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DEVON, CORNWALL &
ISLES OF SCILLY
Joint Emergency Response Protocol
(JERP)
This document has been produced by:
Devon & Cornwall Local Resilience Forum
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1.
2.
3.
PAGE
5
INTRODUCTION
Title & Ownership
Purpose of Document
Protective Marking
Review & Amendment
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ACTIVATION
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Definition – Emergency
Definition – Major Incident
Thresholds
Notification
Reporting
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THE COMBINED RESPONSE
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Common Objectives
Lead Co-ordinating Agency
Roles & Responsibilities
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9– 12
THE PHASES OF A MAJOR INCIDENT
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Progression of Emergency Response
Response Phase
Reaction
Rescue
Recovery
Rehabilitation Process
Relief
Remediation
Regeneration
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COMMAND, CONTROL & CO-ORDINATION
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Decision Making Considerations
Levels of Command
Strategic (Gold)
Tactical (Silver)
Operational (Bronze)
Integrity of Command
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REPORTING THE SITUATION
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CHALETS mnemonic
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SCENE MANAGEMENT
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Collective Management
Cordons
Initial Assessment
The Role of Incident Officer
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CASUALTY RESCUE & CLEARANCE
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Definition
Casualty Rescue
Casualty Clearance Station
Survivors Reception Centre
Decontamination
Casualty Bureau
Temporary Mortuary Facilities
Friends & Relatives Reception Centre
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SHELTER & EVACUATION
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Decision to Evacuate
Co-ordination
Evacuation of Vulnerable People
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PUBLIC INFORMATION & MEDIA
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Co-ordination
Initial Actions
Media Centre
Media Access
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11.
12.
WELFARE CONSIDERATIONS
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General Considerations
Long Term Welfare
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JOINT AGENCY DE-BRIEFING
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Need for Debriefing
Internal Debriefing
Multi Agency Debriefing
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APPENDIX ‘A’
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Functions & Responsibilities of Local Authorities
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APPENDIX ‘B’
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32 – 34
Detail Guidance on Evacuation
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1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
TITLE & OWNERSHIP
This document is entitled as the ‘Joint Emergency Response Protocol’, and can be
known by its acronym ‘JERP’.
It has been produced by the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Resilience
Forum (LRF). The LRF has the rights of ownership of this document, with
publication and distribution being agreed by the LRF members. No amendment,
replication or distribution of this protocol is permitted without the express agreement
of the LRF.
1.2
PURPOSE OF THE DOCUMENT
The purpose of the document is to act as the overarching protocol by which all
emergencies (as defined by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004) are managed within
this LRF area and provides the underpinning principles for the development of all
contingency plans within the LRF area.
It is intended for use by all Category 1 and Category 2 responders, as defined in the
Civil Contingencies Act 2004, when each respective organisation is invoking special
procedures to deal with a MAJOR INCIDENT. A Major Incident is defined in
Section 2(2) below.
It does not replace each responder organisation’s Major Incident procedures. The
principles outlined in this document should act as guidance and therefore do not
contain detailed instructions. They are intended to provide a basis of understanding
upon which other multi-agency plans are developed.
The guidance emphasises the necessity to establish liaison between all the
responders involved in the response from the onset of an emergency and
continually throughout at all levels of command. By its achievement each agency
will be able to carry out their roles and responsibilities to maximum efficiency as
part of a unified joint strategy.
JERP is consistent with the document ‘Emergency Response and Recovery’, which
is produced by the Civil Contingencies Secretariat.
1.3
PROTECTIVE MARKING
This protocol is not subject of a protective marking classification, and is suitable for
disclosure under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act.
1.4
REVIEW & AMENDMENT
JERP is seen as a ‘living document’ and is subject to constant review by the LRF to
ensure it is current, reflects best practice, and is fit for purpose.
It will be amended as and when required, and in any case, it will be subject to
annual review.
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2.
ACTIVATION
2.1
DEFINITION - EMERGENCY
An emergency is defined by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 as an event or
situation which threatens serious damage to;
 Human welfare in a place in the United Kingdom.
 The environment of a place in the United Kingdom.
 The security of the United Kingdom or a place in the United Kingdom.
Serious damage to Human Welfare involves causes or may cause:
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Loss of Human Life.
Human Illness or Injury.
Homelessness.
Damage to property.
Disruption of a supply of money, food, water, energy or fuel.
Disruption of an electronic or other system of communication.
Disruption of facilities for transport.
Disruption of services relating to health.
Serious damage to the environment involves causes or may cause: Contamination of land, water or air with biological, chemical or radio-active matter
 Disruption or destruction of plant life or animal life
2.2
DEFINITION – MAJOR INCIDENT
A Major Incident is any emergency that requires the implementation of special
arrangements by one or more of the emergency responders, and is clarified in the
Civil Contingencies Act 2004 by whether the emergency meets one of the following
two criteria.
(a)
The emergency is likely seriously to obstruct the organisation in the
performance its functions, or
(b)
It is likely that the organisation:(i)
Would consider it necessary or desirable to take action to prevent the
emergency, to reduce, control or mitigate its effects or otherwise in
connection with it, and
(ii)
Would be unable to take that action without changing the deployment
of resources or acquiring additional resources.
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2.3
THRESHOLDS
The threshold for the activation of major incident procedures is the declaration of a
Major Incident by a Category 1 responder. Although what requires a Major Incident
response may be different for each organisation, any declared Major Incident
should be treated as such by all responders until such time as it is proven not to be.
In certain cases, particularly progressive emergencies, some responder
organisation may use Major Incident Standby, a signal that there is significant
potential for escalation and as a result certain preparatory measures should be
implemented. The use of Major Incident Standby can allow greater flexibility
particularly where an emergency may be a major incident for one responder
organisation but not another.
In some circumstances the emergency may go beyond the immediate local area
and be considered a regional or national emergency. In such circumstances a
minister of the crown may declare a state of emergency and may empower a
regional co-ordination structure.
2.4.
NOTIFICATION
Some emergencies may only significantly affect one responder and as a result
there may be an internal declaration of a major incident. Whilst other responder
organisations may be alerted to this it is important that it is made clear that it is an
emergency that only requires an internal response on the part of the single
organisation.
Where the circumstances are such that there is likely to be a significant impact on
more than one responder organisation the alert should be cascaded to other
relevant organisations, including specific notification that a Major Incident has been
declared.
2.5
REPORTING
Initial reports from the scene, the alerting of other responder organisations and
subsequent update reports should include CHALETS information. The basic
CHALETS mnemonic is below however more detail can be found at Section 6.
C = Casualties
H = Hazards
A = Access
L = Location
E = Emergency Services
T = Type
S = Start the Log/Safety
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3.
THE COMBINED RESPONSE
3.1
COMMON OBJECTIVES
All agencies responding to a Major Incident will work to these common objectives.
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3.2
Saving and protecting life
Containing the emergency - limiting its escalation or spread
Relieving suffering
Protecting property
Providing the public with information
Maintaining critical services
Maintaining normal services at an appropriate level
Protecting the health and safety of personnel
Safeguarding the environment
Facilitating investigations and inquiries
Promoting self-help and recovery
Restoring normal services as soon as possible
Facilitate rehabilitation of community & environment
Evaluating the response and identifying lessons to be learned
LEAD CO-ORDINATING AGENCY
The Police will lead the co-ordination of the response to most major incidents,
particularly sudden impact emergencies and weather related incidents such as
flooding. The response to some other emergencies will be co-ordinated by other
Agencies, these will be identified as part of the Community Risk Register, and
examples include:
a.
HM Coastguard lead on Search & Rescue at Sea
b.
the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Local Authorities lead coordination for maritime pollution emergencies
c.
the Health Service leads for public health outbreaks
d.
the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) leads for
animal health outbreaks
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3.3
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
These common objectives should be achieved in conjunction with the primary roles
and responsibilities of each Category 1 responder, which can be summarised as
follows:
POLICE
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co-ordinate the response phase of the incident (some exceptions apply),
where appropriate, protect and preserve the scene,
investigate any criminal offences which may have been committed,
collate and disseminate casualty and survivor information,
identify deceased on behalf of H.M. Coroner, and,
FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
 Rescue of trapped people
 Prevent further escalation by tackling specific hazards e.g. fire
 Management of inner cordon until all living casualties have been rescued and
immediate hazards have been sufficiently reduced
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE NHS)
Ambulance Trusts
In a major incident with immediate casualties the Ambulance Service is the
gatekeeper to other NHS services. It will usually be the first NHS responding
organisation on the scene, and will decide where casualties should be taken,
provide immediate triage, treatment and transport, and will provide on site coordinated communications for all NHS disciplines. In Devon and Cornwall, this
service is provided by Westcountry Ambulance Services Trust.
NHS Acute Trusts
Large Hospitals are managed by NHS Trusts, which make sure that they provide
high quality health care. There are five Acute Trusts in Devon and Cornwall (one of
which is also a Foundation Trust), who are responsible for the five General
Hospitals at Treliske (Truro), Derriford (Plymouth), Torbay (Torquay), Royal Devon
and Exeter, Wonford (Exeter) and North Devon District (Barnstaple).
Primary Care Trusts
Primary Care Trusts (PCT's) are local health organisations responsible for
managing health services in a local area. They work with local authorities and other
agencies that provide health and social care to make sure the community's needs
are being met. There are 11 Pact’s in Devon and Cornwall. In a Major Incident,
Pact’s can provide additional resources such as Minor Injury Units, Community
Nurses and GP’s.
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Strategic Health Authority
The South West Peninsula Strategic Health Authority (SHA) performance manages
the NHS locally and is the key link between the Department of Health and the NHS
in Devon and Cornwall. In a widespread Major Incident, the SHA will take
command and control for all NHS Trusts with Cornwall and Devon.
The Health Protection Agency
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is a non departmental public body and in a
Major Incident can provide expert advice on public health issues. The Health
Protection Agency is represented in Devon and Cornwall by 2 Health Protection
Units (HPU's).
LOCAL AUTHORITIES
There are 2 systems of local government in the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
area, County and District “two tier”, and Unitary Authorities. Details on the services
each provides can be found at Appendix ‘A’.
Local Authorities are also responsible for the co-ordination of the rehabilitation
process.
THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
The Key Roles of the Environment Agency include: Maintaining Flood Defences on certain rivers and coastlines,
 The issue of warnings to those likely to be affected by flooding or environmental
damage,
 Provision of specialist environmental advice (if appropriate through the JHAC)
 Monitoring the effects of and response to an incident to minimise the impact on the
environment,
 Investigating the cause of an incident (if natural rather than criminal).
Environmental Incidents including Marine Pollution
The following principles apply to most environmental emergencies once immediate
risk to life has been dealt with.
 The Polluter is responsible to clean up and disposal.
 If polluter unknown, the land owner(s) are responsible for clean up and disposal.
 If polluter and landowner are unknown, unable or refuses, and public safety is
compromised, then the clean up and disposal is to be arranged by the appropriate
waste authority.
 The Environment Agency can provide advice regarding specialist contractors, waste
management and disposal issues.
 Costs should be sought from the polluter or landowner.
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MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY
HM Coastguard
Co-ordination of Maritime Search and Rescue within the UK Maritime SAR region,
including Shoreline and Cliff rescue
Counter Pollution & Response Branch
Co-ordination of the at sea response to maritime emergencies that occur within UK
waters.
Salvage Control of a maritime incident.
HARBOUR & PORT AUTHORITIES
The Harbour Master is responsible for the control and co-ordination of all incidents
(other than the search and rescue elements, and counter terrorism) occurring inside
the harbour authority’s jurisdiction.
CENTRAL & REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
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Initial Central government response through Lead Government Department.
The Regional Resilience Team is the local link for Central Government, and may
assume a role of Regional Co-ordination in large scale regional or national
incidents.
Lead Department responsible for alerting Civil Contingencies Secretariat.
May provide central oversight through the Civil Contingencies Committee of
Ministers.
May send a Government Liaison Team to the Strategic Coordination Centre.
Representatives may include:
a.
A Government Liaison Officer
b.
A Consequence Management Liaison Officer
c.
A representative of Cabinet Office Civil Contingencies Secretariat
d.
Representatives from other central government departments and
other organisations depending on the incident.
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ARMED FORCES
The Armed Forces do not play a permanent role in the local civil population.
Nevertheless, experience shows they can play a useful and essential role during
the response phase. This applies whether the incident is localised or a wide area
event. The Armed Forces can also pay an important role in specific scenarios, such
as Search and Rescue, high risk searching and ordnance disposal. The Armed
Forces maintain close links with the Category 1 responders, through the tri service
representatives of the Local Resilience Forum.
The MOD Joint Doctrine Publication 02 – Operations in the United Kingdom: The
Defence Contribution to Resilience – addresses the issues of military operations in
support of the civil authorities, including detailing some the capability that may be
available if required.
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4.
THE PHASES OF A MAJOR INCIDENT
4.1
PROGRESSION OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Every Major Incident will be uniquely different from all previous emergencies;
however it can be useful to consider the response in terms of distinct processes and
phases in order to gain a greater understanding of the type of actions that are
required. It is unlikely that a Major Incident will involve a linear progression through
each of the phases detailed here; it is acknowledged that phases are likely to
overlap and each will require very different levels of activity and effort dependant on
the emergency.
The activity that takes place following a Major Incident can be considered in terms
of two interlocking processes:
RESPONSE – Activity to assess, contain and reduce the emergency
REHABILITATION – Activity to address the consequences of the emergency
and emergency response, and to return the affected to community and
environment to a healthy condition.
4.2
OVERALL
RESPONSE
Timeline
PROCESS
Response
Rehabilitation
PHASE
Reaction
Rescue
Recovery
Relief
Remediation
Regeneration
RESPONSE PROCESS
Phase 1: REACTION
This is the first phase and commences at the initial notification that an incident has
occurred or may occur. The priority at this phase is to assess the extent of the
emergency and assess the level of response that will be required. It is the
responsibility of the agency which receives the initial report to gather as much
information as is reasonably possible at that time, and to accurately and concisely
disseminate that information to relevant Category 1 & 2 responders.
It is recommended that all agencies and authorities use the CHALETS system, or
similar, to ensure consistent high quality incident reporting. (See Section 6)
The Reaction Phase sees the establishment of the command and control structure,
usually following the Strategic/Tactical/Operational (Gold/Silver/Bronze) model,
however depending on the precise nature of the incident not all levels of this
structure may be activated.
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It is essential that that people directly affected by the incident are identified and
contained as they may be injured, contaminated or witnesses to the event. People
not directly affect initially should be prevented from becoming so by restricting entry
the scene and by implement measures to prevent cross contamination.
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Key actions during the Reaction Phase include:The triggering of alert cascades
Consider STEP 1 2 3
Early establishment of Command & Control structures, Including those for media &
financial control
Identification of safe & suitable rendezvous sites
Containment measures to reduce or prevent escalation of the incident
Initial cordons to prevent access and if necessary egress from the scene
Traffic Management to allow the responding agencies safe access and egress to
the scene
Phase 2: RESCUE
Having initially reacted to the incident the emergency response will go through a
process of consolidation and move into more structured activities to bring the
emergency under control. The priority is to rescue all viable human life, and animal
life if appropriate, contained within the affected area. If necessary decontamination
facilities will be established. Medical casualties will be initially assessed (triaged),
and removed from the scene to appropriate treatment centres.
There may be continuing risks and/or potential for escalation, therefore appropriate
active, e.g. fire-fighting, or precautionary, e.g. evacuation, measures may need to
be implemented to reduce or resolve these issues.
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Key actions during the Rescue Phase include:Establishment of cordon control and appropriate decontamination facilities
Triage and transportation of casualties
Precautionary measures to limit risks and prevent escalation
Actions to reduce and or resolve ongoing hazards
Phase 3: RECOVERY
Once rescue operations have concluded the police will assume control of the inner
cordon and commence the process of evidence, and if necessary body recovery
from the scene. From this point onward the scene will be treated as a scene of
crime, under the direction of the Senior Investigation Officer (SIO) and access will
be limited accordingly, until such time as the police release the scene.
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Key actions during the Recovery Phase include:Handover of the inner cordon to the police
Recovery of deceased and human remains
Recovery of evidence, from the scene
Forensic examination of scene if required
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4.3
REHABILITATION PROCESS
The rehabilitation process is intrinsic to the overall emergency response and as
such should be considered from the outset of the emergency. It is important to
recognise that it is very unlikely that it will be possible to go back to the pre-existing
condition and as such the emergency should be treated, from a rehabilitation
perspective, as an opportunity to improve the area.
It should be noted that in some emergencies there may be a requirement for
rehabilitation measures to commence immediately upon notification of an
emergency.
Phase 4: RELIEF
The priority of the Relief Phase is to provide initial relief to those people affected by
the incident, often this phase commences during the Reaction Phase of the
Response Process through the provision of Emergency Rest Centres (ERCs).
The relief requirements of an emergency may vary considerably depending on the
nature of the emergency and as such it is important that a continual assessment of
need is conducted.
The relief phase will also look at medium term measures that may be required by
the emergency, such as the provision of temporary housing or medical (including
psychological) aftercare.
It should be acknowledged that one of the most critical requirements of those who
have been affected by the incident will be for information, particularly regarding
what has happened, what will happen shortly and there whereabouts of loved ones.
It is important that responders attempt to provide as much accurate information as
possible without compromising other aspects of response operations.
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Key actions required by the Relief Phase include:Assessment of the relief needs generated by the emergency
The provision of Emergency Rest Centres
Development of medium term measures where necessary
Provision of information to those affected by the emergency
Phase 5: REMEDIATION
Following the conclusion of the Action Phase, and where it does not impede the
investigation or recovery of evidence, responding agencies should start taking
actions to fully assess the impact of the emergency and begin the work of making
good the area affected. Although planning for remediation operations will have
begun much earlier in the response, there are limitations on what can be achieved
whilst other phases are ongoing.
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The focus of the remediation phase is not to resolve all the issues that have arisen
as a consequence of the emergency, but instead to establish a baseline from which
the long term rehabilitation of the affected area and community can be achieved.
As the primary strategic concerns shift from rescue to remediation, responsibility for
co-ordination will be passed to the local authority. This transition should be as
seamless as possible.
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Key actions for the Remediation Phase include:Detailed assessment of impact of the emergency
Handover of co-ordination to Local Authority
Site Clearance
Restoration of services
Establishment of Community Representation Group(s)
Phase 6: REGENERATION
The goal of the Regeneration phase is to address the long-term consequences of
the emergency and to continue to improve the affected area to a level beyond that
which existed prior to the emergency. The regeneration process must take advice
from Community Representation Groups to ensure that the needs and concerns of
those affected are properly addressed.
Regeneration refers not only to the physical regeneration of the area but also the
psychological, social and economic and as a result regeneration activity may
continue for several years following an incident, and may have further issues arising
on anniversaries of the incident.
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Key actions for the Regeneration Phase may include:Consideration of appropriate memorials
Introducing measures to promote Economic Regeneration
Engagement of the community and other affected parties
Long-term Health Monitoring
Consideration of the wider consequences of the emergency
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5.
COMMAND, CONTROL AND CO-ORDINATION
5.1
DECISION MAKING CONSIDERATIONS
Any Major Incident is likely to have far reaching consequences beyond those
normally considered by many responders. Decisions taking during the response
and rehabilitation process may greatly affect the nature of the consequences and as
such due consideration should be given, where possible, to the potential outcomes
that may result from these decisions. It is recommended that all personnel involved
in the command and control of a Major Incident, particularly at the Strategic (Gold)
level, consider a PESTEL H analysis on the implications of key decisions;P = POLITICAL
E = ECONOMIC
S = SOCIAL
T = TECHNOLOGICAL
E = ENVIRONMENTAL
L = LEGAL
H = HEALTH
5.2
LEVELS OF COMMAND
Fundamental to successful control and co-ordination of a Major Incident will be the
liaison between all responding agencies. This requires a recognised and easily
understood structure, based on three levels of command which can be applied to all
agencies. These are defined as follows:
STRATEGIC (GOLD)
TACTICAL (SILVER)
OPERATIONAL (BRONZE)
Although the terms GOLD, SILVER, and BRONZE, are in everyday use within the
Emergency Services, increasingly the preferred terms for use by other agencies are
STRATEGIC, TACTICAL, and OPERATIONAL.
It is acknowledged the GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE structure is not intended to be
inflexible and as long as the essential differences between its three main elements
are recognised, it can be adapted to suit the circumstances of any particular
operation or incident.
At the start of any incident for which there has been no warning the operational
level will be activated first. Escalation or a greater awareness of the situation may
require the implementation of a tactical level and, finally, a strategic level should this
prove necessary.
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5.3
STRATEGIC (Gold) - OVERALL CO-ORDINATION
The purpose of the Strategic Command level is to be in overall command of the
incident(s) or emergency within the context of a Local, Regional and National
perspective. The Strategic level will establish a framework of policy within which
the Tactical Co-ordination (Silver) will operate. The Strategic level will:a)
Establish a framework for the overall management of the incident;
b)
Determine the strategic aim and objectives, and review them regularly;
c)
Formulate and implement an integrated media policy;
d)
Ensure there are clear lines of communication with tactical commanders and
managers;
e)
Ensure there is long-term resourcing and expertise for management/command
resilience;
f)
Prioritise the demands of tactical commanders and managers;
g)
Allocate resources
requirements;
h)
Co-ordinate and manage the overall financial control of the incident(s)
i)
Undertake appropriate liaison with strategic managers in other agencies;
j)
Plan beyond the immediate response phase for the rehabilitation of the
affected community and area;
k)
Avoid and prevent engagement in details and decisions more properly and
effectively managed at lower levels.
l)
Co-ordination of Health and Safety advice and briefings at a Strategic level
for the benefit of Silver Commanders,
and
expertise
to
meet
tactical
commanders’
Other than in exceptional circumstances, during a Police led response, the Strategic
Co-ordination Centre (or Gold Control) will be situated at Police Headquarters,
Middlemoor, in Rooms G24 and G29. Although the Strategic level will be located
at Middlemoor not all Agencies need to be represented there, as audio/video
conferencing may be instituted.
Each Responding Agency will have ultimate responsibility for all operations within
their own Agency, when deployed in response to a Major Incident, through their
own Agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group.
For a non Police led response, for example; to a Maritime Pollution Emergency,
overall Strategic Co-ordination will be in a location designated by the lead Coordination Agency, but may still be referred to as GOLD.
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5.4.
TACTICAL (Silver) - INCIDENT OFFICER/COMMANDER
The Tactical (SILVER) level of command exists to manage the incident within a
geographic area or, within a defined area of operations. The Incident Officer of the
lead organisation will undertake the role of Tactical Commander, and will assume a
co-ordinating role across the tactical level of response.
Ongoing joint assessments and briefings must be held periodically to ensure a coordinated and considered response to new developments, escalation or changes to
operational requirements. All joint decisions must be minuted in the co-ordination
log. These meetings will be chaired by the Tactical Commander
Where the incident requires specialist skills or knowledge, it is essential a properly
trained and accredited Tactical Commander attends and assumes command role
as soon as possible.
The Tactical Commander should consider appointing a deputy, a staff officer, a
briefing officer and a person to complete the incident log. Specific tasks should be
determined for Operational Commanders to be appointed. Other considerations
will include the appointment of a Media Officer, an IT & Communications officer,
arrangements for co-ordination with other agencies and evidence gathering.
Debriefing and welfare remain an essential part of the Tactical Commander’s role.
Generally, if there is an identifiable and contained scene, the Incident Control Post
(I.C.P.), otherwise known as Tactical Control, will be situated at or near the
location of the incident. For small scale incidents the Forward Control Point (F.C.P)
may perform this role. Where there is no identifiable or contained scene, or the
incident covers a geographically large area, Tactical Control will be at a suitable
location nominated by the lead co-ordinating agency.
In addition, Tactical Control will be responsible for:
a)
Implementation of strategy set by the Strategic Level;
b)
Establishing appropriate control locations, e.g. Forward Control Point
(F.C.P.)
c)
Providing safe and suitable RV Points,
d)
Ensuring a Major Incident Log is commenced and maintained to record all
decisions and key events.
e)
Determining what resources are required to adequately deal with the
incident.
f)
Determining the priority in allocating resources;
g)
Planning and co-ordinating how, when and by which agency a task will be
undertaken.
h)
Assessing prevailing risks and monitoring requirements;
i)
Striking an overall balance between tasks and risks;
j)
Taking appropriate risk reduction measures;
k)
Giving due regard to the health and safety requirements of staff and public;
l)
Allocating tasks by delegation to Operational Commanders;
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5.5.
m)
Inter agency liaison to ensure a cohesive & co-ordinated response at the
scene.
n)
Establishing appropriate teams to address specific tactical issues e.g.
logistics
o)
Holding Tactical Co-ordinating Group meetings, ensuring accurate minutes
are taken, circulated and actioned by all agencies.
p)
Recording details of and briefing personnel arriving, then allocating them to
Operational Commanders for deployment,
q)
The co-ordination of welfare issues for personnel present at the scene,
including organising refreshments and relief.
r)
The co-ordination and dissemination of Health and Safety matters, including
adequate briefings, for all Police personnel at the scene of an incident,
OPERATIONAL (Bronze) - SECTOR COMMANDER
The Operational or Bronze level of command takes charge of specific tasks or
areas as designated by the tactical level and is responsible for the implementation
of the tactics set down by the Incident Control (Tactical).
The type and number of Operational Commanders to be established is a tactical
decision based on the nature of the incident, for example Beach Masters for an oil
pollution incident and Evacuation Briefing Centres for severe flooding of major
urban areas.
5.6
INTEGRITY OF COMMAND.
The principle of integrity of command is recognised, in that each agency remains in
command of their personnel and each agency is responsible for the welfare of their
personnel.
The only exception to this principle is where a person becomes aware of another
person who is or about to place themselves or others in significant danger of
causing injury to any persons, in which case that person can order the other to do
or not to do anything.
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6.
REPORTING THE SITUATION
1.
When reporting the situation the following CHALETS format should be used:
C ASUALTIES:
(1).
(2).
(3).
Approximate numbers of ALL casualties, and where are they located?
What symptoms are present?
About what percentage are deceased, seriously injured, minor injuries, or trapped?
H AZARDS:
(1).
(2).
(3).
(4).
(5).
Is there any cloud of gas, smoke or fire present?
Any debris from any explosion, if so, how widely spread?
Any other potential hazards?
Any environmental hazards, such as bodies of water or potential pollution
If a transport incident, are there any Hazchem markings visible?
A CCESS (& EGRESS) ROUTES:
(1).
(2).
(3).
(4).
(5).
(6).
Is the initial access route safe?
Are likely access and egress routes congested?
What resources will potentially be needed to maintain clear access and egress routes?
Is it necessary to remove parked vehicles?
What egress routes are available, particularly for the removal of casualties?
Is it necessary to set up ‘Red (priority) Routes’?
L OCATION:
(1).
(2).
(3).
(4).
(5).
What is the precise location (to include a Grid Reference)?
How large is the area affected?
Does it contain residential properties, shops or offices?
Are there any venues with large numbers of people nearby?
Are there vulnerable persons (e.g. elderly or inform) involved or nearby?
E MERGENCY SERVICES REQUIRED (AND E VACUATION):
(1).
(2).
(3).
(4).
(5).
(6).
(7).
(8).
(9).
Which Emergency Services are required?
Is specialist equipment required?
Are specialist support organisations required, e.g. radiation monitoring?
Is Evacuation necessary, or is Shelter a more viable option?
Will evacuation of people be required, if so approximate numbers?
Where will be they be evacuated from?
Is there an identified safe route to use?
Where will they be taken to?
Are facilities available to receive them?
T YPE OF INCIDENT:
(1).
(2).
Can the type of incident be identified, i.e. plane crash, explosion, fire, hazmat, etc.
Are there any early indications if the incident may be an act of terrorism or crime?
S TART THE LOG (AND SAFETY):
(1).
(2)
Commence a log as soon as possible to record decisions and actions taken.
Safety measures taken/required, e.g. PPE, cordons established.
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7.
SCENE MANAGEMENT
7.1
COLLECTIVE MANAGEMENT
Collective management of the scene of a Major Incident is integral to the success of
each Emergency Service fulfilling its primary roles and responsibilities. Scene
management should be established as a joint process by officers of the initial
deployment of each Service as soon as is practicable.
7.2
CORDONS
Inner Cordon.
During the Reaction and Rescue Phases the Inner Cordon is the responsibility of
the Fire and Rescue Service. The delineation of the Inner Cordon is by red and
white tape. One Cordon Access Control Point will be established and only
personnel with a legitimate reason for entering the Inner Cordon will be allowed in.
All personnel entering will be booked in and, booked out on leaving. On Conclusion
of rescue operations the Fire & Rescue Service will pass responsibility, by
agreement, for the inner cordon to the Police for the duration of the recovery phase,
at the completion of which responsibility will pass, by agreement, to the Local
Authority.
Outer Cordon.
The outer cordon will be established by the Police to stop members of the public
entering the sterile area between the two cordons and hampering the work of the
Emergency Services.
7.3
INITIAL ASSESSMENT
An assessment of the scene by each individual Service, concentrating on the
factors which relate directly to their sphere of operations is carried out and relayed
to respective Controls upon arrival at the scene. This assessment alone is not
sufficient and must be developed to cover the areas which have or can have a
direct bearing on the operations of the other services present.
Factors to be considered jointly or to be made known to other Services are:a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
Rendezvous Points.
Marshalling Areas
Forward Control Point
Silver Control Post
Inner Cordon
Outer Cordon
Evacuation/Shelter
Additional work areas as required e.g. Casualty Clearing Station
Decontamination/Cleaning down facilities
Off-Site Implications
Requirement for outside assistance.
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7.4
THE ROLE OF INCIDENT OFFICERS
Once the Incident Control Post has been established, every effort should be made
to ensure that the Incident Officers (Silver Commanders) from each Service hold an
initial briefing. This will enable Incident Officers to determine the command and
control tactics for the incident, to exchange operational information and detail
anticipated requirements. Factors to be considered jointly by Incident Officers are;
On Site expertise
It should be ascertained at an early stage as to whether any local expertise is
available which may be beneficial to effective scene management. It is essential
that such expertise should remain available throughout the incident.
Preservation of the Scene
Incident Officers must convey the importance of scene preservation from the onset
of the incident as this will assist in de-briefing and any ensuing
investigation/inquiries. Personnel must also be aware that they may be required to
give evidence, as witnesses, at any such investigation/inquiries. The combined
operation of Fire and Police photographers should be encouraged to record the
scene where actual preservation is not possible.
Media Facilities
Any major incident will attract media attention and an immediate response to the
scene. A facility for media personnel to receive regular bulletins and hold
interviews, etc., should be provided as soon as possible and in as close proximity to
the main area of operations as is practicable. Incident Officers must consider joint
media briefings, to avoid misrepresentation. Further information on working with
the media can be found at Section 9.
Safety Procedures
Incident Officers must ensure that safety procedures are emphasised to all
personnel under their command at the scene. Basic safety procedures must be
understood and followed at the scene of a Major Incident. Particular attention
should be paid to the Fire Service procedure of using nominal role boards which
account for the presence of all Fire Service personnel at the incident but must also
be used for non Fire Service personnel entering the inner cordon where possible.
Additionally all personnel must be made aware of the Fire Service evacuation signal
of repeated short whistle blasts.
Welfare
Incident Officers should monitor the welfare needs of personnel, to ensure rest and
refreshments are taken. See Section 10.
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8.
CASUALTY RESCUE AND CLEARANCE
8.1
DEFINITION
The term CASUALTY, when used in the context of a Major Incident, can be defined
as "A person killed, physically or mentally injured in war, accident or civil
emergency".
NB: In certain incidents uninjured survivors and evacuees, must be catered for in
the overall casualty clearance process.
8.2
CASUALTY RESCUE
The rescue of injured casualties is the most immediate joint aim of the Emergency
Services. The movement of the ‘obviously’ deceased should be kept to a minimum
and only to assist rescue, thus preserving the scene to assist in subsequent
investigation.
When movement of the injured, or if necessary, the movement of any deceased (or
parts of) occurs, a record of the original locations should be made, with the use of
video or by photography where possible.
8.3
CASUALTY CLEARING STATION
A protracted incident with large numbers of casualties may require the
establishment of a Casualty Clearing Station, which should be in close proximity to
the area(s) of rescue.
The location of this Station will be determined by the Ambulance Commander, in
consultation with other incident commanders, taking account of the need for safety,
shelter, warmth, ease of access/egress.
Following the primary triage on scene, the Casualty Clearing Station will act as the
initial reception for surviving injured casualties, where the secondary triage process
will be undertaken prior to removal from the scene to an appropriate treatment
centre.
The Ambulance Loading Point should be adjacent to the Casualty Clearing Station
or within the immediate locality for ease of despatch to receiving treatment centres.
8.4
SURVIVORS RECEPTION CENTRE
Uninjured or slightly injured survivors may be temporarily accommodated within a
Survivors Reception Centre. A suitable location will be identified by the Tactical
Commander. Suggested locations include Leisure Centres, Community Centres,
Sports Clubs and other similar venues.
This facility will be managed by the Police. Support will be provided, as appropriate,
by other relevant responder organisations.
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8.5
DECONTAMINATION
A memorandum of understanding between the Department of Health (DOH) and the
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has agreed national protocols for decontamination of the public. This is replicated by local protocols within the Isles of
Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.
The Ambulance Service is responsible for management of de-contamination of the
public at scene. It can provide trained frontline Ambulance Staff in a CBRN,
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits together with mobile warm water decontamination shower units.
Once the number of people that require de-contamination exceeds the normal
capabilities of the Ambulance Service resources, the Ambulance Commander will
declare "Mass Casualty Decontamination”. The Fire Service will provide the mass
decontamination equipment and will liaise with the Ambulance Service Commander
on the decontamination process.
The Ambulance Service can call on additional equipment as part of the UK national
reserve stock. The Fire & Rescue Service(s) can call on additional equipment as
part of the New Dimensions programme.
8.6
CASUALTY BUREAU
The Casualty Bureau is an integral part of the identification process and may
become fully operational in the event of a Major Incident. The Bureau will be the
central contact and information point for all enquiries relating to casualties and will
collate information from Documentation Teams deployed at designated Treatment
Centres, Mortuaries, Survivors Reception Centres and other relevant locations.
8.7
TEMPORARY MORTUARY FACILITIES
In the event of an incident resulting in fatalities there may be a need for post
mortem and forensic examination to identity the deceased and establish their cause
of death. To maintain continuity of evidence, these procedures should, where
practical, be undertaken at a single location. Where the number of fatalities
exceeds the capacity of a local mortuary facility a temporary mortuary will be
required.
The Supervising Pathologist and H.M. Coroner will advise the Police of the need for
a temporary mortuary.
A Temporary Mortuary must not be confused with a Body Holding Area, which
would be established by the police, adjacent to the incident, and would serve as a
collection point for bodies and human remains before transfer to appropriate
mortuary facilities.
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8.8
FRIENDS AND RELATIVES RECEPTION CENTRE
A Major Incident is likely to draw a large number of concerned friends and relatives
to the area looking for information on a person who may be involved. A suitable
location for use as a Friends and Relatives Reception Centre will be identified by
the Tactical Commander
The Police will manage this facility. Support will be provided, as appropriate, by
other relevant responder organisations.
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9.
SHELTER and EVACUATION
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CAN BE FOUND AT APPENDIX ‘B’
9.1
DECISION TO EVACUATE
This issue of the requirement for people to shelter or to evacuate people from an
area affected by a Major Incident must be considered by the Tactical Commanders
of the agencies involved at an early stage of the event.
Any evacuation has a risk attached to it, so Shelter may be the more appropriate
response to an actual or potential danger, therefore it should be considered before
any decision to evacuate is taken.
If shelter is agreed as the appropriate method to protect the public the following
advice should be issued:- “Go In, Stay In, Tune In” as per national guidance.
Any decision to evacuate must be subject of careful consideration, and be recorded
in the Major Incident Logs of the agencies present at the incident.
The decision to evacuate lies with the Lead Agency Incident Commander. In most
cases this will be the Senior Police Officer present, but this duty may fall to another
agency in some cases.
Generally, any decision to evacuate will be taken at the Tactical (Silver) level of
command. However, any large scale or mass evacuation should be referred to the
Strategic (Gold) level of command, who may make the decision or provide suitable
guidance to the Tactical (Silver) Commanders.
The methods for advising the public must be agreed by the Tactical (Silver)
Commanders, with an audit trail on which methods were adopted and why.
9.2
CO-ORDINATION
Within the LRF area, it is recommended any large-scale evacuation is managed
through Evacuation Briefing Centre(s) (EBC) as an Operational (Bronze)
Command Function.
In small scale events, an EBC may be co-located with the Forward Command Point
or Tactical Control.
It is recommended people are advised to make for Evacuation Assembly Points
(EAPs), from where they can be transported to a place of safety.
The place of safety may include the establishment of Emergency Rest Centres.
9.3
EVACUATION OF VULNERABLE PEOPLE
Adequate provision for vulnerable individuals and groups should be considered
throughout. These matters should be decided jointly by the agencies involved and
recorded as a policy decision, including the rationale behind this decision.
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10.
PUBLIC INFORMATION & MEDIA
10.1
CO-ORDINATION
A Major Incident is likely to attract the attention of the press, radio and television
media. The response is likely to be immediate from local reporters and, dependent
on the scale and nature of the incident, may result in national and international
media attention. In the short term the co-operation with the media is the most
probable mechanism for the provision of information to the public. The Lead
Agency will co-ordinate the media response during all phases of a Major Incident.
10.2
INITIAL ACTIONS
The initial focus of attention for the media will be the area of operations, and the
search for information and briefings will be instantaneous. During this initial period,
it is imperative that an element of control is exercised, as a means of assisting the
media. A Media Liaison Point should be established as a holding area for
accredited media personnel to receive initial briefings. Designated Press Liaison
Officers from relevant organisations should attend the scene at an early stage.
10.3
MEDIA CENTRE
A Media Liaison Point will be adequate in the short-term but should be replaced, in
the medium to long term, by a more suitable facility which will be known as the
Media Centre.
The decision to establish a Media Centre should be taken at the Strategic
Command level.
It is recommended a Media Centre is established as close to the area of operations
as is practical to do so.
The Centre will be the operations base for the designated Press Liaison Officers
from all relevant organisations, who will be responsible for arranging interviews and
media briefings. Incident Commanders should consider joint media briefings.
10.4. MEDIA ACCESS
Incident Commanders must jointly decide throughout the incident, to which areas
the media can be allowed access, but the presumption should be to allow access
unless otherwise allowed for objective reasons.
The following criteria should be considered when deciding on media access:
a.
Operational efficiency of all Services must not be impeded.
b.
Preservation of the scene must not be impaired.
c.
The need for privacy of casualties and relatives must be respected.
d.
Access to certain areas may need to be controlled and supervised.
e.
The area must be safe for the media personnel.
Where possible, a staging area from which the media can obtain pictures
overlooking the site should be identified.
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11.
WELFARE
11.1
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
The welfare of all responding personnel is an important consideration which must
be addressed at an early stage if a protracted major incident is envisaged.
Arrangements should be made to cover the following areas of basic welfare:
a.
b.
c
d.
Catering facilities, to provide refreshments, hot and cold drinks, light and
substantial meals. Mobile catering units can be considered.
Toilets, both male and female with hand-washing facilities
Rest Rooms.
Defusing, to provide early psychological support for those involved in
responding to the emergency and thereby minimise the occurrence of longer
term psychological consequences. Each organisation should maintain its
own arrangements for defusing its staff.
It is recommended each agency identify a Health and Safety Officer to conduct
dynamic risk assessments and to assist in the imposition of appropriate control
measures.
Wherever possible, the Health and Safety Officers should work in partnership to
ensure a consistent and adequate level of support to the personnel deployed in
response to a Major Incident.
The risk assessments should be recorded in writing unless it is not practicable to do
so, and they should be retained for audit purposes for a reasonable period of time.
11.2
LONG-TERM WELFARE
The incidence of POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) in responding
personnel has been recognised from past experience. A support network for those
involved in a Major Incident should be established by each responding organisation.
Each organisation is responsible for the ongoing support for their personnel
involvement in the Major Incident. It should be remembered that personnel not
necessarily deployed directly to the scene, such as control room staff, may require
support and counselling as well as those more obviously involved in the event.
It is recommended each organisation develop a strategy to provide welfare support
their staff as a result of a Major Incident, which includes support from health
professionals, qualified volunteers, staff associations, and other relevant people.
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12.
JOINT AGENCY DE-BRIEFING
12.1
NEED FOR DEBRIEFING
A review of the response to a Major Incident by Category 1 & 2 responders and
organisations giving assistance is essential. This provides an opportunity to
evaluate efficiency, to learn from experience gained and also offers a source of
information to assist in ensuing investigation/inquiries.
This process can be best achieved by a series of DE-BRIEFINGS at all levels within
all agencies involved, and concluding with a multi-agency de-brief.
12.2
INTERNAL DE-BRIEFING
The methods of de-briefing with personnel involved in a major incident may vary
within each individual organisation. It will, however, be beneficial to de-briefing if
consideration is given to the following:
a.
b.
c.
De-briefing to start as soon after the incident as is practicable.
Everyone involved, including personnel remote from the area of operations,
(e.g. Control Room staff) should be afforded the opportunity to contribute to
de-briefing at some stage.
The need for additional de-briefing sessions for personnel involved in specific
or specialist operations.
Records made at the incident, particularly video recordings and photographs, along
with written records, will all assist debriefings.
12.3
MULTI-AGENCY DE-BRIEFING
The de-briefing process should culminate in a multi-agency forum which includes
category 1 responders involved in the incident and any other parties deemed
necessary.
It is important that each organisation is represented by personnel actually involved
in operations, as it will be necessary to give first hand accounts of events.
Depending on the scale and nature of the incident it may be advantageous to hold
joint de-briefings for specific levels of command, e.g. Incident Control Team (Silver)
and/or for personnel deployed on tasks requiring multi-agency involvement.
Such meetings should, of course, be a pre-cursor to the final multi-agency debriefing and should add to the information available for consideration at that
meeting. Facts emerging from de-briefings should be documented and problems
identified. Lessons learnt should be shared with all who may require to respond to
other major incidents.
It is essential that a process is agreed by which all lessons learnt are identified and
where considered appropriate are incorporated into relevant contingency plans and
procedures within an agreed timescale.
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APPENDIX ‘A’
FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN DEVON AND CORNWALL
Building Control
x
HM Coroner –
(Responsible for determining who has died, how, when and where – may
require Temporary Mortuary to be set up)
Education
x
x
x
Housing
(May also include emergency accommodation)
Planning/Development Control
Social Services – Assistance with welfare functions at:
 Evacuation Assembly Points
 Evacuation Briefing Centre
 Survivors Reception Centres
 Friends and Relatives Reception Centres
 Management of Emergency Rest Centres
Sport and Leisure
(including management of Leisure Centres in some authorities)
Trading Standards
(Animal health/welfare emergencies may be dealt with by Environmental
Health in Unitary Authorities)
Waste Planning
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Engineering Services
x
x
X
31
x
x
Waste Collection- including street cleaning
Waste Disposal
x
x
Emergency Planning
x
(Districts included as Category 1 Responders when Civil Contingencies Bill
enacted)
Environmental Health
 Prevention of Statutory Nuisances.
 Environmental protection.
 Quality and potability of public and private water supplies.
 Contaminated land duties.
 Air quality.
 Public health considerations (in liaison with the Director of Public Health
and Health Protection Unit).
 Food Safety
Highways and Public Rights of Way
x
Registrars Service
Unitary
Authority
Function
District
Council
County
Council
The following functions are those most likely to be carried out or involved in the response to a Major Incident,
and is not a comprehensive list of all functions carried out by councils.
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APPENDIX ‘B’
Detailed Guidance on EVACUATION
THE PURPOSE OF EVACUATION
Evacuation may not always be the most appropriate response to a threat. The purpose of evacuation is to
move people and, where relevant, living creatures, away from an actual or potential danger area to a safer
place.
In all cases the overall priority must be the safety of the public and emergency responders. This must be the
focus of the decision making process and other factors e.g. commercial considerations must not be permitted
to interfere in achieving this objective.
DECISION TO EVACUATION
The decision to evacuate will normally be taken by the Police Incident Commander (Police SILVER
Commander) following advice from other agencies, including the Fire and Rescue Service. In the case of
mass evacuation it may be appropriate for this decision to be taken at Strategic (GOLD) level.
POWER TO EVACUATE
Generally speaking there is no statutory power (save the provision under Section 34 Terrorism Act 2000 to
designate a cordoned area) to enforce an evacuation, but police officers have a common law duty and power
to take all reasonable steps to save and preserve life.
PRIORITIES FOR ASSISTANCE DURING EVACUATION
Many different incidents may necessitate the need for the evacuation of the hazard area. It is important that
the available resources, whether plentiful or scarce, are properly targeted to ensure that they are used to
assist those in greatest need and are prioritised to help those who are least able to help themselves.
To aid this process a subjective system of categorisation based on vulnerability is proposed. The following
proposed categories are in priority order for assistance, i.e. more than just warning, during a mass
evacuation:
Category 1:
Category 2:
Category 3:
Category 4:
Category 5:
Category 6:
Category 7:
Category 8:
Extremely vulnerable persons requiring specialist and/or complex arrangements for their
evacuation e.g. persons on dialysis or life support machines;
Vulnerable persons requiring additional care arrangements e.g. persons in wheelchairs
requiring vehicles with a tail-lift;
Vulnerable persons in vulnerable buildings e.g. during flooding, elderly persons living in
bungalows;
Persons in vulnerable buildings e.g. bungalows or caravan parks;
Vulnerable persons in the risk area e.g. the elderly, the very young, single parent families;
Other persons in the risk area
Rare or important animal specimens e.g. endangered species
Animals and domestic pets
RISKS
It should be recognised that many buildings provide significant protection against various hazards and when
deciding whether to evacuate it should be considered if the population may be safer indoors. Examples of
where evacuation may be counterproductive include a chemical, biological or radiological release; or a
terrorist bomb threat where internal bomb shelter areas are available and appropriate.
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The risks involved in evacuation must be balanced against the potential advantages of other public
protection measures available. Consideration should always be given as to whether other methods would
suffice. Where appropriate this may include partial evacuation of a building or area as a quicker or safer
alternative.
FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED
The following factors should be considered (see attached checklist to assist in this process). They are not in
any order of priority.





























How, and can, all persons in the affected area be warned?
Consider the need to address any potential language/culture issues that may affect communication with
sections of the public.
Evacuation is likely to be a lengthy process and must be considered at an early stage.
What alternative protection methods are available?
The likely time-scale required to complete.
The type of incident and threat posed.
The likely duration of the incident.
The risks involved in evacuation.
Have assembly areas and alternatives been identified?
Are assembly points appropriate? It may be safer to send persons home (particularly where large
numbers involved)
The place where it is intended to evacuate to must be considered a safer place.
The extent to which the population are likely to self-evacuate.
The size and nature of the vulnerable section of the community.
The options available for warning and informing the public.
Resources available.
Transport to be used (where necessary both persons and animals). Consideration must be given to
vulnerable sections of the community who may require specialist transport and support.
Where appropriate, funding arrangements for transport should be agreed beforehand.
Possible evacuation routes.
Availability of rest centres.
It is vital, that so far as possible, a record is kept of all decisions, rationale and other options considered.
Arrangements must be made to ensure that details of evacuees are appropriately recorded at rest
centres etc. in support of any Casualty Bureau arrangements. Where necessary this should extend to
those sheltering in internal evacuation areas.
Consideration should also be given to those who may refuse to evacuate. Where practicable a written
record should be kept and consideration given to obtaining a signed indemnity or pocket book entry.
Animals are highly likely to be an issue. Forces should consider early liaison with local authorities and
others (preferably in the planning stage) to address potential problems.
The time e.g. day or night is likely to have a significant effect on the population distribution. In certain
areas the season or time of year is also likely to have an effect on both resident and transient
populations e.g. tourist resorts and university towns.
The weather (prevalent and forecast).
Whether a phased evacuation is feasible, giving priority to those most at risk.
Security – evacuation may increase the opportunity for criminal activity – inner and outer cordons should
be established and action taken to reassure those evacuated.
Recovery – early consideration should be given to the recovery phrase and re-occupation.
Assistance of other agencies, both statutory and voluntary.
MASS EVACUATION
In the case of mass evacuation Central Government may have a role in:
 Arranging the broadcast of warnings and information on national radio and television.
 Providing military and other resources to assist in warning and informing.
 Using influence in the transport industry to secure mass transport.
 Providing military resources to assist with routing of evacuees and traffic control.
 Co-ordinating the resources from local authorities further afield.
Mass evacuations require special arrangements to be made. The Police will co-ordinate the evacuation, via
Evacuation Assembly Points, to Emergency Rest Centres set up by the relevant Local Authority, who will
also provide transportation for those without a car.
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EVACUATION BRIEFING CENTRES
In the event of a major evacuation, an Evacuation Briefing Centre may be established. The role of the EBC is
to act as a central location for all responding agencies and voluntary organisations to attend, be equipped
and briefed before moving out to the Evacuation Assembly Points.
The EBC acts as a BRONZE CONTROL to co-ordinate the activities of the organisations involved in the
actual evacuation.
EVACUATION ASSEMBLY POINTS (EAPs)
The Police, in conjunction with the Fire and Rescue Service (if appropriate), will identify as many EAPs as
necessary to achieve a controlled and co-ordinated evacuation of the area. They will advise the relevant
Local Authority which locations will be used as early as possible.
All evacuation assembly points will be managed by the Police, who will be assisted by other relevant
organisations.
EMERGENCY REST CENTRES (ERCs)
As early as possible in the evacuation the Police will inform the relevant Local Authority if Emergency Rest
Centres (ERC) are required to shelter people. Information should also be provided on the approximate
number of people being evacuated, and the length of time shelter will be required.
The decision as to which ERC(s) will be used will be reached by discussion between the Police and the
relevant Local Authority.
ALERTING OF RESPONDERS
The Police will co-ordinate the alerting of all relevant organisations, and pass on details of Evacuation
Assembly Point and Emergency Rest Centre locations.
On receipt of the above information, the relevant organisations will activate their own response plan.
TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS
If transport, specialist or otherwise, is required by the Police for the evacuation they will ask the relevant
Local Authority to arrange it, in conjunction with other organisations.
RETURN HOME OF EVACUEES
The Police should inform the ERC Manager as soon as it is safe for people to return to their homes, so that
the manager can advise the evacuees, start the deregistration process and make any appropriate
arrangements. No announcements should be made direct to the evacuees before the ERC Manager has
time to warn the ERC staff, and draw up a return home plan.
The ERC Manager will then ensure that Supervisors of all the function areas within, and outside, the building
are aware that an announcement to this effect is imminent.
From past experience, the majority of evacuees will then make their own way home. The Supervisors of the
various functions will have identified people who require assistance to return home, and will make
arrangements for appropriate transport, practical or emotional support as required.
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