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Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) – Heatwave Response Plan

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Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) – Heatwave Response Plan

Purpose & Activation

The Hot Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is a humanitarian framework designed to protect vulnerable rough sleepers from the life-threatening risks of extreme heat, including severe dehydration, sunstroke, and heat exhaustion.

Both Wychavon District Council operate under a unified, proactive response framework alongside broader Worcestershire outreach services.

  • Activation Threshold: Triggered when the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues an Amber or Red Heat-Health Alert for the West Midlands region, or when local temperatures are forecast to hit extreme highs (typically 30°C or above) for consecutive days.
  • Overriding Principle: The protocol operates outside of normal eligibility criteria. Humanitarian aid and immediate welfare support are prioritized regardless of local connection or housing status and the councils continue support when there is a minimal drop in temperature.

Key Responsibilities & Agency Coordination

The response relies on a coordinated effort between local authorities and local support networks:

  • Wychavon Councils: Coordinate crisis response logistics, and issue public alerts.
  • Commissioned Outreach Teams: Partnered outreach staff operating across Worcestershire conduct street sweeps and direct welfare checks.
  • Maggs Day Centre (Malvern Hub): Provides dedicated day-centre crisis support, hot meals, shade, and basic health/hygiene services as well as shade and formal support.
  • Caring Hands in the Vale (Evesham Hub): Provides local resource banks, clothing, food packages, drop-in meals, health/hygiene facilities, signposting to other agencies and shade.

Core Emergency Measures

Street Outreach & Welfare Checks

  • Intensified Sweeps: Outreach teams increase the frequency of daytime street walks to locate known and hidden rough sleepers.
  • Essential Supply Distribution: Teams directly distribute chilled bottled water, high-factor sunscreen and hats/caps.

Reporting & Referral Pathways

If you see someone sleeping rough during a heatwave, use the following channels to activate emergency support:

  • StreetLink: Report the individual's precise location, appearance, and time seen via the StreetLink Platform (thestreetlink.org.uk) to route an automated alert directly to the outreach teams.
  • Wychavon Housing Team: Contact via the Wychavon Housing page for local support enquiries.
  • Emergency Services: Call 999 immediately if the individual is unresponsive, confused, showing signs of severe heatstroke, or requires urgent medical attention.