Social and psychological support

Emergency Centres

One of the most likely tasks to face the Local Authority in an emergency will be to provide emergency accommodation

During and following an emergency, the Council may also provide care and support to members of the public or to uninjured survivors who have been affected by an incident. Such care and support may be provided at special centres set up for the purpose.

There can be various types of centres set up depending on the nature of the incident and its effects on the surrounding population. Centres may be established in conjunction with feeding facilities or set up solely as evacuation centres. The roles of the responding agencies may also change depending on the scale of the emergency and the type of centre set up.

Rest Centre

A building designated for the temporary shelter and care of homeless people. A place of comfort and refuge set up to provide temporary shelter and essential welfare services for all those who have been evacuated from or dispossessed of their homes in an emergency. It will be managed by local authority staff

Survivor Reception Centre

This is a secure area to which survivors of an incident can be taken for shelter, first aid, interview and documentation. In most cases, the police manage it with support from local authority staff.

Friends and Relatives Reception Centre

The initial reception and temporary accommodation of family and friends coming to the incident, from outside the immediate area, to obtain details of what is happening. The Police may use this to interview of friends and relatives of victims.

Humanitarian Assistance Centre (HAC)

A HAC is a facility where bereaved families and survivors can receive information and appropriate support from all the relevant agencies without immediate need for referral elsewhere. This support will take various forms and may require the provision of a wide range of services utilising a variety of building styles.

The HAC should not be confused with other facilities, which appear in emergency planning doctrine or guidance e.g. the 'Family and Friends Reception Centre', the 'Survivior Reception Centre' , 'Rest Centre' etc

The HAC will act as a 'one-stop-shop' for survivors, families and those affected by the disaster, through which they can access support, care and advice. It will allow families and survivors to make informed choices according to their needs.

All these centres are regarded as only short-term options. People will remain at them for a limited period of time before more suitable accommodation can be found or they return to their own property.