Community resilience carol mayston

C o m m u

Carol Mayston

Community Resilience Advisor

What does Community

Resilience mean to …….

The Community?

To most communities it means the emergency services on hand to sort it

all out

Police knocking on doors

High volume pumps to pump out flood water

Piles of sandbags delivered

Rescue boats taking people to safety

Why................because that's what they see on tv and that's what

happens so that's what they expect.

So what really happens when a community has an

emergency, fire, flood. explosion, loss of power the list

goes on..........

They come together and help each other

The community spirit shines through....just like it did in 1953

They look after the elderly, they look for ways to solve the situation

But that's it..........they don't write down anywhere; what they did,

what worked well, who offered help, who needed help;

what resources they used.

WHAT WENT WELL?

So……..what is

stopping communities

doing just that?

I would like to introduce..............

Kessingland Community Emergency Group,

Winners of the Suffolk Creating the Greenest

County award, for Adaption

Kessingland Parish Council – case

study

Vision statement

Aims and objectives

What is an emergency?

What is emergency planning?

What constituents a problem?

How prepared are you for a widespread emergency?

Kessingland Vision Statement

To provide an emergency strategy

Easy to understand

Easy to implement

That uses local based knowledge and skills

That supplements the local emergency services

And is adopted by the Community

Aims and Objectives

To provide Kessingland with an effective Emergency Planning Strategy To get the Community united and working together in the case of an “emergency”

An emergency is defined as “ anything which endangers or threatens the well-being of people and the environment, or requires the implementation of special arrangements by one or more of the emergency services, the NHS or the local authority”.

Emergency Planning is just one aspect of “Integrated Emergency Management” (IEM), the multi agency approach to assessment, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery in respect of major civil emergencies

So ….What constitutes a problem?

Widespread emergencies - generally related to severe weather and/or failure in essential public services and utilities. Other causes may include serious chemical, biological or radiological incidents.

Emergency response resources are often unable to meet initial demand for assistance and will be prioritised in favour of what may appear to be the most needy or accessible areas.

Communities may be physically or practically isolated from outside help in the short term.

Climatic change has already manifested itself in more incidents of extreme weather conditions and this trend is forecast to continue.

They are thinking ahead

What would you do if we were isolated in a widespread emergency and unlikely to receive external assistance for 24 hours or more ?

Who would take the lead or co-ordinate any local response?

Do we know what resources, human or otherwise, are available within the community with the potential for use in such an emergency?

Would we be able to put these resources to best use and later integrate them with external assistance?

Are we aware of the most vulnerable people within our community and their special needs during any emergency?

Are we aware of any significant local hazards, which may exacerbate a general emergency situation?

Do we understand how the emergency services, the local authority and the other agencies work together to deal with a major emergency and how they can assist?

There is currently no emergency planning for an “incident” in Kessingland except for a very old Flood Warning Scheme which is out of date. There is no information for the Community to act upon. There is no Vulnerable Persons Register. There is no liaison with outside agencies such as the emergency services, the Environment Agency, Suffolk County Council, Waveney District Council, NHS services, and the major amenity services.

So having thought about all this.......this is

what they found.........

Todays solution

How did we get here?

What are our options?

Recommendations how do other communites cope?

What can be done?

What has been done so far?

What are risk assessments, do we need them?

How did we get here? ........A quick history lesson

Years ago every village had an emergency officer who planned for anything that might threaten the community. Civil Defence volunteers were enrolled to provide assistance in war and peace time. The perceived threat then was the ‘ cold war’. This Civil Defence mechanism started in 1945 was allowed to lapse. In 1968 it stopped altogether. Many of these former volunteers now tell us stories of the work they did and the training they were given. At its peak the service had nearly two million volunteers in its ranks – including boys and girls aged fifteen to eighteen. Their duties included, amongst other things was to provide first aid, fire watchers, reporting back damage and offering advice and help to the community. The younger members carried written messages from wardens posts to control centres. The role of messenger was an important one particularly when telephone lines were damaged or destroyed. They encouraged people to have a box ready with things that they might need, a torch, food and warm clothes. SOUND FAMILIAR? The majority of the Civil Defence staff were volunteers who were encouraged to join by being offered training and the opportunity to provide a public service.

How did we get here? However with recent autumn and winter storms, climate change and the events of September 11th have reminded us how vulnerable we are to personal loss, loss of power and disruption to services. In the past the only problem that Kessingland has had to contend with has been Flooding. Being a coastal village there is still a considerable flooding risk to certain areas of Kessingland. These areas are shown on the Environment Agencies Flood Map. But what about other emergencies? It is accepted by many agencies that the approach to Major incidents or Emergencies has to be reviewed. There has to be a wider approach, not just to previous local threats. The Community Action and Resilience Forum (SCARF) has been set up to help and encourage parish and town councils to prepare for dealing with an emergency or loss of services in their own locality.

So what are our options?

Do nothing and rely on the emergency services.

Adopt an attitude of “ Deal with situation as and when it occurs “.

Only concentrate on one issue i.e. flooding – and hope no other type of emergency takes place.

In which case only have some form of planning for dealing with that emergency in isolation.

It was decided by the Parish Council that Kessingland should have a fully integrated Emergency Strategy,

which the Community can take ownership of.

What can be done?

Seek advice from the County Emergency Plans Team or District/Borough Emergency Planning Officer. Identify in the Community a willing and suitable person to compile and maintain a local emergency resource/response plan Set up an Emergency Co-Ordination Group Identify local premises suitable for use as a Community Emergency Centre with adequate communications Identify local human and physical resources that can be used in an emergency ( including general volunteers) Conduct a local ‘Risk Assessment’ to identify hazards, vulnerable residents and property. Incorporate the above information in a Community Emergency Plan.

What has been done so far?

Liaison established with County Emergency Plans Team and District Emergency Planning Officer.

Parish Council has set up an Emergency Committee

Emergency Questionnaire circulated to every household in Kessingland

Risk Analysis undertaken

Kessingland divided into manageable sectors

Control and Command System devised together with terms of reference and areas of responsibility.

Community Car Scheme Flood Wardens

Church Groups

Parish Council

Neighbourhood Watch

4 x 4 Response

WI

Age UK

Mind

WRVS Police Direct

Professional Development

Workers

Community Rangers

Raynet

NORSA

Red Cross volunteers

Home Watch

Warm and Well

PCSO

Do you know

who is in your

Community?

How can we

link this all

up?

So what are other

communties doing?

Any questions?