Emergency situations

During the winter months the weather can turn very cold, its important to prepare the home and wear appropriate clothing during this period.

The advice below should help you keep warm during cold periods of weather.

Clothing indoors

• Wear several thin layers of clothes
• Wear clothes made from wool, cotton or fleecy synthetic fibres, these will be light and warm
• At bedtime wear bed socks and a warm nightdress or pyjamas
• Thermal underwear will provide an extra layer to keep you warm

Clothing outdoors

• When outdoors in cold weather always wear a coat
• Under your coat wear several layers of clothing
• Wear a hat to keep your head warm and gloves to keep your hands warm
• Wear warm, flat shoes or boots

At home

• Make sure you know how to turn off your mains water stop valve
• Examine the insulation of pipes and tanks in the loft. If you believe the insulation to be inadequate (too thin/damaged) you should improve or replace it
• If you are going to be away from your property overnight or several days, leave your heating on whilst your away. This will help prevent pipes from freezing and the property becoming cold
• Have a friend/relative visit your property everyday, whilst you're away. If you do suffer a burst pipe, it will then be detected as soon as possible

The GOV.UK: Department of Health and the Met Office websites provide further information on cold weather.

• Check if it is your supply or if other people are affected too
• If other people are affected, contact your electrical distribution company for advice on how long it will take to regain the supply
• If your home is the only one affected, check your trip switch. Switch it back on, if it goes off, you may have a faulty electrical appliance
• Identify the faulty appliance by placing the trip switch on and turning each appliance on one by one
• If you continue to have problems contact NEDL on 0800 668877 (24hour service)

All homes are at risk from fire.

We spend the majority of our time in our homes it makes sense to make it a secure and safe environment.

How to reduce the risk of fire:

• Get a smoke alarm and test it once a week
• Never leave a candle unattended and make sure the candle has been put out before leaving the room
• Keep matches out of reach from children
• Don't leave children on their own in the kitchen
• Don't leave cigarettes to burn out

The following advice should be followed if you smell gas:

• Don't smoke
• Don't use naked flames
• Don't turn any electric switches on or off
• Do turn of gas supply at the meter
• Do open windows and doors
• Contact TRANSCO on 0800 111 999

A heatwave can cause your body to become dehydrated and overheat, leading to exhaustion or heatstroke.

Look after yourself and others during hot weather by:

• listening to your local weather forecast so you will know whether a heatwave is on the way
• avoid going out during the hottest part of the day (11am - 3pm)
• staying in the shade wherever possible
• wear a hat and light, loose fitting clothes (preferably cotton)
• drink plenty of water, avoiding alcohol (it can make you dehydrated)
• take cool showers or baths, and splash yourself several times a day with cold water

The GOV.UK: Department of Health and Met Office websites provide further information on heatwaves. You can also contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 for advice about heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

The Cancer Research UK website gives advice for protecting your skin during hot weather.

The following advice is provided by the Met Office, on precautions to take before, during and after heavy snowfall:

Before snow or ice

• If you have to make a journey when snow is forecast, make sure you have the appropriate clothing, food, water, boots, a torch and spade
• Let someone know when you are expected to arrive and the route you will take
• Put grit or cat litter on paths and driveways to lessen the risk of slipping of compacted snow
• Check on vulnerable neighbours

During snow and ice

• Avoid travel if possible
• If you go outside wear several layers of clothing and keep dry to prevent any loss of body heat

After snow and ice

• Be careful when walking on compacted snow - it may have turned to ice
• Take care when shovelling snow. Cold air makes it harder to work and breathe

The Met Office website provides further information on snow and ice.

Driving on roads in winter

When driving on the roads in winter extra care should be taken, see Met Office: Driving in snow and ice

During wintry weather conditions

• Ask yourself - is your journey absolutely essential?
• Check the local and national weather forecast
• Listen to local and national radio for travel information
• Clear your windows and mirrors before you set out and carry a screen scraper and de-icer

If you get into trouble

• On a motorway, it is best to use a roadside emergency telephone, as the breakdown/emergency services will be able to locate you easily. If you have to use a mobile phone, make sure you know your location from the numbers on the marker posts on the side of the hard shoulder
• If you leave your vehicle to get help, make sure other drivers can see you

The GOV.UK: Department for Transport website provides further information on snow and ice.

With a significant proportion of the borough being bounded by the River Tyne and North Sea, the possibility of severe storms/severe weather cannot be discounted.

Severe gales, heavy snow and heavy rain cannot only damage property and threaten life, it may also seriously disrupt communications and utility supply infrastructure.

The UK Met Office issues warnings to the public in order for residents to prepare and protect themselves against the consequences of a severe weather event.

Severe weather warnings are issued when the following conditions are expected:

• Severe gales
• Heavy snow
• Heavy rain
• Dense fog
• Freezing rain/widespread icy roads

Severe gales are the most common cause of disruption and damage in the UK.

The Met Office provides the following advice for when a storm is due, what to do during the storm and precautions to take after the storm:

Before the storm

• Secure loose objects such as ladders, garden furniture or anything else that could be blown into windows or other objects
• Close and securely fasten doors and windows, particularly those on the windward side of the house, and especially large doors such as those on garages
• Park vehicles in a garage, if available; otherwise keep them clear of buildings, trees, walls and fences
• Close and secure loft trapdoors with bolts, particularly if roof pitch is less than 30 degrees centigrade
• If the house is fitted with storm shutters over the windows then ensure that these are closed and fastened
• If chimney stacks are tall and in poor condition, move beds away from areas directly below them

During the storm

• Stay indoors as much as possible
• If you do go out, try not to walk or shelter close to buildings and trees
• Keep away from the sheltered side of boundary walls and fences - if these structures fall, they will collapse on this side
• Do not go outside to repair damage while the storm is in progress
• If possible, enter and leave your house through doors that are sheltered
• Open internal doors only as needed, and close them behind you
• Take care when driving on exposed routes such as bridges, or high open roads, delay your journey, or find alternative routes if possible
• Slow down and be aware of side winds, particular care should be taken if you are towing or have a high sided vehicle
• Do not drive unless your journey is really necessary

After the storm

• Be careful not to touch any electrical/telephone cables that have been blown down or are still hanging
• Do not walk too close to walls, buildings and trees as they could have been weakened
• Make sure that any vulnerable neighbours or relatives are safe and help them make arrangements for any repairs

Cyber security is the protection of computer systems from the theft and damage to their hardware, software or information, as well as from disruption or misdirection of the services they provide. This is an increasing issue which is prominent in the news across the world.

Cyber attacks can lead to disruption, theft of information or damage to systems meaning communications can be cut and organisations can no longer provide their business as usual services. The fixes of these attacks can take some time so it could be an extended period of time that services are unavailable.

The Council's IT and Resilience departments work together closely to share knowledge and minimise the risk to the Council's IT systems through staff training and awareness raising. We also hold plans for should the worst occur.

To minimise your cyber risk:

• never disclose security details, such as your PIN or full password - it's never okay to reveal these details
• if you must write them down ensure they are kept safely and securely
• don't use obvious details for passwords such as names or birthdays
• try and use a mix of punctuation, numbers, upper and lower case letters to create passwords
• try not to use the same password for everything
• change passwords periodically
• do not sign up to/or enter details into web pages or when asked to do so automatically. Try and verify the site and understand how they would be keeping your details safe and secure
• do not open emails, links or attachments from unknown sources. These may be viruses which can damage your computer or steal your information
• ensure you have the latest software and anti-virus uploaded on any piece of computer equipment to ensure you are protected from the most current risks. These change very often
• if there are accounts you no longer use on websites close them down if you no longer use them
• don't assume an email request or caller is genuine - people aren't always who they say they are
• don't be rushed - a genuine bank or organisation won't mind waiting to give you time to stop and think
• listen to your instincts - if something feels wrong then it is usually right to pause and question it
• stay in control - have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for information

Get safe online provides useful information on how to protect yourself at home or if you are a small business

• You can phone South Tyneside Council for flooding advice and support on 0191 427 7000
• South Tyneside Council Housing Services tenants can contact the Helpline on 0300 123 6633
• If you have been affected by Sewer Flooding please contact Northumbrian Water on 0800 328 7648 or visit Northumbrian Water

For more information see Help and advice.