Wednesday 1st December 2010

Despite many services being disrupted across the town due to the heavy snowfalls overnight Derbyshire County Council says it's emergency planning team are striving to maintain essential frontline services.

Working with Derbyshire police, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service, other local councils, voluntary groups and health services, officers based at County Hall are continuing to co-ordinate efforts and prioritise where help is needed most.

• General calls for help from the public today have included:
• Getting essential medication and heating fuel to elderly and vulnerable residents
• Helping residents get to emergency medical and hospital appointments
• Clearing access to Chesterfield Royal Hospital
• Helping farmers get feed to their animals

Social care staff, including home helps and those working in residential homes, are often walking long distances to get to work or getting lifts with county council countryside rangers who have worked through the night to get them out to residents most in need. Voluntary groups including Peak 4x4, St John Ambulance and the Red Cross, have also supported this service.

Derbyshire County Council emergency planning manager Liz Partington said: "We're aiming to maintain essential frontline services by co-ordinating efforts between all the partner organisations to prioritise help where it's needed most.

"This is prioritised in terms of medical emergencies and immediate risk to people's health and welfare. To do this we need to make sure our resources and staff are used most efficiently and effectively."


Meanwhile, the council is reminding residents to follow advice to keep themselves, neighbours and vulnerable people safe and warm during the bad weather:

• DO NOT make a journey unless absolutely necessary. Where possible try to use public transport - but do check services are running before you leave home.
• Cancel routine appointments that can be postponed to another day
• Keep an eye on elderly and vulnerable neighbours and offer help where needed

The officers are working from the Emergency Command Centre at County Hall in Matlock where they have access to the Met Office Hazard Manager showing hourly weather patterns, traffic news, the latest information about potential problems with service delivery and direct lines to all partner agencies.

Some of the council's 'Call Derbyshire' customer care assistants are also working from the centre today as well as the main contact centre in Darley Dale.

Call Derbyshire staff who could not get in to work have walked in to other county council buildings and libraries where they can take calls to maintain as high levels of service as possible.

All Adult Education Centres in High Peak, Derbyshire Dales, Chesterfield, Bolsover, North East Derbyshire are closed today. Centres in Amber Valley, Erewash and South Derbyshire are open apart from Alfreton, Codnor, Ilkeston and Belper.

The county council also has new information about severe weather and gritting on its website at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/gritting including:

• Where grit bins are located, which council is responsible for them and how to let us know when they’re empty or have been damaged or removed
• Map of gritting routes so you can check where your nearest gritted roads are
• Some general information about gritting and driving in bad weather

Residents can also find useful information at www.derbyshireprepared.org.uk

Residents are also reminded that grit in council grit bins is for use ONLY on public roads and public paths and pavements.

Some tips on clearing ice and snow:

• Are you fit and well enough to clear snow and ice? It can be a tough job so get help if you need it.
• Do not use hot water. This will melt the snow, but will replace it with black ice increasing the risk of slipping and injury.
• If shovelling snow, use a spade with the widest possible blade to avoid icy tracks and make a space down the middle first to stand on while throwing snow away to each side.
• Ordinary table salt will help prevent ice forming - simply sprinkle it where you’ve cleared snow.

For more information visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/gritting or  www.derbyshireprepared.org.uk or www.nhs.uk/livewell/winterhealth/ or www.derbyshire-fire-service.co.uk  or www.derbyshire.police.uk

If you're concerned about an older person or a vulnerable adult call Call Derbyshire on 08456 058 058 .

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