Radio Sheffield

What If...? was a three-day campaign on BBC Radio Sheffield in January 2009, designed to help you and your family be better prepared to face some of the challenges life can throw at us.

Avian flu virus - the next pandemic?

The experts

Radio Sheffield was joined by experts from our Local Emergency Planning Departments, Police, Fire, Medical and Utility Services.

Toby Foster spoke to Med Hughes (South Yorkshire's Chief Constable) and John Charlton (Head of Streetforce at Sheffield City Council) about the role they play in South Yorkshire's emergency planning.

Howard Pressman asked Paul Salter from South Yorkshire Fire Service about what to do in the incident of fire and chemical spills.

Gareth Evans interviewed Jeremy Wight, the NHS Sheffield Director of Public Health.

Useful information

These are useful links for South Yorkshire's main emergency services and utility companies. At the bottom of the page are links for national agencies and organisations which will help you in a crisis.

We cannot prepare for every single eventuality but there are some common problems that might result from flooding or fire (power failures, loss of water supply or loss of communications like telephones) for which we can prepare.

Below are downloadable PDF documents with advice on situations like fire, pandemic flu, terrorist and chemical incidents - plus what to do if you have to evacuate your home quickly.

South Yorkshire floods, 2007

South Yorkshire knows only too well the effect flooding can have on a community, after the floods of June 2007.

Your stories

We want to hear about YOUR experiences and how you’ve coped with disaster in the past – we can all learn from experience. Please tell us your stories on the Have Your Say form at the bottom of the page.

Links below and on the right of this page provide a quick checklist so you can see how well you’re prepared to cope with an emergency. These are links to local services:

And these are links to national organisations:

Download these PDF documents with information about preparing things like grab bags in case you need to get out of your home in a hurry.