Community Resilience
In addition to S.A.R.A.I.D's international response work, there is also The Avon Community Resilience Team. A trained group of volunteers drawn from all sections of the diverse community in the Avon area. Our members have a wide range of backgrounds and skillsets but each team member shares a common purpose - to assist their wider community if called upon in times of need. As we can liaise with and assist First Responders, team members are trained by the Fire and Police services as well as Local Authorities. Members are trained to have a good understanding of command & control at incidents and what would be expected of them. Trained under a separate syllabus to our international team, members are still very much a part of the S.A.R.A.I.D family.
everyday people do extraordinary things every day
everyday people do extraordinary things every day
what we do
Our main role is to support the Emergency Services and Local Authority in their response to emergencies and major incidents.In a serious situation we could be asked to do just about anything, from helping to open a rest centre and make cups of tea right through to helping search for a missing person. That means our training has to reflect this and be broad ranging. Our team members are trained in First Aid, Communications, Navigation, Water Rescue, Lowland Search, Fire Safety and Crime Prevention to name but a few. Community is a big part of what we do and we can be asked to get involved in other beneficial projects such as clearing hoarders houses, cleaning up after fires and floods, attending community events, etc
why we do what we do
Community resilience is a measure of the sustained ability of a community to utilise available resources to respond to, withstand, and recover from adverse situations.
Preventing
Whether it’s working alongside the Fire Service or Police to distribute fire safety advice or crime prevention advice - or being part of the planning process for major incidents and emergencies, the Avon Community Resilience Team is on hand to help prevent and plan in order that our community is better able to avoid incidents as well as be more resilient to them.
Supporting
We’re ready to assist the Emergency Services when they call upon us to support them with severe weather events, flooding, post-incident clear-up (e.g. burnt vehicles), lowland search, clearing hoarders houses, etc. Our work is wide and varied but our primary objective is to make our community better prepared to deal with incidents as well as prevent them. We do this by working closely with emergency services, local community groups, other voluntary organisations and Local Authorities.
Helping the vulnerable
In an emergency such as a fire, flood or snow we work with partner organisations across Avon to identify people who may become vulnerable during such events and put systems is place whereby we can help this in our community who are most in need.
Building a strong community
Our aim is to build a team that is truly representative of the diversity that makes Avon the culturally rich area that we see today.
Volunteering helps to break down social barriers and offer people an opportunity to socialise with people from different social and cultural backgrounds.
Engaging
A key part of our role is strengthening the bonds between community residents and the Emergency Services. Being a link between community members and the emergency services – not only in the immediate time period after an incident but also on a day-to-day basis.
Being Prepared
Community resilience is about communities using local resources and knowledge to help themselves during an emergency in a way that complements the local emergency services.
- Are you aware of the risks you and your community might face, eg flooding?
- How can you help yourself and those around you during an emergency?
- What can you do to get involved in emergency planning in your community?
Our community will be better prepared to cope during and after an emergency when everyone works together using their local knowledge. Things like understanding what requirements groups most at need may have in an emergency can make a real difference. Identifying and planning for the risks you may encounter during a severe flood, heat-wave or snowfall could help in reducing the potential impact on you, your family and the wider community.
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Register your interest in joining Avon Community Resilience Team
You must be 18 years of age or over to join
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