Disaster risk reduction in the United Kingdom

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

2. 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

3. Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 1 indicators • Making disaster risk reduction a priority • Legal framework • National multi-sectoral platform • National policy framework • Resources

4. 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.

5. 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

6. Multi-agency and multi-sectoral cooperation: Local and Regional Resilience Fora (LRF and RRF) LRFs • 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: • compile local Risk Registers; • co-ordinate approach to legal duties; and • 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. RRFs

7. UK integrated disaster management framework Inter-ministerial committees International coordination Civil Contingencies Secretariat Business Advisory Group for Civil Protection Line ministries / Government Departments Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Working Party and Forum Scientific and wider research-based expertise Regional Resilience Fora Local Resilience Fora Community-led civil society initiatives

8. Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 2 indicators • 2. Improving risk information and early warning • National risk assessments • Systems for data monitoring and dissemination • Early warning systems • Community reach

9. Risk assessment

10. Key Very high High Medium Low Use of the risk assessment - at all levels PRIMARY CAPABILITY DRIVERS Catastrophic (5) PLAN WITHIN EXISTING RESOURCES Significant (4) Impact Moderate (3) SECONDARY CAPABILITY DRIVERS Minor (2) MONITOR Insignificant (1) , Probable(5) Very rare (1) Rare (2) Unlikely (3) Possible (4) Likelihood

11. 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 the Environment Agency’s expertise in flood mapping and modelling, warnings and response, and local knowledge. This collaboration now forms the UK’s Flood Forecasting Centre.

12. The duty to communicate with the public The legislation places a duty on all Category 1 responders to:- • make the public aware of the risks of emergencies and how these responders are prepared to deal with them; and • warn the public that an emergency has occurred, or is about to occur.

13. 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.

14. Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 3 indicators • 3. Building a culture of safety and resilience • National public awareness strategy • Educational curricula

15. 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

16. Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 4 indicators • 4. Reducing the risks in key sectors • Environmental protection, management and climate change • Addressing needs of vulnerable groups • Land-use planning and regulation • Critical infrastructure protection • Assessing major infrastructure project proposals

17. Protecting critical national infrastructure • Reduce vulnerability through proportionate measures: • Physical measures e.g. police, barriers • Electronic measures • Personnel screening Owner/operators of infrastructure (mainly Private Sector) Working together to provide suitable protection Tripartite approach to protective security Government Departments lead for their sector (Home Office co-ordinate) Security advisers e.g. CPNI & Police CTSA (Physical, Electronic & Personnel)

18. 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

19. Hyogo Framework for Action: priority 5 indicators • 5. Strengthening preparedness for response • Independent assessment of preparedness capacities and mechanisms • Planning at all levels with regular exercise-based training • Ensuring effective disaster preparedness and response at all levels • Resources to support effective response and recovery • Procedures for review and for learning lessons

20. 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 FSC CBRNC NPC

21. National-level exercise activities, 2008-2011 2008 Amber Glass – Fuel Shortage Green Star – CBRN Recovery 2009 Saxon Shore – CBRN Response White Noise – Mass Telecoms Failure 2010 Avogadro – Gas ShortageCastle Rock – CBRN2011 Watermark - Flooding

22. An integrated approach across levels and sectors HS LL REVIEW IDENTIFY HS LL NCS 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 Learned NCS LL HS NCS RI RI RI PM PM PM Evidence NRA CT RRA CRR CT NPA CT CR National RPA CR Regional CR ACT ASSESS Local

23. The HFA National Platform: roles and responsibilities • Develop national coordination mechanisms • Conduct baseline assessments on the status of disaster risk reduction • Publish and up-date summaries of national programmes • Review national progress towards achieving the objectives and priorities of HFA • Implement relevant international legal instruments • Integrate disaster risk reduction with climate change strategies

24. UK integrated disaster management framework HMG: the UK National Platform Inter-ministerial committees International coordination Civil Contingencies Secretariat Business Advisory Group for Civil Protection Line ministries / Government Departments Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Working Party and Forum Scientific and wider research-based expertise Regional Resilience Fora Local Resilience Fora Community-led civil society initiatives

25. Membership of regional organisations or entities in Europe Key: membership of regional organisations or entities Number

26. Thank you