Torfaen Councils Response In An Emergency

The main function of Torfaen County Borough Council during the early stages of an emergency incident is to maintain and protect normal council services, whilst liaising with and supporting the responding emergency services. 

Depending on the nature and scale of any incident the council can be flexible in a support function. The council will become involved in an incident once it has been alerted by the initiating emergency service. As an incident develops and moves to the recovery phase the council will begin to take the lead role from the emergency services. This transfer will only take place once the immediate threat to human welfare, the environment, or property has reduced. 

In order for the council to provide adequate assistance it will be made aware of any potential incidents as soon as possible by the emergency services involved. 

The council will be involved in an incident in a number of ways including:

• Rehabilitation of the community
• Social Care, Support & Well-Being
• Welfare and counselling support
• Emergency Finance
• Providing emergency housing arrangements
• Emergency rest centres providing food, drinks, support
• Provision of specialist equipment & staff
• Finding premises for temporary mortuaries & rest centres

Torfaen works with a number of voluntary organisations that makes up the Gwent Local Resilience Forum Volunteers Group. They provide specialist voluntary organisation support and advice to emergency planning and response to incidents.

As well as providing social support, the council will also provide other support including technical advice & resources, Environment & Health, logistical support, and the long term management of recovery and restoration of normality.