The Community Emergency Plan for Ashurst and Colbury Parish sets out how the community will prepare for, respond to and recover from local emergencies such as flooding, loss of utilities (water, electricity, gas, internet), sanitation problems, extreme weather, major fires, cyber attacks and pandemics.
It identifies key local coordinators, their contact details and a muster point (St Joseph’s, Lyndhurst Road) if normal communications fail.
It describes local vulnerabilities (such as people who may struggle in an emergency, and areas at risk of flooding or isolation) and recommends working with local groups (Neighbourhood Watch, churches, Probus, WI, PCSO, etc.) to identify and support vulnerable residents during incidents.
The plan lists community assets that can help in a response – first aiders, defibrillators, tractors and farm equipment, community halls and potential “warm” or “cool” spaces – and designates Colbury Memorial Hall as the primary Community Emergency Hub, with the New Forest Hotel as secondary.
It includes simple checklists and “action cards” for different scenarios (flooding, extreme heat, snow and ice, windstorms, thunderstorms and heavy rain, and loss of utilities).
These set out what alerts to sign up for (Environment Agency, Met Office), what to monitor, and practical steps such as preparing grab bags, checking on vulnerable people, securing property, and avoiding travel in dangerous conditions.
The document also provides clear flow charts showing who to contact for problems such as flooding, blocked drains, fallen trees, loss of power, gas or communications, and gives key contact details for local councils, Hampshire County Council services, utilities, Floodline and the emergency services.
Finally, it includes maps showing the parish boundary and areas with different levels of flood risk.