By ANISAH ARIF
The Weather Ready campaign by the Met Office is being encouraged in the district of Bradford to prepare resident’s for winter.
Bradford Council is supporting the campaign and has put winter plans and preparations in place for the next few months.
Ten new gritter wagons have been hired by the local authority bringing the total of wagons serving the district to 34. All the gritters have been prepared for winter, rotas for the drivers, and have been out to practice their allocated routes. Supplies of grit for the coming winter season have been delivered to council depots and there is about 24,000 tonnes ready for spreading.
Grit bins across the district are busy being refilled and Bradford Council is working with several local parish councils in developing community emergency and flood plans to help improve their resilience in the face of an emergency.
Local people can also do their bit to get ready for winter. The council is urging people to follow the advice in the Met Office‘s Weather Ready campaign, about how they can prepare themselves and their families, as well as their cars and homes for when winter weather arrives.
The key points from the Met Office campaign are:
Look out for one another – Check on elderly and vulnerable neighbours, relatives and friends. Make sure they are alright and have what they need before snow and ice is forecast, so that they don’t feel they have to venture out.
During the winter the council works with partners to open its cold weather provision for rough sleepers. Additional beds will be made available and outreach workers go out making sure no-one has to sleep on the streets in the cold weather. Everyone who stays for a cold weather bed is provided with support around resolving their housing situation on a longer term basis. Anyone worried about someone sleeping on the streets can call 01274 309165.
Plan your transport – Do you really need to go out? Could you work from home? If you do need to go out in icy and snowy conditions, think about alternatives to using the car.
Prepare your car – Check your battery and fluid levels, fit winter tyres. Put together a winter kit for your boot, with things like a shovel, grit, jump leads, tow rope, warm clothing, bottled water and something to eat. If you have to drive in snow make sure you clear the whole car of snow and ice before you set off. Check priority gritting routes on the council’s website for your whole journey. Make sure someone knows where you are going and what time you expect to be back. Think about where you park your car, if it’s on a priority grit route could it cause an obstruction to a gritting wagon.
Prepare for if there’s a power cut – Make sure you have a torch with batteries, candles, bottled water and basic food supplies ready for if there is a power cut. Save the power cut number 105 in your phone. Consider if you, your neighbours or relatives should be on the Priority Services Register to receive extra support from your energy supplier.
Prepare your home – Have your boiler checked and serviced yearly so that it’s safe and will start when you most need it. Test smoke alarms/carbon monoxide alarms to make sure they work. Ensure pipes are insulated so that they don’t freeze and burst. Know where and how to turn off gas, electricity and water to your home so that you can do it in an emergency.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “We have been putting our severe weather preparations and plans in place as a council for the past few months and are supporting the Met Office’s campaign.
“We are encouraging people to make their own plans and preparations for what they can do to help their neighbours and relatives to cope with the coming winter weather and what they can do support us in the work we do to keep people safe and the district moving.”
Things that people can do to help themselves this winter include:
- signing up for Met Office alerts
- signing up for Environment Agency Flood Warnings
- checking the council’s website for priority grit routes, grit bin locations and winter advice
- sign up for severe weather email bulletins from the council
- follow the council’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for the latest information
- put in your phone or make a list of key numbers
- make preparations to their home and car
- prepare yourself and family with alternative arrangements for work, childcare
- book in for a flu vaccination, especially if you are aged 65 and over