Twenty-Twenty Hindsight
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Journal of the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management Twenty-Twenty Hindsight Winter 2020 ICPEM // Alert // Winter 2020 ICPEM // Alert // Winter 2020 2 Technology MEMBERSHIP NEW MEMBERS New members are always welcome. For a comprehensive range of membership options MATTERS please visit the website at www.theicpem.net [email protected] Membership matters I addresses are correct. You can Subscriptions are the life-blood of the download an update form from the institute, are due annually on the 1st website under the membership tab. Contents January, and can be paid by: Standing Order Membership matters III IFC Membership Matters Direct Debit Details of current fees are provided on the ICPEM website: Cheque 1 Christmas message from the President Bank transfer www.theicpem.net 1 Christmas message from the Vice President The Institute also benefits from Gift Events Aid when you sign up for it, and all If you are holding an event that other 2 Christmas message from the Chair the relevant forms are available for members of the Institute might be download from the website. able to assist with or attend, such 3 Editorial as exercises, and seminars, please let 4 Events Whatever arrangements you have the Managing Editor of Alert and the Webmaster know and they can made for your subscriptions, can you 5 About the authors please ensure that they are in place, be advised. The ‘public’ view of the active and have valid details. Some website includes a calendar of events 8 Food for thought subscriptions from the start of the across the spectrum of interests, so year remain outstanding, so could you we would like to have information 12 Understanding a cyber attack please check? If you have any queries on anything that you think might about arrangements for payment, please be relevant. 15 The downing of Air India flight 182 contact the Treasurer, Paul Collard on [email protected]. What else do you do? 21 Covid-19 and people with disabilities Members come from many different 24 Gender leadership Membership matters II and interesting backgrounds and take The Membership Secretary makes part in many interesting activities. 29 What can leaders facing a crisis learn a special plea for members to keep We would like to reflect these their contact details and preferences activities and achievements in Alert 35 MV Rhosus & the Beirut explosion disaster up to date. We make every effort in order to show the ‘human’ side to keep records accurate, to ensure of its membership. So, if you have The factors affecting prehospital care that members receive all relevant something unusual or interesting that 39 incident commanders, a major incident study communications. you get up to let the Managing Editor know, with some photos if you have 42 UK alert cell broadcasting Email and the website will be the them, and we will publish them in main means of getting information forthcoming editions. 44 Far right terrorism to members, so it is vital that email 47 Book review 49 The one-legged volunteer Published by CONTACT ICPEM Membership enquiries: BC Mission, vision and values The Institute of Civil Protection [email protected] and Emergency Management. Media enquiries: Registered Charity No. 1127226 [email protected] Alert enquiries: Editor [email protected] London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. Dave Dowling WebMaster enquiries: [email protected] The Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Graphic Design Management does not accept responsibility for, or Wayne Freeman, 07916188788 Address: necessarily acquiesce in, any statement made in articles [email protected] Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, or communications from correspondents; publication c/o Prof. David E. Alexander, Institute for Risk and Disaster does not entitle the author of any contribution or Website: www.theicpem.net Reduction, Second Floor, South Wing, University College photograph to a fee unless previously arranged. ICPEM // Alert // Winter 2020 1 Foreword Our President’s Christmas Message t’s been a really difficult year for everyone – I feel it is fair to say that the work of civil and that’s putting it mildly. However, it has protection and emergency management is one that Ialso been a very important time for ICPEM is constantly changing largely due to the evidence - with emergencies around each corner. I am both of what works (or, importantly, what doesn’t work) delighted and proud to know that, despite all the which is why I am so enthusiastic about proper obstacles, ICPEM has maintained its activities. monitoring. The task then is to disseminate that information and persuade organisations, sometimes Given I am new to the organisation and resistant to change, to take on new practices. communications have not been as easy as we would have liked – notably for example So, let me take this opportunity to first and having to cancel the Annual General Meeting foremost thank all of you who have continued the at which I had hoped to meet all of you, as work of ICPEM and to wish you and your families well as the planned conference – I am pleased and very restful and restorative holiday season. that the task of reshaping the organisation has continued as has the submission of evidence Best wishes, to parliamentary committees and enquiries. Frances D’Souza Rt Hon. Baroness Frances D’Souza CMG Message from the Vice President ear Members, the selection of members of the new Executive revamped Executive Council is working hard to As I write, we are drawing to the close Council. I am delighted at the outcome and very arrange new activities for the benefit of members. Dof an extraordinary year. It has been happy to serve under the capable chairpersonship marked by exceptional challenges for us all of Sarah Schubert. Special thanks also to Dave As 2021 nears, we all fervently hope that the and major changes in our lives. Covid-19 is a Dowling for compiling and editing Alert and present annus horribilis will not be repeated major tragedy. I have been studying disasters Tony Moore for his energetic work to run, with all its tragic consequences and profound for exactly 40 years and at times this year support and promote special interest groups. disruptions. Whatever ‘normal life’ is like after the has felt like a replay, with those decades of pandemic, we look forward to gradually renewing experience suddenly compressed into only ten Covid-19 is, of course, very much within the our sense of fellowship and conviviality. We look months. We all struggle to cope, professionally Institute’s purview. Like many organisations, we forward to resuming those activities that we have and personally. We all worry about the future have had to follow through the arduous process had to forsake. Most pertinently, we look forward and lament the state of the world at present. of adjusting to the pandemic, moreover at the to using the expertise we have gained during this same time as we have endeavoured to respond to long-drawn-out, profound emergency to make ICPEM started the year in a most difficult it as an organisation. So much of what a learned life safer for all in the future. In the meantime, position. Our normal mechanism of renewing and professional society does is dependent on I wish you a festive season marked by hope, and reconfirming our Executive Council was social contact, and particularly on meeting optimism and–of disrupted, as we were unable to hold a proper together in person. While this has been off the course--safety! Annual General Meeting and had to reorganise cards, we have done our best to use electronic elections to the various posts. The Trustees communication in substitution. Members can Best wishes, of ICPEM got together and kept the institute rest assured that ICPEM is alive and kicking. We David Alexander running over the summer while intensively are a small institute, but we have played a role in preparing to relaunch the Executive Council via providing advice, commentary and background elections and an extraordinary general meeting material on the evolving disaster where such in the Autumn. I am most grateful to my fellow things were needed. We stand ready to continue Professor David E. Alexander trustees for their hard work on this process, supporting our members in their activity, and the PhD FRGS FGS FRSA FICPEM FISRM and to all ICPEM members who participated in 2 Our Vice President’s Christmas Message I do hope that you have enjoyed and ear Members, I hope that you and your Professor David Alexander continues benefited from reading the various families are well and continue to stay to advise at various select and publications that ICPEM has produced. safe. It seems that it was far longer ago parliamentary committees and in D The Special Interest Group (SIG) newsletters have than October that I was privileged to take on the early December will be providing provided excellent, and informative insight Chair role for ICPEM; the days seem strangely long evidence to the Risk Assessment into areas that we might not normally have but short at the same time. Times continue to be and Risk Planning Committee. challenging, with lockdowns to various degrees a window into. I’d like to especially thank accompanied by complex and changing rules. Improving ICPEM Tony Moore for his work co-ordinating for our members these to ensure that the information Increasing our sphere of benefit is shared across the Institute so that we all can learn and benefit. influence In the Thank you also to those chairing the groups: The new Executive Council and I are driving ICPEM’s background the team and I have been working • Historical SIG – Pete Davies future as a learned society, to influence the future of on establishing strong foundations for the • International SIG – CJ Manjarres-Wahlberg civil protection and emergency management.