What is the Oxenhope Community Preparedness Plan?
The OCPP was created after the Covid-19 pandemic of early 2020 in an attempt to get the village of Oxenhope and the surrounding areas prepared for further emergencies. The reason for this plan became evident when:
The shops ran out of food
Many people went out and panic bought food and, believe it or not, toilet rolls...
People lost their jobs
During the 'Lockdown' people were unable to go out to work which placed a huge strain on their financial stability.
Social distancing came into effect
People had to keep at least 2m away from each other and distrust of strangers became the new norm
Police fines for non-compliance
The law was changed so that people were fined for not telling the police where they were going...
What's the OCPP got in mind then..?
We have our Mission, our Plan and our Vision all detailed below:
Our Mission
Our mission is to try to prepare the Community of Oxenhope for any future crisis or emergency that may come along. From pandemics to civil unrest, war to cyber attacks on the National Grid. Pretty much any worst case scenario we can think of.
Our Plan
With the help of our kind sponsors, who have donated their time and resources free of charge, and the Oxenhope Village Council we are looking to spread information and advice via flier drops, this website and social media.
Our Vision
Our vision is to have a community that is as prepared as it can be to weather any further crises and emergencies that come our way. Together, we'll be ready for most things.
F.A.Q
Frequently Asked Questions
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If I start preparing, does that make me a 'prepper', and therefore a 'loony'?
Well, we'll answer that question by asking you one. Do you have life insurance? If you die, will your loved ones be taken care of financially? Let's assume that you do. What about home insurance? If anything happened to your home such as flooding or fire, would you be covered? Again, let's assume that you do. Why not consider your preparations to be an 'insurance policy' just in case anything like the Covid-19 epidemic happens again after all, are you a 'loony' for having home and life insurance..? Actually, that was quite a lot of questions wasn't it.
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But surely the emergency services will have everything under control, won't they?
On the Bradford Council website under planning for emergencies it has the following statement: "The emergency services may not be able to reach you immediately and you may have to support yourself and your family for a time." This would suggest that you need to have at least some basic preparations in place. In fairness, you just need to think back to the time of the corona virus epidemic of early 2020. The government called more than 65,000 nurses and doctors out of retirement just to cope. It's fair to say that they are going to be extremly busy during a crisis, so why not take the load off them and look after yourself for a bit..?
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Okay, so the emergency services are busy, but I'm sure the government would step in and sort things out won't they?
In a sense, they already have. They are telling you in numerous ways to prepare for emergencies. The links below will take you to the advice given by the UK Government in the event of an emergency. The local councils, in our case Bradford, are telling you how to prepare for emergencies. Even the local village council is guiding you towards being prepared. How many times do you need to be told..?
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I could just rely on somebody else to help me out if I need it can't I?
This is certainly one way to cope, however, who would you go to for help? A new British Red Cross report 'Ready for Anything' says needs of individuals and communities must be at the heart of a response to flooding, terror attacks, and other emergencies. A quarter (26%) of UK adults think they will be affected by a major emergency, but more than two thirds (70%) admit nobody in their household has taken steps to prepare. Of course, you're then relying on finding somebody in the 30% of the 26% bracket who has made preparations to give up their stuff to help you who hasn't. Good luck with that...
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So, what you're saying is that I should start preparing for an emergency?
Yes! Let's see below what a few famous people have said over the years...
Alfred Henry Lewis
in 1906
There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy.
Stephen King
Author - Different Seasons
There's no harm in hoping for the best as long as you're prepared for the worst.
Michael Mabee
Prepping for a Suburban or Rural Community
We are not preparing for the world we live in - we are preparing for the world we find ourselves in.
Clarence Thomas
My Grandfathers Son
Daddy always seemed to be preparing for rainy days. Maybe that’s why they never came.
Austin Chambers
Cascadia Fallen: Tahoma's Hammer
Not IF...But WHEN.
So, you made it this far, let's get preparing...
Here is a list of things you may want to consider, broken down into manageable projects, to help prepare your home for a future emergency. This is not an exhaustive list but is designed to give you a head start in preparing you and your family for future disruption. There are things like a good first aid kit, for example and so on. But let's just start with the basics, and as you get into it, you can increase your preparations to fit your budget. At the very least, if you complete the six projects below, for at least two weeks, you'll be able to sit in your warm home, that is light at night, with hot food to eat and clean water to drink knowing that your asthma inhalers aren't going to run out...
Some Useful Links to help
Below are some useful links to various pages that deal with what to do in the event of an emergency
Bradford Metrpolotian District Council
Preparing for emergencies - What you can do
UK Government
Preparing for Emergencies
British Red Cross
Prepare for Emergencies