Winter weather, power cuts, disruption on the roads, cyber-crime, accidents – and even the flu. The unexpected can strike at any time and can disrupt our lives in an instant.
Services we rely on such as transport, utilities, care and home visits, the internet and email – can all be affected and, if you have not made plans for such challenging situations, their impact can be even harder to manage. Ready Scotland, a Scottish Government campaign (and supported locally by East Ayrshire Council) encourages people to be aware of the importance of preparing for – and dealing with – emergency situations. It highlights the work, processes and people who are in place to make Scotland’s local communities, businesses and homes more resilient to the situations that disrupt daily lives. Being prepared with the knowledge and tools to stay safe during uncertain times is half the battle and each day of the campaign will focus on offering help, guidance and support for a different resilience topic: Resilience in the community and at home Severe weather resilience Cyber-resilience Transport resilience and Health resilience (focusing on seasonal flu). Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council said: “We’re fully supportive of the campaign especially in a rural area like ours, as even a small adverse event have a big impact on our communities. “How we respond as individuals and how we can work together to overcome these situations can also make a big difference.” If you are travelling, plan ahead and check the weather forecast. Sign up for flood alerts and remember to check in on your neighbours, particularly the elderly and vulnerable at this time of year.
Make sure your contents and buildings insurance are up to date and keep a list of useful numbers visible – a spare mobile phone and charger and warm, waterproof clothing are also excellent to have on standby. Make sure you are up to date on immunisations and consider a first aid kit in the home. If eligible, getting your flu jab is recommended. When we think of resilience, we might not consider cybercrime, yet government figures show people are still not taking basic steps to keep themselves safe – with almost half of us still using the same password for different accounts. Visit www.readyscotland.org for more information on staying safe and resilient this winter. Or, for local information on adverse weather, gritting routes and how to stay safe at home and in your community, visit the Council’s dedicated webpage.