EMERGENCY REST CENTRES

 

One of the principal roles of the Local Authority in a major incident is the provision of emergency accommodation for those who have been evacuated from their homes or have been involved in the incident but are uninjured. Rest Centres or Survivor Reception Centres will normally be set up using local schools, village halls and sports centres. Facilities within a rest centre will range from the provision of simple refreshments to overnight accommodation in makeshift dormitories as necessary. Centres will be staffed by Local Authority officers, Police, and voluntary organisations such as the Red Cross.  This is so that the information on evacuees and survivors who are safe and well may be passed to the Police Casualty Bureau where information on those who may have been killed or injured, together with those safe in the Local Authority Rest Centre, is matched to enquiries being made about them by friends and relatives. The date of birth is included simply to provide unique identifier in instances where there are people with the same name. All personal information gathered is destroyed immediately after the incident closes.

The telephone number of the Police Casualty Bureau will be given publicity via radio and television at the time.

In addition the Council have prepared an information leaflet which would be issued to evacuees in a Rest Centre.  Copies are available free of charge from the Chelmsford Civic Centre and Maldon Council Offices - or can be downloaded here

Disabled persons logo  

If you would need specific assistance in being evacuated in an emergency, for example because you are elderly, have difficulty walking, are bedridden, or unlikely to be able to hear an evacuation warning etc, you may wish to let us know now so that we could offer you particular assistance as necessary in an emergency situation. You can register here on-line.