Will Your Business Survive an Emergency?
PR 76
28 September 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
How safe is your business in the event of a major emergency is the question posed in a seminar to be held in October.
What impact would a significant gas explosion or flood have immediately - or on the long term survival of a business?
Not many companies seem to take the threat seriously, if the response to a recent letter from the Borough Council and emergency services is any indication.
The letters came as the result of the Civil Contingency Act 2004. It makes it the duty of Great Yarmouth Borough Council to prepare itself and advise businesses on preparation and planning for emergencies.
The Council invited businesses to the seminars which see the police, fire service, town centre partnership and NORMIT (Norfolk Major Incident Team) joining forces to help businesses face up to the consequences and help to plan for survival.
Entitled, Will Your Business Survive an Emergency, the seminars will cover topics such as business risk, legal issues, health and safety, local evacuation and how to help yourself.
The speakers include John Ellis and Sarah Alcock of NORMIT, Michael Hawkins of Norfolk Fire Service and Pat Bailey of Norfolk Police.
“We are asking for just a couple of hours of business people’s time,” said John Hemsworth the Council’s Head of Environment and Health. “When we sent out 400 letters just 28 companies responded."
“My experience in the past 30 years of dealing with companies that have had to respond to problems such as flooding, food poisoning, accidents and fires has demonstrated time and again how unprepared they and individuals are."
“What plans do people have, how will they evacuate staff, how will they find alternative premises?"
“A couple of hours invested on October 5, will be repaid many times over should the worst happen.”
The seminar will be held at the Town Hall Assembly Room, at 9.30am. It will include time for coffee and a chat after the presentations.
For more information contact John Pond at the Town Centre Partnership on 01493 745828 or johnpond@gytcp.co.uk
to register - email baileype@norfolk.pnn.police.uk
John Pond will be happy to arrange interviews for Press, Radio or TV on emergency planning, including town centre evacuation, with representatives from bodies such as the Norfolk Major Incident Team (NORMIT), Norfolk County Council Emergency Planning, Norfolk Constabulary, Norfolk Fire Service, Great Yarmouth Borough Council or Great Yarmouth Town Centre Partnership.