Ipswich Borough Council will help the emergency services deal with major emergencies and support affected communities. Together we work to plan for a wide range of emergencies and we test our plans through exercises to make sure we are as well prepared as possible. We also plan how we will help communities recover from an emergency and maintain our critical services.
The Council are part of the Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Unit along with all eight local authorities in Suffolk. The aim is to ensure mutual support for each authority in case of emergency.
Emergency Control Centre
During a major emergency, a 24-hour Emergency Control Centre will operate in order to coordinate the Council's response and to liaise with the emergency services.
Rest Centres
One of the Council's key responsibilities during an emergency is to provide temporary shelter for people who are displaced due to an emergency.
Rest Centres will usually be set up in Council-owned buildings, sports centres or church halls. Each centre will provide light refreshments, and where necessary, very basic overnight sleeping accommodation. Voluntary organisations and community groups may also assist with the running of these centres.
An important part of the rest centre process is the recording of basic information relating to the evacuees. This will be used by the police when answering inquiries from relatives and friends about the whereabouts of those who may have been involved in an incident.