Get Set September week four: Winter planning

For the month of September, Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City, Highland, and Moray Councils are partnering for the Get Set September campaign, to help the public consider how to respond to an emergency or severe weather incident in their local communities.

Over the past three weeks residents have been encouraged to think about personal preparedness, cyber security, and flooding. Now, we’re looking ahead to winter.

By taking simple steps to prepare for a potential crisis, residents can be in the best position to react while the council, emergency services and partners tackle it directly.

Week four: start thinking about winter now!

As the seasons begin to change, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of community resilience and personal preparedness in the face of emergencies such as flooding, snowstorms, and prolonged power outages.

Councils are urging residents to:

•    Create a household emergency plan – know what to do and who to contact in the event of severe weather or disruption. Keep mobiles charged and make sure fuel supplies are topped up.
•    Prepare an emergency kit – include essentials such as torches, batteries, warm clothing, non-perishable food, bottled water, and necessary medications. Wind-up radios can be useful in a power outage to check local news.
•    Stay informed – follow trusted sources like council websites and social media channels for updates and advice. SSEN for power updates, the Met Office and SEPA for weather and flooding news and Traffic Scotland for major roads disruption.
•    Check on neighbours – especially those who are elderly, vulnerable, or living alone.
•    Sign up for local alerts – many councils and utility companies offer free notification services for severe weather and emergency updates.

For more information and to access local preparedness resources, visit: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/getsetseptember