Reception Centres
One of the Council’s key roles in an emergency is to provide shelter, food, information and support to people displaced by the emergency via a Reception or 'Rest' Centre.
Further information:
Warning & Informing: Evacuation page 
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Types of Centres
The types of centres that may need to be established, depending on the emergency involved, include:
Reception/Rest Centre
A centre used by the Local Authority for the temporary accommodation of people displaced by an emergency with overnight facilities.
Family and Friends Reception Centre
A centre used to help reunite family and friends with survivors from an incident, it will provide the capacity to register,interview and provide shelter for family and friends.
Survivor Reception Centre
The Survivor Reception Centre is a secure area in which survivors not requiring acute hospital treatment can be taken for short-term shelter and first aid. Information will usually be gathered by police documentation teams and interviews undertaken where necessary. The Survivor Reception Centre may initially be established and run by the emergency services, who are usually first on scene, until the Local Authority becomes involved in the response and takes the lead in providing the facility.
North Hertfordshire District Council will establish the centres supported if necessary by Hertfordshire County Council and voluntary organisations such as the WRVS, First Aid groups, Citizens Advice, religious organisations and RAYNET (if back up communications are required).
Longer Term Assistance
Humanitarian Assistance Centre
In contrast to the centres above which may be used immediately following an incident the role of the Humanitarian Assistance Centre is to provide longer term assistance and act as a one-stop-shop for survivors, families, friends and all those affected by a major emergency by bringing together a number of agencies that can offer support, care and advice.
