BBC Scotland's radio stations will spearhead the service to communities under stress.

Although disasters and major incidents attract interest throughout the UK and beyond, they are essentially local in nature.

BBC Radio Scotland has the advantage of being a national station with close links to communities across the country.

For many years, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gaidheal have been clearing houses for information: on the foot-and-mouth outbreak; on the storms that devastated the Western Isles in 2005; on the Stockline factory explosion, and many more occasions.

Today, with over one million regular listeners, they are more effective than ever.

The development of BBC Scotland's services gives us a reputation as a broadcaster who gets close to its audiences, but reaches the whole nation at the same time.

BBC staff who live and work in your area have the local knowledge, contacts, accessible airtime and editorial discretion to respond with immediacy, flexibility and sensitivity.