DISASTER plans designed by Hampshire emergency services have proved “vital” in keeping the public safe, say firefighters.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue has revealed that plans created to help communities prepare, respond and recover from emergencies are proving successful.

The plans have been designed by the service to help members of the public react to incidents including bombs threats, gas explosions, flooding, severe weather, health pandemics and power cuts, to “compliment” the work of emergency responders.

The service works with agencies in the county to offer the plans and has so far created nearly 50 community emergency action plans.

According to Station Manager Dean Hodges, who works on community resilience with Watch Manager Stuart Mangan, these plans have already been used to good effect in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in a number of cases including gas leaks, flooding and power outages.

Through partnership working the team are able to engage with communities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to explain to the public the benefits of putting together these plans and the process for this to happen.

The plans include information like risk assessments, meeting points in case of disasters and reference to vulnerable members of the community who may need help as well as communication methods and ways to spread information in the event of a power and telecommunications blackout.

Some communities have harnessed resources and drawn up lists of residents with access to four-by-fours, tractors and other agricultural equipment or people with specialist skills that can be called upon.

Other groups have bought hi-vis jackets and arranged regular drills.