New Selby pilot helps communities get ready for emergencies
Interactive tool offers free, practical advice on dealing with floods, fires, and other emergencies
A new pilot project has launched in Selby to help residents and businesses better prepare for emergencies like floods, fires, extreme weather, and power cuts.
The Yorkshire Ready Together initiative features a free online tool offering practical advice through an interactive chatbot. It allows users to ask questions and receive clear, real-time guidance on a range of emergency scenarios.
While the tool has been available to businesses across Yorkshire and the Humber since September, Selby is the first area to trial a community rollout, supported by banners and posters around key public locations including Selby Abbey, the hospital, Town Hall, and library.
Cllr Carl Les of North Yorkshire Council said the pilot “takes advantage of new technologies to protect our residents,” and aims to prepare people not just for common emergencies but for rarer events like cyber-attacks or pandemics.
The chatbot is anonymous, easy to use, and requires no registration or downloads.
Emergency services, including North Yorkshire Police and Fire and Rescue, have backed the initiative, encouraging everyone in Selby to explore the tool and take simple steps to boost their resilience.