Emergency Management in the UK - Coursework Example

Student Name: xxxxx Tutor: xxxx Title: Emergency Response and Preparedness for the UK Date: xxxx ©2016 Table of Contents Introduction 2 Emergency management in the UK 3 Overview 3 Response Phase 3 Recovery Phase 4 The Guiding Principles of Emergency Planning and Preparedness 4 Levels of Emergencies 7 Locally Managed Emergencies 7 Central Government Involvement 7 The UK Central Response Framework 8 The Framework 8 Strategic Objectives 9 Conclusion 9 References 10 Introduction The Civil Contingencies Act of 2004 defines an emergency as a situation or series of occurrences that pose a serious threat to human life, health, the environment and security in the United Kingdom[Cab13]. Based on this definition, emergencies can be categorized into adverse weather conditions, human and animal disease outbreaks, severe flooding, acts of terrorism, and the consequences of the disruptions of essential services and infrastructure. Emergencies by definition occur without being anticipated, responses therefore ought to be flexible so as to accommodate prevailing circumstances without compromising on good response practice. It is important that lessons documented and undocumented from previous emergencies need to be incorporated into current situations in order to minimize losses. The United Kingdom has based most of its emergency response strategies on legislations that date back to the Second World War where the main focus was on civil defense[Ach15]. This has worked over the years but recent crises, for instance, the Hillsborough Disaster of 1989, the fuel crisis and floods of 2000, the foot and mouth disease of 2001 and the July 7, 2005 London Bombings have only highlighted the need for adaptive response strategies. Disasters usually have significant human and economic implications. The consequences of poor disaster management includes several deaths, severe injuries, food shortages, lack of access to essential services such as health care. It is therefore important to anticipate the potential impacts of a disaster as this can help determine the kind of action that is required and the plan to implement in that case[Lel06]. It is therefore vital to understand the nature of the disaster as this action plays a role in the effectiveness of the actions taken. The role and effectiveness of each planning and response initiative has to be considered in the context of the prevailing emergency. This paper will therefore analyze the arrangements in place in the United Kingdom and recommend improvements where necessary. Emergency management in the UK Overview The UK’s process of managing an emergency mainly comprise of three main phases, namely; the preparation phase, the response stage and the recovery stage. The aforementioned stages are designed to not only control the immediate impacts but also to minimize the challenges that arise from the incident[Cab13]. Response Phase Crisis Management refers to the preventative measure of the response phase whereby the stakeholder’s objective is to avert imminent emergencies. This is done in tandem with other mitigation measures that try to minimize the effects of the emergency and to avoid excessive damage or disruption of the emergency zone. Crisis Management also entails all the measures put in place to address the immediate impacts of the emergency, for instance the process of managing hostage situations during a terror attack, firefighting measures, dissemination of crucial information, search and rescue missions, evacuation of likely zones of disasters e.g. flood prone area and the provision of health education. Depending on the specific conditions, the duration of the crisis management in the UK may vary. At times, it takes a few hours, other times it can be days, for instance during the London Bombing incident, it took two days to clear the scene. Other emergencies such as disease outbreaks do however require several months to manage the crisis adequately[Ach15]. Impact Management on the other hand deals with the measures taken to prevent the consequences of the incident from escalating further. It can be done simultaneously with the crisis management but other times it is done before hand. The phase entails the management of a broad range of consequences including the restoration of damaged infrastructure and communication networks. Damaged electricity supply lines are also repaired in this phase so as to enable other recovery measure that require energy to take place. The phase also involves managing of the relationships between communities and restoring their trust of the disaster area. During the 2007 Hull Floods Disaster in Yorkshire for instance, most residents lost confidence of the area and started moving out. It was the role of the frontline disaster management workers to restore their confidence and this greatly worked out [Cou10]. The provision of shelter to the affected persons is also done in this phase. Recovery Phase It refers to the measures aimed at rebuilding and rehabilitating the affected community after a disaster so as to restore it to its initial state of affairs. It normally begins once the emergency situations have been stabilized. The preparation for this phase has to be done together with the crisis and impact management phase as it is an integral part of the entire emergency response process. The structure of the recovery process depends on the nature of the emergency and may be carried out in the local, regional or national UK level[Cab13]. Unlike the response and the preparation phases, the recovery stage normally takes a substantial amount of time, usually, months or even years. The reason for the long duration is the fact that the strategy’s main objective is to offer support to the affected community in the recovery and restoration to normal life. The process therefore entails the reconstruction of the destroyed infrastructure and the restoration of the emotional, economic and social well-being[Cab13]. When the crisis area is geographically wide and the zones faces different conditions, the recovery team can work on one zone while the response team works on another. This helps to channel resources and priorities accordingly and ensure efficient management of the crisis. The Guiding Principles of Emergency Planning and Preparedness In their 1990 paper, Kartez & Lindell., proposed that preparedness should be taken as a process and not an event. The paper defined preparedness as a continuous sequence of analyses, plan development and the training of individuals and teams in readiness for emergency responses. Despite the fact that emergency operations vary depending on the nature of each emergency, researchers dealing with UK emergencies have identified some consistencies in emergency planning operations [OBr05]. These consistencies can be considered as the fundamental guiding principles and are developed and applied so as to bring forth the features of effective emergency response. 1. Preparedness: the emergency response stakeholders including organizations such as The Red Cross, must always be prepared and well-structured to deal with emergencies. Individuals involved ought to each understand their roles and must have training regimes and rehearsals to ensure they are up to the task. Fire fighters for instance ought to have regular drills. 2. Continuity: The emergencies and their response strategies should be integrated into the organizations functionality and be in line with the organization’s norms. Even though response to emergencies require great speeds, if the employees of a stakeholder organization are trained in the process and have been working on appropriate regimes, the process is bound to be effective albeit being on a larger scale and in more intense circumstances. 3. Subsidiarity: this principle provides that decisions should be taken at the lowest appropriate level to ensure speedy response. Co-ordination however should be done at the highest possible level. This principles regards the grass root responders as the building block to any emergency. 4. Direction: the individuals involved should have clear sense of purpose and understanding of the strategic aims so as to ensure effectiveness. These have to be agreed upon beforehand and individuals should be prepared to implement the appropriate plans. The principle of direction ensures that the responses are effectively prioritized and well-focused. 5. Integration: there ought to be effective co-ordination between the local responders, the frontline workers and the organizations involved. The different response tiers both local and UK level should be well informed through information sharing amongst them. The emergency response stakeholders must also have access to guidance principles at all times and should be adequately funded. 6. Communication: as with all other humanitarian initiatives, good communication is key to success. A feedback mechanism should be in place to ensure that relevant information is passed to those who need it and in a timely manner. The public also need to be informed on the progress of the response activities. 7. Co-operation: the relationship among the response groups should be based on mutual trust and focused on the goal of dealing with the emergency. Such an understanding will also facilitate information sharing that will ensure that effective solutions are reached. 8. Anticipation: during the preparation process, the planners must identify the potential risks and challenges likely to be faced during the response. Appropriate measures can then be put in place to deal with the identified challenges. Levels of Emergencies Locally Managed Emergencies In the UK, the local responders are the vital and most reliable entity in emergency response. Disasters and minor incidents are usually handled by emergency services together with the local initiatives without there being the need for the central government to be involved. These emergencies may include road and rail accidents, localized flooding and industrial incidences. The respective police departments normally take the leading role in managing the response that involves threats to public safety such as terrorism and gang related threats[Cou10]. On the other hand, the Strategic Coordinating Group (SCG) is responsible for managing the responses that involve several agencies. The chair of the group takes a leading role in the response process and is responsible for making strategic decisions regarding the response process. However, emphasis is on the importance of localized decision making that is appropriately supported by coordination at higher levels of management[Bos07]. Central Government Involvement In the UK, the Civil Contingencies Act of 2004 provides the guidelines on instances where the involvement of the central government is necessary. There are three broad levels of emergency that may require the involvement of the central government. The levels include; i. Level 1: Significant Emergencies Such emergencies have impacts that affect a wide range of sectors and a large number of people. Through the Lead Government Department (LGD), the central UK government has a direct hand on the operations. However, it does this in coordination with the emergency services, local authorities and police departments where necessary. In most cases however, there is no need for fast inter-agency decision making and therefore the role of government in this case is quite reserved[Cab13]. An example of emergencies that fall under this category are mostly the serious weather related events and minor flooding. The role of government in such a case is oversight and funding. ii. Level 2: Serious Emergency Refer to events that threatens a wider range of sectors and affects more people geographically. In most cases, such an emergency requires a prolonged response and recovery efforts thus the need for central government support and co-ordination. These efforts usually involves several departments that includes the England regional tier whenever appropriate[Cab13]. It is through the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBRs), that the central government can exerts its coordination efforts in such a case. Terror attacks (e.g. London Bombings, 2005), large scale urban flooding (e.g. Hull Floods, 2007), prolonged loss of essential services and widespread disease outbreaks (e.g. the H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic) are the examples of emergencies that fall under this category. It is also important to note that overseas emergencies that pose threat to UK nationals and is of interest to the UK government also fall into the category of serious emergencies. For instance, the 2015 Paris and 2016 Belgium terror attacks are treated under this category[Wil15]. iii. Level 3: Catastrophic Emergency Such emergency have highly serious consequences and widespread impacts. They require immediate government response and support. A top-down approach is the main feature of a response required in such a case, since in most cases, the local response efforts get overwhelmed[Cab13]. The UK government uses its emergency powers to direct the response efforts while providing the necessary funding and other forms of support. Such an effort would be led by the UK Prime Minister. An example of such an emergency are industrial accidents in the scale of the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters, natural disaster such as the Japanese Earthquake. The UK however rarely experience disasters in this scale, except in lower scales as was in the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster in Liverpool where 96 football fans lost their lives. It is however important for the UK government to remain vigilant and prepared for Level 3 emergencies. The UK Central Response Framework The Framework There is need for a clear outline of the strategic objectives that need to be achieved during an emergency response. The roles of the LGD, the Cabinet Office and type of engagement that exists between the UK central government and the devolved administrative arms are defined in the response framework[Wil15]. It is in the event of Levels 2 or Level 3, emergencies that the central response framework would be activated. The response initiative would involve the crisis management facilities and measures normally reserved to the government[Pre15]. The COBR would also be involved to ensure rapid coordination of the response activities and implementation of the decisions by the government. Strategic Objectives Whenever the COBR is active, the following main objectives have to be achieved; i. To protect human life and where possible prevent the loss of property and destruction of the environment. ii. To support the rapid restoration to normalcy of the everyday life of those affected during the emergency. iii. To ensure that the rule of law is upheld by all involved and that processes are democratic and fair. It is however important to note that the aforementioned strategic objectives have equal importance and can be prioritized depending on the severity of cases[Nis15]. In reality, these objectives normally evolve as the response teams come to terms with the extent of help required. The ministers of the various cabinets will provide advice that would help in striking a balance on prioritization of responses[Per03]. Conclusion The response to an emergency is an integrated effort that involves several stakeholders including the UK government, government departments and offices in England, devolved governments and local responders. The local partners include the Coastguard Agency, Highway Agency and Community Watch Initiatives. Understanding an emergency is paramount in ensuring efficient and timely response is delivered. There ought to be adequate communication between those involved so as to ensure appropriate measures are delivered to those who need them. References Cab13: , (Cabinet Office, 2013), Ach15: , (Achour, et al., 2015), Lel06: , (Lelisa & Kifle, 2006), Cou10: , (Coulthard & Frostick, 2010), OBr05: , (O'Brien & Read, 2005), Cou10: , (Coulthard & Frostick, 2010), Bos07: , (Bosher, et al., 2007), Wil15: , (Wilson, et al., 2015), Pre15: , (Preston, 2015), Nis15: , (Nisbet, et al., 2015), Per03: , (Perry & Lindell, 2003), Read More