Warning and Information Sources

Overview

Being informed is being prepared

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Introduction

To increase safety and minimise the impact of possible emergencies, the council and local emergency services use a variety of methods to warn and inform the public.

In an emergency, warnings and information will be issued through radio and television alerts, information updates posted on the council's webpages, and through the council's emergency phone line. The Environment Agency's Floodline, an SMS alerting system for businesses in the city centre, and an emergency siren system for residents and businesses in the Severnside area, may also be used.

Remember, when unsure, the safest things for you to do in a major emergency is to follow the instructions of emergency services.

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Information from the Council

• For internet updates from the council during an emergency go to Bristol City Council's internet homepage or news releases
• To phone the council for more information in an emergency, dial 0117 922 2000

Under certain circumstance, the police and/or the council may also establish an emergency hotline number. At the time of an emergency this number will be advertised in the local media.

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Floodline Warnings Direct

The Environmental Agency offers a free advisory service to those living in areas prone to flooding. To find out if you live in one of these areas and to register for this service (as well as to receive advice on protecting your home) call the Floodline at 0845 988 1188 or visit the flood maps page.

Households and businesses can sign up to receive flood warnings by telephone, mobile, email, SMS text, fax or pager, by calling the Environment Agency's Floodline on 0845 988 1188.

Weather warnings are also issued from:

• the Met Office Severe Weather Warnings
• the BBC Weather and Flood Warnings

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Bristol City Priority Alert Scheme

The council, in partnership with Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Vocal, participate in a priority alerting system which enables organisation to receive timely and pertinent information to warn and advise of any emergency that develops within the city center.

The system delivers either SMS, pager or email messages to key staff in an organisation. This enables one to either respond to specific requests from the police (i.e. evacuation of a zone) or, on receipt of the information, to consider the implications of that emergency on one' sbusiness and its continuity. The system can also be used to send updated information related to community safety.

To subscribe, or for more information, go to www.warnandinform.com

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Severnside Sirens

For residents and businesses located in the Severnside area, a warning system exists especially to provide audio warning to areas potentially at risk from hazardous chemical spillages or other related incidents.

The areas covered by the Severnside Sirens System include Portishead, Avonmouth, Shirehampton, Aust, Pilning and Severn Beach (see below for map of the Sirens coverage).

On notification of a significant incident, the Severnside Sirens Alert Warning (see below) will be sounded. Only sirens deemed necessary to alert those at risk will be sounded. When the incident is safe and the area clear, the Severnside Sirens All Clear (see below) will be sounded.

Remember, if you hear the sirens:

GO IN, STAY IN, TUNE IN

The system is tested on the 3rd day of each month at 3pm (for example: on the 3rd of August 2006 at 3pm). The audible tests consists of three minutes "Alert Warning", followed by one minute silence, followed by one minute "All Clear".

The Severnside Siren System is maintained by an independent charitable organisation, the Severnside Sirens Trust. For further information regarding the Severnside Siren System, the Trust can be contacted by phone on 0117 982 4371 or 0781 252 8221 (office hours only) or via email severnsirens@btconnect.com . 

Site sirens are also tested in a regular basis.  For a list of these sirens and a schedule of their testing, please download the Site Sirens Schedule below.

For more information on the GO IN, STAY IN, TUNE IN campaign go to the homepage of the National Steering Committee for Warning and Informing the Public or download their booklet (see below).

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Media

In an emergency, the emergency services will work with the media to communicate important information, advice and directions to the public. The following is a list of news sources that may be used:

In the first instance you should tune in to:

• BBC Radio Bristol: 95.5FM, 94.9FM, 1548 AM and DAB Digital Radio, or listen live online (Real Player required)

Other Local Radio Stations

• Heart: 96.3 FM, DAB 128 kbps
• Original: 106.5 FM
• Star: 107.2 FM

National Radio Stations

• BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live
• ClassicFM

Local Television Stations

• BBC One
• ITV West

Local Press

• Bristol Evening Post & Press
• Western Daily Press

For more information on the BBC's role in an emergency, visit the 'Connecting in a Crisis' information webpage.

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