UK Emergency Planning - Case Study Example

UK Emergency Planning Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 List of Tables 4 1.0 Introduction 5 1.1 Key organizations their roles in UK emergency planning 5 1.1.1 Category 1 responders 5 Figure 1: Category 1 responders 6 Table 1: Appraising the roles of Category 1 responders 6 1.1.2 Category 2 responders 8 Figure 2: Category 2 responders 8 1.2 Voluntary Sector 10 1.3 Potential conflict to disaster resolution and deficiencies 10 1.4 Recommendations on improvements 12 1.5 Conclusion 12 References list 14 List of Figures Table of Contents 2 List of Tables 4 1.0 Introduction 5 1.1 Key organizations their roles in UK emergency planning 5 1.1.1 Category 1 responders 5 Figure 1: Category 1 responders 6 Table 1: Appraising the roles of Category 1 responders 6 1.1.2 Category 2 responders 8 Figure 2: Category 2 responders 8 1.2 Voluntary Sector 10 1.3 Potential conflict to disaster resolution and deficiencies 10 1.4 Recommendations on improvements 12 1.5 Conclusion 12 References list 14 List of Tables Table of Contents 2 List of Tables 4 1.0 Introduction 5 1.1 Key organizations their roles in UK emergency planning 5 1.1.1 Category 1 responders 5 Figure 1: Category 1 responders 6 Table 1: Appraising the roles of Category 1 responders 6 1.1.2 Category 2 responders 8 Figure 2: Category 2 responders 8 1.2 Voluntary Sector 10 1.3 Potential conflict to disaster resolution and deficiencies 10 1.4 Recommendations on improvements 12 1.5 Conclusion 12 References list 14 1.0 Introduction This report examines the effectiveness of emergency planning in the United Kingdom (UK) with regard to contemporary risks and threats. Although there are deficiencies in emergency planning, the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 provides for measures and actions to counter adverse events and situations likely to threaten human life and property. The UK is vulnerable to disasters and human related incidences that affects not only the reputation of the nation but endangers livelihoods. Some of these events include acts of terror, floods, wild fires, and accidents. This report will explore role of organizations in emergency planning at various levels, actions of category 1 and 2 responders and voluntary sector, potential conflict and deficiencies in disaster resolution and recommendations for effective future emergency planning. 1.1 Key organizations their roles in UK emergency planning Hazards and vulnerabilities affecting the UK include threat of man-made disasters and natural hazards such as flooding, heat waves, drought and persistent low temperatures1. For example, floods of 2007 killed 13 people, displaced more than 7,000 people and destroyed more than 55,000 properties. Similarly in 2005, a series of suicide bomb attacks killed 55 people and injured 700 more in the busy London railway system2. To improve UK’s response and preparedness in emergency situations, the UK government established the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) in 20013. Major disasters are handled at the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) in conjunction with the Lead Government Departments (LGD). However, in this report, focus will be given to category 1 & 2 responders and the voluntary sector. 1.1.1 Category 1 responders The category 1 responders include emergency services, local authorities, National Hospital Service (NHS) and other agencies as shown in the figure 1 below. Figure 1: Category 1 responders Table 1: Appraising the roles of Category 1 responders Responders Roles Emergency services These comprise the police, fire & rescue, ambulance, maritime & coastguard agency, and British transport police. Police are leading responding actors in local disasters. Management of the response is led by Police Chief Commander who chairs the Strategic Coordination Group (SCG). They coordinate inter-agency responses and determine the strategy of the response4. During floods of 2007 in Somerset, police allowed the public to receive messages from trusted sources and give direct instructions to the public5. Fire & Rescue handles large scale and catastrophic incidences by coordinating and developing an advisory framework structure. In the 2007 floods, the arrangements drawn by fire and rescue are still being used in cases of severe and widespread flooding6. Ambulance services works with NHS trusts to deliver injured persons to hospitals and provide preliminary treatment such as First Aid. NHS ambulance and St. John ambulance are major ambulance service providers in the UK. For example, being vanguard of emergency services, London Ambulance Services in 2005 treated more than 400 persons with horrific injuries7. Maritime and coastguard agency provide civil protection duties by coordinating and initiating civil maritime rescue and search with the Search and Rescue region of the UK. It also handles maritime pollution incidents. On 18 April 2014, HM Coastguard recovered 2 people and 2 dogs in Swansea and transferred to lifeboats8. British transport police just like local police forces are limited and specialist in scope and manage incidents at train stations and rail network. They implement risk assessments and plans involving rail transport issues9 Local authorities These comprise county councils, district and borough councils and unitary authorities. County councils prepare and respond to major emergencies that affect the environment or people of the county. For example, in Lancashire county council, they provide development, maintenance and production of plans that are integrated to the major emergency to minimize impact and resume normalcy quickly10. The two-tier system divides roles and responsibilities among county and borough councils. They take key role in emergency recovery phase, establishment of primary humanitarian facilities and coordination of provision of welfare support to communities. They also work closely with relevant organizations and health agencies in response and aspects of emergency planning11. Local authorities provide assistance and advice to voluntary organizations and businesses regarding Business Continuity Management (BCM). Unitary authorities have emergency planning teams and resilience forums. They provide social care services in conjunction with NHS, NGOs, independent providers and local specialist teams. Social care services can be obtained from health visitors, GPs, self referral and voluntary agencies. For example, in July 2015, Staffordshire Resilience Forum compiled a list of important contacts for victims or affected persons during the Bosley Factory Incident. National Hospital Services (NHS) NHS provides specialist mental health and advice through GPs. It also delivers assistance, psychological support and optimum care to victims. In conjunction with Health Protection Agency, NHS leads in provision of information on any health aspects of the response to the public. NHS takes the lead role in prevention of disease spread, decontamination and treatment of affected persons after assessment. NHS treated more than 700 injured persons in the London bombings of 200512. Other Agencies Other agencies in primary response category include environment and health protection agencies. Health protection agency (HPA) provides information on health aspects of the response to members of the public. HPA not only handles infectious diseases and hazards like radiations but also advises and supports NHS, emergency services and local authorities. The Environmental Agency monitors air quality from major incidences, provides warning on river water abstraction, and mitigates on pollution at a limited scale13. They also formulate and adopt recovery options using evidence-based practice to aid in remediation against environmental contamination14. 1.1.2 Category 2 responders This are cooperating bodies less involved in central planning of emergencies but comes in to handle the aftermath. They include voluntary sector organizations, utility companies, and transport and health safety executive as shown in figure 2 below. Figure 2: Category 2 responders Utility firms include those that provide water, gas, and electricity and communication systems during emergencies. They prepare limited lists on help registers and are governed by own regulations and legislations on emergency planning. They have lesser duties of sharing and cooperating with regard to relevant information on category 1 and 2 responders. Transport companies provide means to NHS centers and evacuation of population from the site or region of the disaster to safer areas15. These include railways, airports, ports and harbors and highways. Other organizations such as Health and Safety Executive and Strategic health authority are involved in ensuring the health and safety of people in events of fire, collapsed building or leakage of poisonous industrial substances. 1.2 Voluntary Sector Voluntary sector involvement in the UK emergency response and emergency planning is diverse and large, offering a range of expertise, skills and a range of services16. These volunteer organizations include; CRUSE Bereavement Care, the British Red Cross, Victim Support Services, St. John Ambulance, Salvation Army and WRVS. On emergency preparedness, volunteer organizations provide means of engagement in the planning phase and advice on their capabilities. As provided in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, local responders when developing emergency plans have regard to the voluntary sector capabilities17. This implies that those preparing plans need to integrate a broad spectrum of support and operational activities provided by volunteers and voluntary organizations. Individual volunteers can have specific skills, and not essentially members of an established organization like interpreters, faith community representatives, Samaritans specializing in emotional support. Rarely do these organizations assume the roles of primary emergency responders. Voluntary sector meets the needs of individuals in crisis as they deliver support to statutory authorities18. Their functions are only regarded as successful and effective if they have received appropriate training recognized by the professional organizations requesting their support. Volunteer teams supported from organizations with adequate training and skills can aid in meeting the emotional and practical individual needs of victims in their homes set up centers19. The support function of volunteers includes listening, befriending and emotional support. They also provide assistance on how to obtain information through communication, first aid and health care by offering mobility and medical aid equipment such as wheelchairs. Other important roles include documentation, bedding, transport, care of children and pets, provision of clothing and refreshments. They also provide sign-posting, network and websites, support lines and call centers. For example, in 2014, flood volunteers created a website www.floodvoluteers.co.uk to help in flood victims across the country. Some support groups can provide multi-lingual Emergency Medical Phrasebook and communications such as provision of telephone links and radio as well as translation and interpretation facilities. Escort and transport from and to temporary accommodation, mortuaries, rail stations and hospitals. 1.3 Potential conflict to disaster resolution and deficiencies Organizational issues in emergencies as provided by Civil Contingencies Act 2004 demands that organizations collaborate in major disasters and accidents. This requires a whole system or joined up approach towards multi-agency and not individual actions of organizations. However, the challenge comes in when these organizations are required to integrate and function as a system20. Emergency management system if not configured well will lead to lapse in emergency responses. Similarly, the UK emergency system focuses much on the element of emergency response at the expense of emergency planning and management of the vulnerable population. Currently, the emergency management system, UK public and practitioners are in a relationship that is less ideal. The involvement of the public is minimal leading to low expectations and attitudes as the status quo is that of a disempowering culture. A ‘principal-agent problem’ can result from relative independence of respondent structures and emergency response decentralization. This affects application of measures and allocation of emergency planning funds. Budget reduction diminishes the required national capability for example during a flood rescue, reductions in budgets of a number of agencies likely affects the coverage of climate hazards and collective ability to respond. Therefore, failure by local and national responders to address budgetary issues in a coordinated way risks resource shortages, confusion and inefficiency during a crisis21. During disasters, communication is often compromised or lost implying that established roles of select may not keep the supply chain intact. Similarly, lack of commitment and unwillingness to operate and agree to a shared system or lack of discipline to utilize a system correctly leads chaos in communication and interpretation of messages. For example, the police in City of London in the 2005 London bombing cut off services of key responding agencies by restricting cell phone networks of some users such as London Ambulance Service22. Deficiencies in communications originate from gaps in resource constraints, selective availability of technologies and poor research and development. For instance, in the UK floods of 2008, many agencies in category 2 found it difficult to contribute as they were unaware of procedures and protocols applied by Gold command. Moreover, in the Gloucestershire floods, community leaders had limitations due to ineffectiveness of category 1 and 2 responders to communicate owing to lack of radio communication. During emergencies, utility companies may be unable to source what they need from framework or contract by announcing an emergency tender. However, regulations and import duties may hinder their flexibility and capacity to meet purchasing procedures and emergency requisition. These ordering processes and bid laws may be too constraining and cumbersome to allow responders to urgently get what they need23. Poor public relations between responders and the general public on what needs to be done, leads to misunderstanding of instructions and directions from key agencies. Understanding of messages may be incorrect even for people who get the information24. This happens when the government does not give pre-incident public education on a short shrift. In the heat of an incident, this problem is exacerbated as agencies do not control the message carefully and fail to use a common message. In addition, the pressure to get information makes rumors to propagate unchecked and quickly undermines accuracy. Moreover, there are challenges that highlight the opportunities and special requirements for responders to engage in emergency planning. For example there are opportunities to build a health and safety procedures, manage high hazard facilities and build existing risk assessment procedures. 1.4 Recommendations on improvements 1. Multi-agency response issues: Early involvement of category 1 and 2 responders is vital. Collaboration between multiple agencies will help reduce risk to population and prevent further death and destruction of property in case of fierce fires, industrial explosion, floods and acts of terror. Agencies must be able to coordinate and integrate as a functional unit by accepting the roles of all the participants. 2. Suitable social structures: There is need to have a proper records of survivors, relatives, identification of victims and mortuary services. Having records of residents ease logistics during evacuation and offer alternative shelter as a community. In a closely knit community it is possible to trace displaced persons or affected members in distress. 3. Effective planning: jurisdictions and agencies should be committed to planning, and hard choices should not lead to compromises. Authority and resource ownership should be evident while lessons learned should be updated on regular basis to predict future events. Actual plans should be realistic while supervisors, politicians and senior managers should implement formal training on disaster management. 4. Communication and good public relations: Public is always complacent to disaster preparedness. Meaningful community empowerment and engagement should be done through community-based disaster risk reduction and community resilience. Communication should be understood by the laymen even over the radio. Signage and other communication gadgets should also be understood by all the responders. 5. Evidence-based practice in emergency planning: Evidence-base in the UK should be founded on a system, organization and individual level. It should also be translated into action and integrated to organizations that respond to emergencies and disasters. 1.5 Conclusion The aim of this report was to explore UK emergency planning during disasters and emergencies by appraising the roles of category 1& 2 responders and the voluntary sector. The report found that category 1 responders play the lead role in taking care of the situation as provided under Civil Contingencies Act 200425. Category 2 provides support to category 1 responders by offering transport, electricity, gas and monitoring of health conditions of the disaster environment. Essentially, the voluntary sector contributes significant assistance to emergencies by offering unconditional social and psychological support to affected persons or communities. Agency problems, communication and poor public relations are some of the challenges and deficiencies in UK emergency planning that need improvement. The report suggests improvement in multi-agency coordination, evidence-based practice in emergency planning and effective communication of responders and members of the public. References list 1. Kapucu, N 2014, Emergency and Crisis Management in the United Kingdom: Disasters Experienced, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations for the Future. Department of Public Administration, University of Central Florida. 2. London Ambulance Services, 2015, London bombings in 2005, NHS Trusts. http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/about_us/what_we_do/dealing_with_major_incidents/london_bombings_in_2005.aspx 3. Cabinet Office, 2013a, Emergency response and recovery, UK government. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/emergency-response-and-recovery. 4. Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) 2014, The National Flood Emergency Framework for England, Environment Agency. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/388997/pb14238-nfef-201412.pdf. 5. London Ambulance Services, 2015, London Bombings in 2005, http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/about_us/what_we_do/dealing_with_major_incidents/london_bombings_in_2005.aspx. 6. Maritime Coastguard Agency, 2014 April 18, Pressure vessel capsizes at Bideford, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pleasure-vessel-capsizes-at-bideford. 7. Cabinet Office, 2012, Revision to Emergency preparedness, p.51. 8. Lancashire County Council, 2014, Lancashire County Council – Emergency Planning service. http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=5615&pageid=30944. 9. Halton Borough Council, 2014, Major Emergency Plan, Risk and Emergency Planning Division. http://www3.halton.gov.uk/Pages/health/PDF/EmergencyPlan.pdf. 10. Lee ACK, Challen K, Gardois P, Mackway-Jones K, Carley SD, Phillips W, Booth A, Walter D, Goodacre S, 2012, Emergency Planning in Health: Scoping study of the international literature, local information resources and key stakeholders. NIHR Service Delivery and Organization Programme. http://www.netscc.ac.uk/hsdr/files/project/SDO_FR_09-1005-03_V01.pdf. 11. Donahue, A & Tuohy, R 2006, Lessons We Don’t Learn: A Study of the Lessons of Disasters, Why We Repeat Them, and How We Can Learn Them, Homeland Security Affairs 2, Article 4 (July 2006). https://www.hsaj.org/articles/167. 12. Environment Agency, 2014, Volunteers contribution to flood resilience, Research report. http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/FCERM/Libraries/FCERM_Project_Documents/Volunteers_extended_summary.sflb.ashx. 13. HM Government, 2014, A detailed guide to roles and responsibilities in humanitarian assistance, UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61223/ha_rolesandresponsibilities.pdf. 14. Cabinet Office, 2013b, Preparation and planning for emergencies: responsibilities of responder agencies and others. UK Government. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/preparation-and-planning-for-emergencies-responsibilities-of-responder-agencies-and-others. 15. Civil Contingencies Act, 2004 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/36/pdfs/ukpga_20040036_en.pdf Read More