General Advice

General advice about what to do in an emergency

A lot of the information on this website is based on common sense advice and may seem obvious or familiar to you, but it has saved lives in the past. 

In a major emergency, unless directed otherwise, your initial response should be to

• Go inside a safe building 
• Stay inside until you are advised to do otherwise 
• Tune in to local radio or TV for more information & updates local radio or TV (external link)  

There are always going to be particular occasions when you should not "go in", for example if there is a fire, or you are advised differently by the emergency services or your own common sense. Otherwise: GO IN, STAY IN, TUNE IN (external link)

If you find yourself in the middle of an emergency, your common sense and instincts will usually tell you what to do. However, it is important to:

• Make sure 999 has been called if people are injured or if there is a threat to life 
• Not put yourself or others in danger 
• Follow the advice of the emergency services 
• Try to remain calm and think before acting, and try to reassure others 
• Check for injuries - remember to help yourself before attempting to help others