Devon & Cornwall Police shared a link. 18 minutes ago Stay safe and be prepared for severe weather Police are asking the public in Devon and Cornwall to keep safe and be prepared for the predicted storm this evening (27 October). The latest information from the Met Office is for storm force winds of up to 80mph affecting the region from Sunday evening and into Monday morning. It is predicted that the high winds and risk of heavy showers could cause damage to buildings, trees and power lines, localised flooding in some areas, and significant travel disruption tonight and tomorrow morning. Police and partner agencies including the Met Office, Environment Agency, Highways Agency, local councils, fire and ambulance service, and NHS, have been actively preparing for the severe weather all weekend. A command centre will open at police headquarters in Exeter this evening and run through the night into the morning. Three local command centres will be set up in Truro, Plymouth and Exeter. Assistant Chief Constable Sharon Taylor, from Devon and Cornwall Police, is coordinating activities for all agencies throughout the peninsular. “All agencies have been meeting regularly with the view that we are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best,“ she said. “All agencies have reviewed and, where necessary, increased their resourcing levels in anticipation of this weather event. For example, police have more than 110 extra staff working through the night, including call handlers and 58 members of the Special Constabulary. “We want to reassure the public that their safety is paramount and remains our absolute priority. If anyone is at risk or in danger they should call 999 immediately. “We would also ask the public to take personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of vulnerable neighbours as far as possible, as well as ensuring that they are prepared as they can be. “We would ask the public to stay indoors if possible, stay up-to-date with the forecasts and not to venture out unless absolutely necessary. In particular we would urge people not to be tempted to put them or others at risk by heading out to coastal areas and harbours to watch the stormy seas as this is exceptionally dangerous in these weather conditions. “We are anticipating significant travel disruption and ask people to plan ahead, add extra time for their journey and check first whether essential travel services are running. Driving conditions are expected to be very difficult due the risk of flash flooding, fallen trees and other debris. We ask drivers to slow down, take care and give other motorists plenty of space. “Police and partner agencies will do everything they can to minimize any impact on the community but people should expect some disruption on Monday morning, particularly during the rush hour period. “All agencies will be working hard tomorrow to help any local communities affected return to normality as soon as possible.” Keep up to date with the latest information at: metoffice.gov.uk highways.gov.uk environment-agency.gov.uk twitter/dc_police
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 14:55:12 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015