Be Winter Ready!
The recent storms have proved to be extremely disruptive and put lives in danger whilst damaging properties all over Sedgefield and beyond. We suffered greatly last year with sudden drops in temperature causing major damage to the water supply and we need to be ready this year in case this happens again. This Winter may also be challenging with possible disruption from stormy weather and potential supply issues.
It is crucial we are all Winter Ready.
Priority services register:
All the information you will need is here, including phone numbers for customers to sign up to the Priority Services Register. All you need is to be supplied by British Gas and hit the eligibility criteria.
You can register for most services if you:
- Are over 65
- Have a disability or long-term illness
- Rely on medical equipment in your home
- Families with children aged 5 and under (less than 6 years old)
- Have gone through a recent bereavement, break-up or job loss
- Are recovering from a hospital treatment
- Are living independently for the first time
Please find a list of companies below with a link to their priority register:
What should you do if your power is disrupted?
- Should you experience a power cut, visit powercut105.com. There they can find their network operator’s details and they can report the power cut or find out what’s happening.
- If you cannot get online, they should call 105 for free and their electricity network company will be able to tell them the cause of the fault and keep them updated on when they can expect to be reconnected.
- If you can check on neighbours who might need extra support, and if their power does go off, leave a light switch in the on position so they know when power is restored.
What if severe weather is forecast?
If you experience a power cut, visit here to find network your network operator’s details and to report the power cut or find out what’s happening.
Follow your network operator on social media so they can find local updates. They can be found here.
- Save 105, the free national power cut emergency number, to your phone.
- Save 0800 111 999, the free national gas emergency number, to your phone.
- Keep a mobile phone fully charged to go online for updates or call if they have a power cut.
- Keep a torch handy by your bed in case of loss of power during the night.
- Have warm clothes, blankets and food which doesn’t need heating accessible.
Road Safety:
Motorists are being urged to 'make time for winter' to avoid motoring problems and to stay safe during severe weather. This includes ensuring you have an emergency kit with an ice scraper and de-icer, a torch, warm clothes, boots, first aid kit, jump leads, a shovel and sunglasses (the low winter sun and glare off snow can be dazzling). Be sure to keep these items in your vehicle from the start of Winter, you never know when you might need them!
This handy reminder for pre-journey checks is also helpful and called the ‘POWDERY’ checklist:
- Petrol (or diesel) - don’t run out of fuel
- Oil - check levels once a month
- Water - check radiator and screen wash once a month
- Damage - check wipers, lights etc for signs of wear and tear or damage
- Electrics - check lights, indicators and controls are working properly
- Rubber - are your tyres well inflated, legal, with good tread and free from damage?
- Yourself - are you fit to drive? - have you slept well? - are you taking any medication(s) that could make it unsafe for you to drive?
You can find more Winter driving advice on RAC's website here, such as how to demist your windscreen in double time, reduce the changes of breaking down, and possible causes with preventable tips if your car breaks down.
Animal Welfare Advice for Winter:
A British Winter can be tough on animals, but there is plenty you can do to help. Even small actions can make a big difference! Starting with feeding the birds in your garden, to helping your pets safe in the Winter cold, and coping with the excitement of Christmas. To find out more about keeping the animals in your life healthy and happy during the winter months, you can find advice here.
How to Rescue and Over-Winter a Hedgehog:
Over the cold Winter months, hedgehogs might need your attention for a few minutes, hours, days, weeks or even for the whole Winter. You can find advice here on how you can help, advice such as never to move a sleeping hedgehog, as well as how to safely handle a hedgehog should you need to.
Supporting Loved Ones and Neighbours:
Check in with people who might need extra help.
- Check on neighbours, family, and friends to make sure they have a plan if they have a power cut or smell gas.
- Check now to see if you or someone you know can get extra help during bad weather through the Priority Services Register.
- If you, or someone you know, depends on power for medical equipment and you/they don’t already have a power cut plan, you should speak to your healthcare provider now. Power cuts can happen all-year-round so it’s important you are prepared and know what to do.
Please find just a few organisations that can assist with issues and provide much needed socialisation during the Winter months.
Age UK Winter Advice for the Elderly:
As we come into the Winter months we must remember that Winter weather can be extremely unpredictable at times, and can stop us from getting out and about. It’s worth making sure you’re prepared if we're told to expect severe weather, especially Winter storms, ice or snow. Below are some simple steps to combat cold weather in the UK and more advice can be found here:
- Keep an eye on the weather forecast.
- If bad weather is forecast, make sure you have everything you need.
- Have torches handy around the home in case of a power cut.
- Keep emergency numbers nearby.
- Take extra care if the ground is slippery.
- Plan ahead when driving.
How To Obtain A Message In A Bottle:
Lions Clubs are able to provide Message in a Bottle within their local communities free of charge thanks to fund-raising and generous donations from the public and businesses. It is not just vulnerable people who benefit from Message in a Bottle. Anyone with health conditions could have an accident at home.
The Message in a Bottle kit includes a form, where personal and medical information is detailed. This is placed in the Lions branded, little green bottle, which is stored in the fridge. Two stickers are provided: one for the fridge door and the other for the inside of the front door of the premises. More information can be found here.
Health Passports:
A health passport is a resource for people with a learning disability who might need hospital treatment.
The passport is designed to be taken to hospital and health appointments. It can help you to communicate important information about your needs to doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff. Health passports are owned by the child, young person or adult named in the document and can be completed with the help of a parent or carer.
A completed health passport can help staff to support you by providing lots of useful information about any communication needs, anxieties, likes and dislikes you may have. The health passport is called by different names in different areas across the UK and was previously known as the traffic light document. It does not matter which health passport you bring with you. The important thing is that you share useful information with hospital staff.