The UK’s critical infrastructure is made up of electricity, water, gas, oil/fuel, transport, telecoms, food, health and financial services. Many parts of the infrastructure network are dependent on one another e.g. electricity is required at water pumping stations, telecoms and electricity are required to allow cash machines and cash registers to function correctly.
Those services which could directly or indirectly impact upon other elements of the infrastructure network are detailed below:
This would have a direct or indirect impact on all other infrastructure sectors. In the event of a major gas or electricity supply emergency, both industry and government will have significant roles to play in managing the incident and its consequences.
The gas and electricity companies are responsible for the practical and operational management of the incident.
These companies have well established plans and procedures in place to respond to incidents, which can range from management of a local incident to a national level disruption.
In the event of a significant loss of power, national and local BBC radio stations should be able to offer you some information. Therefore it is important to have a wind-up radio available at home.
For small scale disruptions, your phone and/or internet connection may still work. If this is the case you can report a power cut by calling 105, it’s a free number and connects you to your local network operator.
To report a gas or carbon monoxide emergency, or if a pipeline is struck (even if no gas leak has occurred) call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999 or via textphone (minicom) on 0800 371 787.
This would have a direct or indirect impact on all other infrastructure sectors. Individuals and businesses are increasingly dependent on the telecoms network either for mobile and fixed line telephony or provision on the internet.
If you are able to, contact your telecoms provider directly for further information if you experience a disruption.
In the event of a significant loss of telecommunication services, national and local BBC radio stations should be able to offer you some information. It it therefore important to have a wind-up radio available at home.
This includes burst water mains, supply disruption and minor or major contamination. Dependent on the severity of the incident a multi-agency emergency may be declared to ensure that people’s basic water needs are met.
There could be a significant impact on health and food provision, as well as an impact on the capabilities of the Fire and Rescue Service.
if a large area of Cheshire’s agricultural land or livestock, was affected by an incident, it would affect the economy of the county as well as having the potential to impact national food prices.
To find and contact your water supplier please visit Water UK.
CRF works with the utility companies to manage supply interruptions, it reviews multi-agency plans to manage long term utility outages and works to identify vulnerable people who will need special treatment in the event of a utilities outage.
The predicted impacts include:
People exposed to poor sanitation and lack of drinking water
Homes without heating and limited ability to heat food and water
Limited ability to keep food cold or frozen
No ability to get fuel from filling stations
People unable to get cash from cash machines or make card purchases
Limited telecommunications (including mobile phones)
Disruption to essential services and activities
Endangerment to vulnerable people
Financial impact on businesses
Civil unrest
Increased demand on emergency services
Travel disruption
Disruption to businesses and normal home life
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