Accidents and emergencies

Information on who to contact in an emergency and what our role is in an emergency

Helpful contact list

Contact Help with Method of contact
Emergencies  

Call 999 if:

  • there is a danger to life or risk of injury being caused, such as a serious road accident or assault
  • a crime is in progress, such as a robbery, burglary or theft, and the offender is still on the scene or has only just left the area
  • the immediate attendance of a police officer is necessary - such as where someone is acting suspiciously and obviously about to commit a crime
 999 
NHS (England) If you need medical help quickly but it’s not a 999 emergency, these services can provide health advice or direct you to the right place for care. 111 
North Devon Council  Emergency housing support, public health issues and building control 

01271 327711

 

Out of hours emergency - 01271 388240
Environment Agency  Responsible for flood and coastal erosion risk management activities on main rivers and the coast

Environment Agency incident hotline
Telephone: 0800 80 70 60
24-hour service

 

Floodline – 0345 988 1188

 

General enquiries – 03708 506 506 or 0345 988 1188 

Environment Agency - GOV.UK
Lead Local Flood Authority – Devon County Council  Responsible for managing local flood risk in Devon from surface water, ground water and ordinary water courses and lead on community recovery.  For all other flooding enquiries contact Devon County Council’s Flood Risk Management Team on 0345 155 1015 or email floodrisk@devon.gov.uk.
Devon County Council Highways  Flooding of the highway and blocked drains

0345 155 1004 

 

Flooding and drainage - Roads and transport

 
Highways England  Flooding on major trunk roads (M5, A30, A38 and A303) 0300 123 5000
South West Water  Flooding  from sewers and water pipes  0344 346 2020 
Gas 

If you:

  • Can smell gas
  • Think you have a gas leak
  • Are worried about carbon monoxide fumes
 Free 24/7 National Gas Emergency Number - 0800 111 999
Local electricity network operator If you've got an electrical emergency or you lose power, you'll need to contact your electricity network operator.

105 

 

UK Power Cut? Call 105 For Free | Find Your Electricity Provider

What is an emergency?

An emergency is something that needs special arrangements to deal with it. They can occur on a small or large scale, and can happen at any time. For example:

  • flooding and other severe weather
  • serious transport accidents
  • major crime or terrorism
  • explosion, fire, industrial accident, oil spill
  • shortage of supplies, such as water or power
  • infectious disease outbreak

Role of the local authority

The main function of North Devon Council during the initial stages of a major emergency is to maintain normal council services, whilst still providing support to the emergency services.

As the incident develops and moves into the recovery stage, the local authority will begin to take more of a leading role. This is likely to have several phases, spread over a short, medium and long term, depending on the type of incident. For example:

  • providing advice on temporary accommodation if needed
  • offering advice on the structural safety of buildings affected by flooding
  • issuing any environmental health and public health advice
  • keeping the public up to date
  • rebuilding and restoring the community
  • responding to and supporting the community
  • managing any relevant financial implications