Risks you should plan for
Guidance to help people, businesses and communities to identify and prepare for the hazards and threats that may disrupt their lives is available on gov.uk.
Preparing for emergencies on gov.uk
Contacting family and friends
A sudden emergency may mean you need to contact relatives, health services, emergency services and repair services quickly.
- keep important telephone numbers handy in one location
- elderly, disabled or ill people should ensure they have the contact numbers of neighbours, health or social workers and / or other helpers to hand
- only make calls which are absolutely necessary, as the telephone system could become overloaded in a major emergency
In an emergency
If you discover, or are experiencing, an emergency situation dial 999.
Reporting an emergency
How you should respond
There is a small chance that you'll be caught up in an emergency, but you should be well prepared.
Seek shelter immediately
In most emergency situations, you'll need to take shelter immediately, or move away from the hazard. If you can't, you should:
- go indoors and stay there
- close all doors and windows, close curtains and move into a room facing away from the hazard
- turn off ventilation systems
- don't smoke or light matches or other naked flames
- offer shelter to passers-by if it's safe to do so
Stay informed
Once you're indoors, stay there and wait for more information:
- keep phone lines clear - don't call emergency services (unless a separate emergency is affecting you, or you're being seriously affected by the incident)
- tune in to local radio stations for information
- listen carefully to advice given by emergency services, and follow it
- don't attempt to collect children from school until you've been advised to
- don't go outside
- don't use a vehicle
Emergency evacuation
Evacuation will only happen in extreme circumstances, but if the situation should arise, remember that if the police ask you to leave your home, do not argue. They are only concerned for your safety. They will know the dangers and risks better than you.
The police will ask you to go to a reception centre. If you decide to go somewhere else, make sure you let the police know, so you can be accounted for.
Suggestions made here are for guidance only. Always follow the direct instructions of the emergency services in the event of any emergency.
Local media channels: where to get information during an emergency
If an emergency is happening, you should check media for up to date information.
Twitter
The States of Jersey (including the police and fire and rescue services) will provide real-time information through Twitter.
Government of Jersey on Twitter
States of Jersey Police on Twitter
Jersey Fire and Rescue on Twitter
About Twitter, and how to follow the States
Jersey media
Tune into any of the following, which are expected to give information in an emergency:
BBC Jersey website
Channel Television website
Channel 103FM website
Jersey Evening Post website
Community Risk Register
Planning for emergencies is carried out by the Jersey Resilience Forum and is coordinated by the Emergency Planning Officer.
Jersey works closely with other Channel Island and UK risk planners to anticipate the likely risks that we may face, and then we assess these risks and use them to develop the Community Risk Register.
This allows responders:
- to put measures in place to prevent risks from happening if possible
- plan to minimise their impact if they do happen
- prepare for how we would respond to them
- planto recover from them, so that the community can return to normal as soon as possible
The Emergency Powers and Planning (Jersey) Law 1990 is the main legislation relating to planning for and responding to emergencies in Jersey.
Other Laws aim to make Jersey as safe as possible:
More advice and information
Emergency response and recovery on UK government website
Emergency preparedness guidance documents on UK government website
gov.je