Town council urges locals not to be alarmed over emergency leaflet

A town council has told people not to be alarmed after it sent them postcards urging them to pack a bag ready for emergencies.

The leaflet sent out by Keynsham Town Council | Image © John Wimperis

Keynsham Town Council is sending households in the town an information card recommending they get a “grab-and-go bag” of essentials together in case of an unspecified emergency.

The card also includes space to write down important phone numbers, and a QR code to locate the nearest defibrillator.

“This initiative is about being prepared, not alarmed,” said town councillor Martin Burton.

He chairs the town council’s community resilience committee, which developed the idea.

He said: “We hope residents will take a few minutes to complete the leaflet and think about the practical steps they could take before an emergency happens. Being prepared can make a real difference.”

The card tells people to phone the town council for their nearest place of refuge, but the phone number given is a disconnected number once used by a local plumber.

The town council’s actual phone number is 0117 986 8683, one digit different to the number mistakenly printed on the card.

The card recommends that residents include in their emergency bag: food and water, medication, a whistle, batteries, a change of clothes, personal toiletries, a phone charger and battery bank, a radio, a torch, a first aid kit, a pen and notepad, and an emergency plan.

The town council said: “The card is designed to help residents feel informed and prepared rather than concerned. It provides practical advice and information that can reduce stress and uncertainty should an emergency occur.”

Flooding, extreme weather, grass fires, a loss of water supply, or power cut were potential emergencies where the town council said the bag could be useful.

It added: “Please don’t worry it’s not because we’re expecting an emergency. It’s simply there to help you think ahead and be prepared should the unexpected happen.”

The Great Flood of 1968, in which five inches of rain fell in under 24 hours and a ten-foot flood wave is said to have rushed down the Chew Valley into Keynsham, killing eight people, is well-remembered in the town.

People are urged to use the QR code to identify where their nearest public-access defibrillator is because 70% of cardiac arrests occur in the home and quick access to a defibrillator can significantly improve the chances of survival.

Keynsham Town Council has invested in expanding the number of defibrillators, with ten and counting now available across the town.

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter