The emergency services, local authority, health services, government departments, industry, environment protection groups, utilities, transport organisations and the voluntary sector all have crucial roles to perform.
The Scheme is managed through the Dumfries and Galloway Strategic Co-ordinating Group (SCG) for civil contingencies. This is the area's most senior management group, in accordance with the legal requirement of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
The Scheme helps us all to understand each others' roles, and how we can all work together in times of crisis. Through the Major Emergency Scheme we aim to be as ready as possible for a major emergency or disaster.
The Strategic Co-ordinating Group endorses the following vision statement with a link to the Scottish Government 'safer and stronger' theme and in line with D&G's overall strategic community planning:
'A more resilient, safer and stronger Dumfries and Galloway'.
The aims, roles and the responsibilities of partners in the Scheme are outlined in the MES Partners Document [606kb] and supporting document, Annex A - Partner Roles and Responsibilities [610kb].
The overall arrangements for dealing with a major emergency are detailed in the Emergency Response and Recovery Arrangements [1Mb] document.
An overview of the way partners in the MES work together to prepare and plan for emergencies is provided in the Preparing for Emergencies [393kb] document.
You will find examples of the more detailed information about how we prepare, respond and recover in the following documents:
Past Incidents in Dumfries and Galloway. Find out more
There is much that you and your family can do yourselves to help you to: