Disaster risk reduction in the United Kingdom Simon Strickland Civil Contingencies Secretariat, Cabinet Office, London, UK.

Disaster risk reduction in the United Kingdom

Simon Strickland

Civil Contingencies Secretariat,

Cabinet Office, London, UK

Hyogo Framework for Action: priorities

1. Making disaster risk reduction a priority

2. Improving risk information and early warning

3. Building a culture of safety and resilience

4. Reducing the risks in key sectors

5. Strengthening preparedness for response

Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 1 indicators

1. Making disaster risk reduction a priority

a. Legal frameworkb. National multi-sectoral platformc. National policy frameworkd. Resources

Ensuring a consistent generic national policy framework

Also: Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999; Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996; Radiation Regulations 2001. Prevention – except in an imminent emergency - is covered by other legislation e.g. on fire safety, industrial safety, building regulations, flood defence, maritime safety, and health protection.

Legislation: Civil Contingencies Act 2004

1. Sets responsibilities and expectations for local responders:-• Category 1: police, fire, ambulance, local authorities, major hospitals,

coastguard:-• Risk assessment• Emergency planning• Warning and informing the public• Business continuity planning• Co-operation• Information-sharing

• Category 2: water, energy, telecommunications companies, HSE:-• Co-operation and information-sharing

2. Specifies emergency powers

Multi-agency and multi-sectoral cooperation: Local and Regional Resilience Fora (LRF and RRF)

• 43 LRF fora in England and Wales; 4 in London; meet 6 monthly.

• Police, fire and rescue authorities, ambulance services, Environment Agency, port health authorities, LAs ….

• Utility companies, health authorities attend as needed.

• Aim to:o compile local Risk Registers;o co-ordinate approach to legal duties; ando support contingency planning across agencies, exercise co-ordination,

and other training events.

• 9 RRFs for nine Regions (Government Offices); plus Wales.

• Police, fire, other emergency services recommended to participate.

• Utility companies, transport, health authorities attend as needed

• Aim to improve coordination: – across the region;– between the centre and the region;– between the region and the local response capability; and– between regions.

LRFs

RRFs

UK integrated disaster management framework

Civil Contingencies Secretariat

Inter-ministerial committees

Line ministries / Government Departments

Regional Resilience Fora

Business Advisory Group for Civil Protection

Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Working

Party and Forum

Local Resilience Fora

Community-led civil society initiatives

Scientific and wider research-based expertise

International coordination

2. Improving risk information and early warning

a. National risk assessmentsb. Systems for data monitoring and disseminationc. Early warning systemsd. Community reach

Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 2 indicators

Risk assessment

Use of the risk assessment - at all levels

SECONDARY CAPABILITY

DRIVERS

PRIMARY CAPABILITY

DRIVERS

Sig

nific

ant (

4)

Imp

act

Mod

erat

e (3

)M

inor

(2)

Insi

gnifi

cant

(1

)

,

Very rare (1) Rare (2) Unlikely (3) Possible (4)

Likelihood

Cat

astr

ophi

c (5

)

Probable(5)

Key

Very high

High

Medium

Low

MONITOR

PLAN WITHIN

EXISTINGRESOURCES

Improving ability to predict floods by bringing together meteorological and hydrological services

The Meteorological Office’s leading high-resolution weather forecasting & modelling experts are now co-located with theEnvironment Agency’s expertise in flood mapping and modelling, warnings and response, and local knowledge. This collaboration now forms the UK’s Flood Forecasting Centre.

The duty to communicate with the public

The legislation places a duty on all Category 1 responders to:-

1. make the public aware of the risks of emergencies and how these responders are prepared to deal with them; and

2. warn the public that an emergency has occurred, or is about to occur.

Alerting

• Variety of alerting systems are already in place in the UK.

• No single system is sufficient for all scenarios.

• Integrated warning and informing packages are needed to

reach the highest percentage of the “population at risk”.

• CCS is exploring scope for a national alerting capability.

3. Building a culture of safety and resilience

a. National public awareness strategyb. Educational curricula

Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 3 indicators

Putting into the public domain information about emergency preparedness and response issues

• Publication of the National Risk Register

• Publication of Community Risk Registers

• Establishing web-site pages

• Issuing leaflets to raise awareness

• Working with schools

4. Reducing the risks in key sectors

a. Environmental protection, management and climate changeb. Addressing needs of vulnerable groupsc. Land-use planning and regulationd. Critical infrastructure protectione. Assessing major infrastructure project proposals

Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 4 indicators

Protecting critical national infrastructure

Working together to

provide suitable

protection

Owner/operators of infrastructure (mainly Private Sector)

Security adviserse.g. CPNI & Police CTSA (Physical, Electronic & Personnel)

Government Departments lead for their sector (Home Office co-ordinate)

Tripartite approach to protective security

Reduce vulnerability through proportionate measures:Physical measures e.g. police, barriersElectronic measuresPersonnel screening

Vulnerability of critical infrastructure: Summer 2007 floods

Impacts on critical infrastructure:

• 350,000 people without clean water for up to 17 days

• 42,000 people without power in Gloucester for 24 hours

• 10,000 people trapped on M5 Motorway overnight

• Many others stranded on the rail network

• Hospitals, schools and care homes affected

5. Strengthening preparedness for response

a. Independent assessment of preparedness capacities and mechanisms

b. Planning at all levels with regular exercise-based trainingc. Ensuring effective disaster preparedness and response at

all levelsd. Resources to support effective response and recoverye. Procedures for review and for learning lessons

Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 5 indicators

Single & multi-agency civil protection training

• Fire Service College

– Urban search & rescue

– Hazardous chemical/substance incidents

– CBRN decontamination

– Senior incident command

• Police National CBRN Centre

– CBRN practical & tactical skills

– CBRN incident command training

• National Police College

– Senior incident command

EPC

NPCCBRNC

FSC

National-level exercise activities, 2008-2011

2008Amber Glass – Fuel ShortageGreen Star – CBRN Recovery2009Saxon Shore – CBRN ResponseWhite Noise – Mass Telecoms Failure2010Avogadro – Gas ShortageCastle Rock – CBRN2011Watermark - Flooding

IDENTIFY

ASSESS

Evidence

NRARRA

CRR

NPA

RPA

An integrated approach across levels and sectors

NCS

NCS

PMPM PM

National

Regional

Local

CT

CT

HS – Horizon scanning

RI – Risk identification

NRA – National Risk Assessment

RRA – Regional Risk Assessment

CRR – Community Risk Register

NPA – National Planning Assumptions

RPA – Regional Planning Assumptions

CR – Capability Requirements

CT – Capability Targets

PM – Performance Management

NCS – National Capability Survey

LL – Lessons LearnedACT

REVIEW

CR

CR

CR

NCS

CT

HS

HS

HS

RI RI RI

LL

LL

LL

The HFA National Platform: roles and responsibilities

1. Develop national coordination mechanisms

2. Conduct baseline assessments on the status of disaster risk

reduction

3. Publish and up-date summaries of national programmes

4. Review national progress towards achieving the objectives

and priorities of HFA

5. Implement relevant international legal instruments

6. Integrate disaster risk reduction with climate change

strategies

UK integrated disaster management framework

Civil Contingencies Secretariat

Inter-ministerial committees

Line ministries / Government Departments

Regional Resilience Fora

Business Advisory Group for Civil Protection

Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Working

Party and Forum

Local Resilience Fora

Community-led civil society initiatives

Scientific and wider research-based expertise

HMG: the UK National

PlatformInternational coordination

Membership of regional organisations or entities in Europe

Key: membership of regionalorganisations or entities

Number

1

2

3

4

5

Thank you