Council aims to make sure that it is ready to respond and help the community if a major emergency occurs in the Borough.

 

We can provide support in a number of ways following a major incident.

 

For example, we can:

• Make buildings such as leisure and community centres available as Rest/Support centres for people displaced from their homes.
• Provide health and safety advice on cleaning up after major flooding or pollution incidents.
• Assess structural damage to buildings.
• Coordinate and lead multi-agency meetings to plan recovery.

 

The Council has developed a general emergency plan that will help us, in conjunction with other statutory agencies, to respond to any emergency.

 

Our Emergency contact list has information on who to contact in the event of an emergency:

 

 

Emergency Contact List

Organisation	Phone Number	Responsibility
Newtownabbey Borough Council	028 90340000 or 90340160	To report an emergency during office hours only.
Fire, police and ambulance	999	Immediate emergency response required
Crimestoppers	0800 555 111	Charity for reporting crime
PSNI - Switchboard	0845 600 8000	Non-emergency response. Referral to local station
NIFRS - HQ	028 9266 4221	Non-emergency response. General inquiries
Whiteabbey Hospital	028 9086 5181	Accident and Emergency (daytime)
Antrim Area Hospital	028 9442 4000	Accident and Emergency (24hrs)
Northern Health and Social Care Trust	0800 665544	Health and Social Care Information
Health Information Service	0800 665544	For advice on medical and dental emergencies.
Planning Service	028 9025 2800 or 101	NI Direct can handle calls to all departments – call 101
Northern Ireland Housing Executive	03448 920 901	Advice on repairs to damaged (NIHE) property and homelessness
Northern Ireland Electricity (Power NI)	08457 643643	For faults and supply enquiries.
Phoenix Gas and Firmus Energy	0800 002001	For faults and supply enquiries and reporting gas leaks
Northern Ireland Environment Agency	0845 302 0008 0800 807060	-Switchboard + General Enquiries -Emergency response to pollution incidents
Department for Regional Development	028 9025 3000	For reporting problems with street lighting, roads, footpaths etc.
Flooding Incident Line	0300 2000 100	Use this number to report serious flooding (24 hours a day, seven days a week).
Northern Ireland Water Leakline	0800 282 2011	For reporting a leak in the mains water supply. (24 hours a day, seven days a week.)
Northern Ireland Water	0845 744 0088	Waterline: for all emergencies including flooding as well as day to day enquiries about water. (24 hours a day, seven days a week.) Typetalk number: 0800 0515 446 for customers with hearing difficulties.
Rivers Agency	028 9260 6100	For reporting flooding from overflowing rivers and watercourses. (24 hours a day, seven days a week).
Translink	028 9066 6630
North-eastern Education and Library Board	028 2565 3333	For information on school closures etc

 

 

Advice In An Emergency

The Home Office has issued practical advice about sensible steps which can be taken to cope should an emergency situation arise. If a major incident does occur you are advised to:

• go home or go inside some other safe location
• stay indoors
• tune in to local radio or television news
• visit the UK Resilience website for advice and information.

 

If you find yourself in the middle of an emergency incident it is important that you;

 

• Do make sure 999 has been called if people are injured or if there is a threat to life
• Do not put yourself or others in danger
• Do follow the advice of the emergency services
• Do try to remain calm and think before acting, and try to reassure others
• Do check for injuries - remember to help yourself before attempting to help others

 

Things you might need in an emergency:

 

If you are at home when an emergency situation arises, here are some things you might need. You might find it useful to print this page and keep it somewhere handy at home:

 

• a list of useful phone numbers, such as your GP and family members
• home and car keys
• toiletries, sanitary supplies and any prescription medicines
• a battery radio, and spare batteries
• a torch with spare batteries, candles and matches
• a first aid kit
• a mobile phone
• cash and credit cards
• spare clothes and blankets.

 

Other useful items:

 

• bottled water
• ready to eat food, for example, tinned food
• and a bottle or tin opener, in case you have to remain in your home for several days.

 

Other advice

In some circumstances, you may be asked to leave your home by the emergency services. If this happens, leave as quickly and calmly as possible.

 

If you have time:

• turn off electricity, gas and water supplies, unplug electrical appliances and lock all doors and windows
• check the items listed above for what to take with you
• if you leave by car, take bottled water and blankets, and tune in to local radio for emergency advice and instructions.

 

When you're told that it's safe to return home, open windows to provide fresh air before reconnecting gas, electricity and water