Civil Defence

In an emergency always call 999 and provide as much detail as possible about the emergency.

This includes if your home is at imminent risk of flooding.

First responders will be dispatched to deal with the emergency situation as appropriate.

Other emergency services call out the Island's Emergency Planning Coordinator if such assistance is needed with a civil emergency.

IoM Civil Defence provides the Emergency Planning Unit with initial support for setting up and running an emergency control centre to facilitate government’s coordinating role in the management of an emergency. This may include rehoming individuals, families or communities as necessary. Additionally, Civil Defence volunteers form part of the inland hill search and rescue team.

During 2012 IoM Civil Defence volunteers worked a total of 4200 hours to assist in keeping our Island a safe place to live.

If you would like further information or are looking for support during a local event please contact:

More information about the kind of civil emergencies the Civil Defence Corps trains for can be found below or printed off in the Civil Defence information leaflet, available to download from this page.

Hill search and rescue

Civil Defence form part of the Inland Search and Rescue Team, and they exercise regularly with the other services involved, maintaining capability to operate on the hills in the harshest of winter conditions and through the night.

If you do go out walking make sure your friends and family know where you and your companions are going and take some form of communication with you. A personal knowledge of map reading would be beneficial in the event of sudden low cloud and foggy conditions. Satellite navigation software is now readily available on most modern mobile phones. Ensure that you wear suitable clothing and footwear, take with you something bright or high visibility for emergency, and carry fluids and food as required for your journey.

Flooding

All Civil Defence volunteers are trained in basic domestic salvage techniques, the safe use and maintenance of water pump equipment and the use of sandbags. During high tides and severe weather IoM Civil Defence works alongside other emergency services and local authorities to alleviate the effects of flooding.

Emergency catering

Members are trained in the setting up and operation of emergency feeding centres and the rapid provision of hot drinks and light meals at any location. All IoM Civil Defence volunteers involved in such activities undertake a basic food handling and hygiene course. Regular catering assistance is supplied to the other emergency services during long call outs such as at serious fires and police investigations.

Rest centres

Civil Defence is responsible for the opening and running of rest centres, sometimes called humanitarian centres, in the initial stages. If people have to be evacuated from their homes for whatever reason be it flooding, fire, or any uninjured survivor from any other type of accident, they would be found accommodation if unable to make arrangements to stay with friends or family. Large numbers of evacuees would be accommodated in sports halls or schools. Civil Defence have a stock of 500 camp beds and the capability of opening a rest centre for up to 350 people in the National Sports Centre.

Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) monitoring

A wide range of possible biological, chemical or nuclear agents could be used for terrorist purposes. Plans are in place in order to minimise the effects of such incidents. These contingencies broadly consist of comprehensive plans for handling an incident, the availability of specialist items of equipment and supplies for emergency use.

Precautions cannot be put in place against every conceivable risk but assumptions can be made as to which of these are likely or even feasible in the Island context.