Delivering locally during an emerge ncy

1. Delivering locally during an emergency Jez Reynolds Welland and Oadby and Wigston (WOW) Emergency Planning Partnership

2. Scope • Working in a multi-agency environment • The role of Local Authorities • Emergency Management in LAs • Recovery issues • Case studies

3. A major emergency is ? Any event or circumstance that happens with or without warning and causes or threatens: • Widespread death or injury • disruption to the community • or damage to property or to the environment

5. Civil Contingencies Act – Local Resilience Forum

6. Category 1: Risk Assessments Emergency planning Warning and informing the public Robust business continuity management arrangements Local Authorities: Promotion of business continuity management Category 1 & 2: Co-operation Information-sharing Civil Contingencies Act - Responsibilities

7. Thinkers Managers Do-ers Multi-Agency framework;Command and Control (C2)

8. Multi-Agency framework;Command and Control (C2)

9. Phases of Response

10. Planning with LRF partners • Animal Diseases • Communicating with the Public • Mass Vaccinations • Fuel Crisis Plan • Mass Casualties • Mass Fatalities

11. Local authorities’ role in an emergency • Support Multi-agency activity • Warn and inform the public • Assist those affected • Provide specialist assistance, resources and equipment • Co-ordinate long term recovery

12. Animal welfare Appeal/Supplementary Funds Building Access/Control Building Materials Cleaning Services Construction Equipment & Plant Community Recovery Counselling/Victim Support Dangerous Structures Disease Control Education and Leisure Emergency Feeding Emergency Lighting and Power Emergency Fencing and Security Expenditure Approval/Financial Records Flood Prevention Food safety Forward Planning/Strategic issues/Recovery Furniture storage Hazardous substances Highways Department – Clearance/Repair/Traffic Routing Health Hazards Homeless Incident Control, Co-ordination & Communications Insurance Claims Interpreters Labour Maps/Plans Memorials/Anniversaries Mutual Aid Pest Control Premises Adaptation Press and Media Liaison Property repair Public Information/Enquiries Purchasing Radiation Monitoring Refuse Collection Registration of evacuees Rest Centre Management Survivor Reception Centres Site Clearance/Recovery Temporary Accommodation Temporary Mortuaries Temporary Sanitation Transport Vaccination Centres Voluntary/Faith Organisations Waste Disposal Welfare/Social Services Department Possible responsibilities

13. Major Emergency Plans Emergency Centres Site Plans such as COMAH Emergency Plans Mass Evacuation Flood Pandemic

14. Crisis Management Group Within departments Control Centre How do LAs deal with emergencies? “If you want to look spontaneous make sure it’s well planned”

15. Strategic functions of a LA in a major emergency • Take overall responsibility for the management of an emergency. • Determine a clear strategic aim and objectives. Establish a policy framework. • Prioritise demands of the situation and direct the response. 4. Authorise expenditure and record all decision-making. 5. Conduct forward planning to identify risks and facilitate recovery. Ensure long-term resourcing and expertise.

16. How do LAs deal with emergencies? Crisis Management Group Within departments Control Centre “If you want to look spontaneous make sure it’s well planned”

17. Tactical functions of an LA in a major emergency • Recognise the strategic aims and objectives. • Implement the policy established at strategic level. • Formulate and manage the response. • Allocate personnel and resources. Record Expenditure. • Co-ordinate and log communications. • Maintain an accurate picture of the situation.

18. Key issues Emergency response - a draw on resources. Attendance at co-ordinating meetings (internal & external). Business Continuity aspects Communication issues (public and media)

19. Recovery issues

20. Recovery issues Rebuilding the community Managing the financial implications Managing resources Responding to welfare needs

21. Building projects Public information strategy Chance to improve amenities Memorials Rebuilding the Community “From adversity comes opportunity”

22. Avoid other organisation’s tasks Liaise with Insurance industry, particularly loss adjusters Establish systems for emergency expenditure Maintain accurate financial records Financial Implications

23. Managing Resources • What is the most important resource of local authorities? STAFF! Issues include; • Health & Safety • Workloads of diverted staff • Information • Support networks • Mutual Aid

24. Database of offers of support. ‘Drop-in centres’ Public helpline. Voluntary organisations Website/leaflets/ newsletters Welfare needs of the Community

25. Environmental risk (groundwater) and public health assessments for on-site burials Plume monitoring from pyres Burial sites - Animals classed as agricultural waste need to be buried immediately Non-collection of refuse as lorries not permitted to leave public highways in rural areas Foot and Mouth

26. Buncefield Oil Terminal • Unaware of the constituents of the smoke • Local water supplies • Monitoring • Checking damaged buildings within cordons were safe

27. Gloucestershire Flooding • 5,000 homes and businesses flooded, 200 people rescued. • Electricity lost to 48,000 homes. Many without any mains water. • 825 homes evacuated. • 10,000 people stranded on the M5 motorway.

28. Gloucs. Flooding - impact on EH team • Officers visited more than 1000 properties • Advice to businesses and visits by EHOs/Police to ensure compliance • Survey of all flooded residential properties • Extra staff had to be drafted in • Accounts set up to apply for monies from Bellwin Fund • EH officers shadow the Call Centre • Pest control officers distribute water

29. Gloucs. Flooding - Ongoing work • Appointment of EHO to deal with Flood issues • Vulnerable groups identified from survey contacted • Householders affected by the floods offered help and advice. • Regular visits to those living in caravans • Helped set up and staff Flood Forums and drop-ins • Site inspections - monitoring vulnerable areas • Working closely with site developers

30. Summary • Working in a multi-agency environment • The role of Local Authorities • Emergency Management in LAs • Recovery issues • Case studies

31. Emergency Planning is everybody’s business…. • What will your role be in an emergency? • Are you prepared?!

32. A reminder… “5 minutes before the party is not the time to learn how to dance.” Charlie Brown