Contingency and emergency planning – a checklist

Please note that this is general guidance only: you will need to develop detailed plans based on a careful assessment of the situation in your area.

• Take advice (for example from the Environmental Health and Emergency Planning Departments of your local authority, the Fire and Police Services and the Health Service).
• Build your links carefully, well before the event
• Appoint one member of the planning team with the responsibility to develop and test the contingency and emergency plan
• Involve as wide a range of people as possible in preparing the plan (use staff meetings to brainstorm ideas, etc)
• Test the plan to see whether the proposed procedures will work
• Record the plan carefully, make sure that it is up to date and that everyone who needs one has a copy (make sure you have back up copies off site)