A Guide to Working with the Voluntary Document Title: Emergency Services
Version: 1.5 Date 7thAugust 2007 Prepared By: National Working Group
Approved for National Issue: Steering Date Group Final Approval: Date
A FRAMEWORK FOR MAJOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
WORKING DRAFT
GUIDANCE DOCUMENT 8
A GUIDE WORKING WITH THE VOLUNTARY EMERGENCY SERVICES
INTRODUCTION TO WORKING WITH THE VOLUNTARY EMERGENCY SERVICES
‘A Framework for Major Emergency Management’ (2006) replaces the Framework for Co-ordinated Response to Major Emergency, which has underpinned major emergency preparedness and response capability since 1984.
The Framework sets out the arrangements, by which the principal response agencies will work together in the management of large-scale incidents.
One of the areas where the Framework sets out Government policy is in relation to the role and participation of communities and the voluntary emergency services in the emergency management process. The Voluntary Emergency Services (VES) are recognised as a community in themselves, contributing to the wider community in time of need. It is intended that the principal response agencies will adopt a co-ordinated approach, working with the VES and progressing in a manner appropriate to that sector, to achieve common milestones in working and developing emergency response capacity together.
This document, like others in the guidance series, is presented as a working draft and as such it is requested that comments and insights that arise during the implementation of this guidance are fed back to the national level. Comments should be addressed to:
M.E.M. Project Team, Fire Services and Emergency Planning Section, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Custom House, Dublin 1.
CONTENTS
Introduction 5
The Framework and the Voluntary Emergency Services
General Issues to consider in working with the Voluntary Emergency Services
Structures and Arrangements for working with the Voluntary Emergency Services
Potential Roles for the Voluntary Emergency Services
Specific Issues to consider
Annex
1 Typical Draft Heads of Agreement between a PRA and a VES 2 Headings for Safety, Health and Welfare
1. INTRODUCTION
This Guide is written for use by staff of the principal response agencies, and is written from that perspective. However, it is building from a significant consultation process with the Voluntary Emergency Services (VES) that took place in late 2005 during the development of the Framework. Following publication of the Framework in September 2006, the South Tipperary VES organised a national one-day seminar on 7 Oct 2006 that facilitated further discussion between National Working Group (NWG) representatives and the VES in Ireland. The assistance, both formal and informal, of representatives of the VES in developing this Guide is acknowledged.
The purpose of this Guide is to enhance and enable the principal response agencies and the VES to work to the common objective of implementing the Framework. It attempts to set out good practice for collaboration between the statutory and voluntary sectors. In doing this, the Guide recognises that there have been instances in the past where collaboration between these sectors has been less than what might have been expected. This guide attempts to learn from such experience, and to deal with cultural as well as structural issues that may have hindered successful collaboration in the past.
The aspirations the Guide sets out to deliver rest on the belief that principal response agencies and VES are charged with “working together for the casualty”, a view now underpinned by the Government decision to adopt and implement the Framework.
2. THE FRAMEWORK’S PROVISIONS IN RELATION TO VOLUNTARY EMERGENCY SERVICES
Section 5.6.4 of the Framework sets out how Voluntary Emergency Services may be called to assist principal response agencies: “There are a number of organisations and agencies which may be called on to assist the principal response agencies in responding to major emergencies………… .Further information on these organisations and arrangements to mobilise them is provided in Appendix F13. These arrangements should be agreed with each agency (or confirmed in the case of pre-agreement) and set out in each principal response agency’s Major Emergency Plan.” A recent report1 by South Tipperary Voluntary Emergency Services: A Year of Working together for the Casualty (2003) has highlighted the potential of the voluntary emergency services sector to assist the principal response agencies in major emergency response. In general, the VES organisations can provide a pool of persons with relevant skills, vehicles equipment and facilities. Above all, they can provide personnel, working within their own discipline, to assist the principal emergency services at a time when they are, by definition, overstretched. The VES comprise a mixture of statutory and non-statutory organisations as outlined in sections 5.6.4.2, 5.6.4.3. and 5.6.4.4 of the Framework. In order to set the context for this document a brief description of the component organisations that form Ireland’s VES sector is set out below. Civil Defence The Civil Defence service is a statutory organisation of volunteers, which can provide a very important resource for use in major emergencies in support of the principal response agencies. Civil Defence services, which include over 3,000 active volunteers, are structured on a county basis and are operated by the Local Authorities. A Civil Defence Board, with a national Civil Defence Headquarters, oversees and assists the development of the Local Authority based Civil Defence organisation.
The Irish Red Cross
1 Holland Pat (Editor), South Tipperary Voluntary Emergency Services: A Year of Working together for the Casualty (2003). This report was edited by Pat Holland on behalf of the South Tipperary Voluntary Services Committee. While copyright is retained by the committee, the report can be circulated, quoted or duplicated by all services represented on the committee, or others on request, on the understanding that the report and the recommendations within it are the work and property of the Committee as a whole and should be credited as such. Mr Holland may be contacted at [email protected]. © South Tipperary Voluntary Services Committee, Clonmel, May, 2003.
The Irish Red Cross is established and regulated under the Red Cross Acts, 1938-54. These statutes define a role for the Irish Red Cross as an auxiliary to the state authorities in time of emergency and also provide a specific mandate to assist the medical services of the Irish Defence Forces in time of armed conflict. The President of Ireland is President of the Irish Red Cross and the Chairman is appointed by the President, on the advice of the Government. The Department of Defence is the Government Department associated with the organisation – a senior official of that department sits on the Board of the Irish Red Cross.
Irish Red Cross’s membership comprises 2,500 volunteers, supported by staff in Head Office in Dublin and three regional offices. Volunteers are organised in local units, with overarching county and regional structures. The membership is country wide, with 111 units in twenty-five of the twenty-six counties in the state.
The Voluntary Emergency Services Sector
The non-statutory voluntary emergency services sector provides a significant potential resource to assist the principal response agencies in major emergency response. The normal range of voluntary emergency services includes the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps, St John’s Ambulance Service, Mountain Rescue Teams, Cave Rescue Teams, Search and Rescue Dog Associations, River Rescue Units, Community Inshore Rescue Units, RNLI, Sub-Aqua Units, etc. Their ongoing service to the public includes attendance at public events, as well as searches for missing persons and rescue of persons in distress.
General Frameworks Provisions which Impact on VES
The Framework includes the following general points that form the basis for principal response agencies working with the voluntary emergency services sector:
• Each principal response agency’s Major Emergency Plan should provide for the inclusion of relevant voluntary emergency services to be part of, and to work in, the response to a major emergency. • The Framework recognises that the volunteer organisations operate under their own incident management/ command structure and systems; • While internal command of the volunteer organisation resides with that organisation, the Framework makes provision for each volunteer organisation to be linked with one of principal response agencies, and to operate under the control of the designated Controller of Operations of that agency initially in a response. The recommended link between principal response agencies and VES are shown in the Table 1 below.
Principal Response Linked Voluntary Emergency Service Agency
An Garda Síochána Irish Mountain Rescue Association Irish Cave Rescue Association Search &Rescue Dogs Sub-Aqua Teams
Health Service Irish Red Cross Executive Order of Malta Ambulance Corps St John’s Ambulance
Local Authority Civil Defence
Table 1. Principal Response Agencies with Linked VES
• The Framework provides for volunteer organisations to use their own communications systems for internal command purposes during incidents. It is necessary to provide for communication between the VES and the Controller of Operations to enable the Officer in Command (OiC) of each volunteer organisation to communicate effectively with the relevant Controller of Operations and provide such reports as are required on their activities. In furtherance of the links between the different PRAs and the VES the Framework also provides that: o During a response, each VES should appoint a liaison officer to the Support Team of the relevant Controller of Operations; o The relevant Controller of Operations will provide a communications link (normally UHF hand-portable radio) to the head of the VES organisation on site; o Requests from other services for volunteer organisation assistance to be made to the relevant Controller of Operations who, in consultation with the On-Site Co-ordinator and other Controllers of Operations, will determine the tasks to be assigned to the volunteer organisation resources, and for the re-allocation of those resources as the situation requires; o Volunteer organisations should be stood down from the site by the relevant Controller of Operations, as the situation warrants; and o Operational debrief should take place and a report of all activity undertaken by the volunteer organisation should be compiled for submission through the linked principal response agency to form part of the overall report of the incident.
VES to Operate Relevant Framework Provision The Framework provides that all organisations on site, including VES, will recognise and operate the provisions set out in the Framework including:
• Lead Agency and Co-ordination systems; • Information Management System; • Site(s) management system; and • Public Information/ Media Arrangements
Each VES will be required to become familiar with these provisions and systems and to fit their arrangements to the Framework provisions.
Integrating and Managing Support and Assistance The Framework makes provision in Section 5.6.7 for integrating and managing the support and assistance of VES responding to an emergency. The Controller of Operations who mobilises a VES is responsible for:
• Determining the scope and scale of tasks assigned; • Instigating a monitoring and reporting system; • Ensuring that a Liaison Officer from the VES is appointed to his/her support team; • Ensuring that the VES is included in the communication mechanisms employed (technical and information management); and • Ensuring that the needs of the VES are considered in the site management arrangements
3. GENERAL ISSUES TO CONSIDER IN WORKING WITH VES
Mutually acceptable arrangements are needed to ensure that voluntary sector resources are available to assist the principal response agencies in the event of a major emergency (Caps ???). Major Emergencies involve working in a multi- agency context, alongside other diverse groups, including VES.
Difficulties can and have occurred in the working relationships between PRAs and VES. Many of these difficulties can be understood as dilemmas. For instance, the desire for autonomy among volunteer groups may be at variance with the need of the PRAs to exert control of an emergency situation. Staff in PRAs may fear the implications of working alongside volunteers. There may be a perception that organisations are competing for roles rather than complementing each other. The volunteer organisation’s need for publicity to underpin ongoing recruitment/public donations may be at variance with the requirement for sensitive engagement with the media at multi-agency events.
These dilemmas need to be tackled. However, the challenges involved may not be amenable to being managed in the same way that they would within a normal paid employment. These difficulties can be overcome best by building relationships, knowledge, understanding, respect and trust between the PRA and the VES. It is the responsibility of the staff of both PRAs and the VES to work towards this goal. Particular responsibility falls on the leadership of both to foster the relationships. The objective of this section is to raise the consciousness of staff in the PRAs of the need to consider the sometimes very different perspectives of VES.
Building Relationships with VES Issues which need to be borne in mind in building relationships between PRAs and VES are considered in this section.
Knowledge, Understanding, Respect and Trust In order to begin to build the PRA/VES relationship, it is essential that both parties should get to know the other. Individuals within organisations may tend to assume that others know more about them than is frequently the case. It is always a good starting point for both PRAs and VES organisations to begin with short presentations and/ or factsheets about themselves. It is helpful if these are in a format which can be widely distributed within other organisations.
Moving beyond simple knowledge about other organisations to gain a deeper understanding of VES sector is also required. For example, why do people volunteer to give up that increasing scarce personal resource - free time - to engage in the VES activity? What is the culture of this particular organisation? What is the history of the unit? How is it progressing? How does it function? What are its leadership structures? How is it funded? Is there a national co-
ordination body or is it an isolated unit? How does it get on with other services? etc
Understanding in this sense will only come from a good degree of contact. Also, while PRA officers and leaders may gain insight and understanding, this needs to be transferred to a wider audience within the PRA.
Appraising Current Relationships The officer of a PRA charged with developing the relationship with VES has to start with an appraisal of the current state of relationships. Key issues to reflect on include • Self-reflection - What are my attitudes to the VES? What is my history with them? What may be their perception of me as an individual? • Knowledge and understanding of the sector – what stage of development is the VES at? What is the culture, especially forms of organisation and leadership? • History – what has the relationship been like recently? Have there been specific difficulties? What lies behind this – what underpins good or weak relationships? • People – who will be working with us primarily in building relationships? What culture/ background are they coming from? • Likely resistances – who within the PRA or VES are likely to resist attempts at better collaboration? For what ostensible reasons? What other reasons might lie behind this? What can be done to overcome these? • It is also useful to consider what the VES perceptions of PRAs may be: o They may see variance in relationships; o They may see and understand clearly the counter pressures to engaging with VES; o They may be concerned with “Parity of esteem” issues; o They may have been in competition, eg on major event sites?
It is also useful to reflect on what VES have to offer • Experience of major event duties, rescues, searches • Some overlap of state and voluntaries – e.g. paramedics, fire, garda • Local community presence/ knowledge • Leadership/ command structures, • Peer support systems • Ambulances and trained personnel • Off-road vehicles eg ambulances, command units • Boats, rescue equipment, search dogs, • AEDs, radios, • Four wheel drives, personnel carriers
The Importance of Timing The business of developing good working relationships, can not be rushed. This brings certain urgency to the initiation of the process of interaction with relevant
VES. Nonetheless the need for consideration of timing issues is important to successfully build relationships on a sound footing for the future.
Factors that may be useful in strengthening the Relationship There are a number of factors that may be useful in strengthening the relationships between the principal response agencies and the voluntary sector. These factors include the following points: • There is a defined Government Policy to be implemented here; • The Major Emergency Development Programme (MEDP) offers an opportunity to build good relationships. There is a bigger picture than the local issues, which sometimes may have impeded relationships in the past; • The patterns for the future will be significantly established in this current development phase; • The success or otherwise of inclusion of VES will be subject to external appraisal and scrutiny; and • Explanation will be required where inclusion of VES is not successfully achieved.
Red Cards In building relationships with VES there are a number of potential pitfalls which can arise. It is important that it is understood by all concerned that, in situations where people on either PRA or VES side commit what might be termed “red card” offences, which are designed or have the effect of damaging inter-agency collaboration, that appropriate and effective sanctions are applied swiftly. This message has to be clear to prevent escalation and to prevent re-occurrence. Red card offences could include: • Public utterances which show dis-respect for another organisation; • Seeking to use the Framework to gain an unilateral public profile, to the exclusion of, or at the expense of partner agencies; • Individuals from an agency making adverse comment about other individuals or organisations at an emergency scene; Such sanctions may have to be applied to both individuals and organisations. Red card offences reported against organisations should be considered in the first instance by the appropriate relevant linked PRA, and if not resolved satisfactorily at that level, referred to the relevant Regional Steering Group
4. STRUCTURES AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL PRA/ VES COLLABORATION
Approach to Structures and Arrangements This Guide promulgates an approach, fitting with the principles underpinning the Framework, and modelled on the South Tipperary experience. The Voluntary Emergency Services of South Tipperary have a greatly increased capacity to work both together and with the PRAs for the benefit of the casualty, while respecting the independence and distinct identify of each voluntary service.
The PRA / VES Link The primary structure for successful integration of VES into emergency operations is the link between the VES and the relevant PRA set out in Table 1 above. This Guide promulgates an approach that includes: • Full VES participation with its relevant controlling PRA; • Harnessing the work of the voluntary emergency services sector by the PRAs and the Principal Emergency Services (PES), while the VES retain their autonomy and internal working arrangements, but agree to work under the overall control of one of the PRAs, in accordance with the terms of the Framework; • In a major emergency, a liaison officer from each voluntary service mobilised will join the support team of the relevant PRA Controller of Operations; • Pre-agreed and mutually acceptable arrangements governing the roles, mobilisation, communications, operation and reporting of the VES with the PRAs and others involved in the response; and • Harnessing the voluntary emergency services to an optimum level.
Intra-VES Co-ordination As well as the PRA/ VES link already discussed, it is considered necessary and beneficial to provide for intra-VES co-ordination. It is recommended that the VES organisations, which are interested in working at emergency situations should come together to form a Voluntary Emergency Services Committee on a county, or on an MEP Regional basis, as appropriate.
The aim and objective of the VES Committee would be to foster inter-service collaboration and to ensure appropriate, mutually acceptable arrangements for integration of the work of the voluntary sector with the principal response agencies. When operating, this VES Committee can provide an additional platform where the PRAs and the VES can work together to enhance preparedness and co-ordination.
This Guide also recommends that the report of the South Tipperary VES Committee, referenced above, which deals with the formation and development
of such committees, should be read by all PRA staff involved in dealing with the VES sector, as well as the membership and governing bodies of the VES.
It is suggested that the local/regional Voluntary Emergency Services committee should have the following initial objectives: • To develop a resource list for the VES in the area; • To develop VES mobilisation/call-out arrangements; • To work to include the voluntary sector in major emergency preparedness, training and exercises; • To consider communication requirements, including inter-service communications; • To consider arrangements for access to Critical Incident Stress Management services, including awareness/training for voluntary services; • To organise joint events; • To consider and pursue areas where the PRAs can provide practical assistance to the VES, while respecting their independence; and • To review the roles/tasks which the VES could provide in normal as well as major emergencies.
The above recommendations for incorporating the voluntary sector effectively into the Major Emergency response are aimed at promoting/developing the sector in harmony with the principal response agencies and with each other, in the interests of the casualty.
5. POTENTIAL ROLES FOR THE VOLUNTARY EMERGENCY SERVICES
The Framework sets out the functions and roles of the PRAs in major emergencies. In preparing to undertake these functions and roles, the Framework requires the PRAs to consider and include the capacity of the VES sector to undertake functions on their behalf or to support them in their roles
The process of identifying roles for VES, preparing for them, exercising/ using them and evaluating the success or otherwise is a cyclical one, which should be undertaken as a joint venture between the VES and linked PRA. It should not be done unilaterally, in isolation, or without agreement between the parties.
Each VES has, in general, a specific mission or area which it strives to work in. It is vital that there is clarity in relation to the roles of the VES, so that there is no reason or excuse for their exclusion where there is a valid need for them, and so that they can undertake the development work necessary to underpin and audit their capacity for these roles. In general the roles of VES in major emergencies should: • Be in line with any relevant national level policy, guidance or direction; • Reflect the PRAs functions and capacity; • Reflect the core mission and competencies of the VES; • Reflect the real/audited capacity of the VES; • Build on the strengths of the VES, including their community links and local knowledge, and fill a gap in community need; • Be pre-planned and agreed between the VES and the relevant linked PRA, and written into both the PRA’s MEP and the VES Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) • Be developed out of or link to their role in normal emergency or public event work
As set out in the Framework, the actual tasks assigned to specific VES by the designated Controller of Operations on the day of the emergency should reflect: • The needs of the situation, and those affected/ threatened by the emergency; • The risks associated with the situation; and • The pre-planned roles, capacity and competence (knowledge, skills and experience) of the VES.
In addition to roles on site the VES can play a very significant role off-site. While there may be a desire to be at the centre of activity, key support from the VES may be best given off-site.
What is important is that clarity of task/role of VES is arrived at. Also that the VES are not sent on a wild goose chase, preparing for agreed roles and never being called or used in an emergency situation.
VES Support for Local Authority Functions
The Civil Defence service is the main VES linked to the local authority. It is expected that it could assist the local authority during a major emergency in the following areas: Rescue - Open Country - Buildings and Transport - Water Fire-fighting Provision of Transport
The Civil Defence service also has the potential to undertake specific functions, including: o the operation of reception centres for evacuees/displaced persons, including logging information; o the operation of temporary accommodation for evacuees, including the provision of food, bedding, welfare etc.; and o the provision of food/catering for personnel at the site of a major emergency.
VES Support for An Garda Síochána
It is expected that Civil Defence could assist An Garda Síochána in the following areas: Traffic & Crowd Control Search Evacuation
Mountain and cave rescue teams are to the fore in undertaking search and rescue in their specialised terrain. Mountain rescue teams in particular have a well developed knowledge and skills, and are, in general, the service called upon by An Garda Síochána to undertake and lead search and rescue in elevated/ difficult terrain.
Subsidiary search and rescue and in-shore rescue units of the Irish Red Cross could also support An Garda Síochána.
The river rescue and sub-aqua clubs may also be called to assist the Garda sub- aqua team and in response to water based emergencies.
VES Support for the Health Service Executive
There are well-established organisations providing patient care/ support at public events, who are a significant resource in terms of ambulances, first-aid, casualty
evacuation etc. These include Civil Defence, Irish Red Cross, Order of Malta Ambulance Corps and St John’s Ambulance Service. With their expertise and focus, they could be expected to be particularly suited to assisting evacuees, survivors, and friends and relatives of casualties.
These voluntary services may be particularly helpful in providing off-site support including hospital decanting, rest-centres, risk registers????, transport, and welfare.
The main relationship of the Irish Red Cross with the principal response agencies in major emergency response is as an auxiliary resource to the ambulance services.
6. SPECIFIC ISSUES TO CONSIDER In this chapter, some specific issues which underpin successful collaboration between PRAs and VES are considered. The headings in this chapter also form the headings of the Draft Agreement in Annex 1. The headings reflect the systemic approach to emergency management promulgated in the Framework.
Call-Out and Mobilisation Procedures
One of the key differences between the PES and VES is in response time to an alert. It is expected that PES staff will respond within very short defined times on being alerted to an emergency situation. The VES, on the other hand, are not mainly engaged in emergency response, and time is not as critical. The objective in mobilising the VES will be usually to provide an auxiliary or a relief service which can support or take over at prolonged operations when the initial PES response is overwhelmed by the scale or duration of the emergency. Some of the VES, such as IMRA teams, do act as front line responders, although the nature and overall timeline of their activities are not as minute critical as fire or ambulance services. What is required is pre-planned, appropriate, reliable callout mechanisms, operating to agreed procedures
It is envisaged that each PRA will include in its Major Emergency Plan for notification to be given to its linked VES on declaration of a Major Emergency by any one of the three PRAs. This notification procedure may include a standby arrangement, where this is appropriate.
Each VES would be expected to: • Have a single contact point which would receive the notification and cascade this on within their service; • Use communications/ information technology to send text alerts to mobilise VES volunteers should be considered, in addition to or with back up or more traditional use of landline for ringing around; • Where a VES is regarded as the front-line service, (eg mountain rescue) it should consider using dedicated paging mobilisation services (WAP?); • Have nominated mobilisation centres to which volunteers would be expected to attend, and where they would form into their units, don appropriate PPE, etc; and • Keep the relevant PRA briefed on progress with the mobilisation.
Travelling to the Scene
The Framework specifies that no service should mobilise/ travel to the scene of an emergency unless specifically requested to do so by the relevant PRA. As noted above the VES may be requested to provide important support services at locations other than the site of the emergency. When mobilised to an emergency site, VES personnel should
• Travel to the scene, after being requested to do so in their service vehicles; vehicles should be readily identifiable to assist site management arrangements. • Vehicles fitted with emergency blue lights and sirens (eg VES ambulances) should travel in accordance with the relevant road traffic regulations (Insert Ref), which apply to the statutory services. • No vehicle should be fitted with blue lights or sirens except in accordance with the above regulations, and the specific approval of the linked PRA. • In general, drivers from different agencies should not drive vehicles of any agency other than those of its own service.
Training standards
One of the most frequently expressed concerns among PRAs is in relation to the standard of work/ service which a VES volunteer could be expected to provide. PRAs sometimes express worry about the standards and consistency in training. However in general, where nationally recognised training and accreditation standards exist for functions, VES endeavour to use these standards and to train and accredit members to them. This accreditation may be one of the incentives to volunteers. The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) standards on Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and PCRs are a case in point. Each PRA should endeavour to identify (or develop) appropriate national standards, which their linked VES would use to train their volunteers. In addition, it is intended that the VES would train in the arrangements set out in the Framework, to enable them to know and work those arrangements. Volunteers are also, in general, very well motivated and their enthusiasm, combined with their actual availability to undertake necessary tasks, may help balance what “professionals” might term their lack of training/ competence/ experience. Private Mobile Radio (PMR) systems are commonly in use among emergency services. Each VES needs to adopt and use common radio procedures, to facilitate communications with their PRA and other VES. Each PRA should supply a copy of its radio procedures to the linked VES, and VES call-signs should be agreed. While each VES is responsible for implementing its own training programme, one of the most effective ways of building the relationship between PRAs and VES is if PRA instructors become involved in delivering relevant training to volunteers. This helps build confidence in capacity, and is an effective use of existing resources.
Participation in Exercises
The new Framework makes provision for a programme of developmental exercises to be undertaken, initially within organisations and then in association with other partner organisations to rehearse and test the agreed structures, processes, procedures and protocols.
It should be the policy of the PRA to ensure that its linked VES are included in exercises to develop real working relationships in advance of participation in emergencies. In addition to exercising arrangements, the roles set out for VES should be exercised also.
Insurance/Liability
It is essential that all VES activities are covered by appropriate insurances to protect members of the public, other services, and the volunteers of the VES themselves who may be affected or injured during the course of an emergency. It is vital that each PRA investigates the current forms and levels of insurance of its linked VES. It may be appropriate for PRAs to consider including/ extending cover provided under their own public and employer liability insurances to their linked volunteer organisations or, alternatively, PRAs might consider offering financial support to the VES. This is something which needs to be considered in an open manner with the VES. What is important is that there is clarity about types and level of insurance cover under which the linked VES is operating. In order to offer a degree of protection to casual volunteers at the site of an emergency, the Framework provides for the Civil Defence organisation to offer a temporary membership to such casual volunteers. This aspect will be monitored at national level, with a view to consistent and clear insurance arrangements.
Communications
See forthcoming Communications Guidance Document
Equipment
As with training, there is a need to ensure that equipment used by the Voluntary Emergency Services is appropriate and compatible to the greatest extent possible with that of the PRAs. Ideally, PRAs should inform linked VES of the appropriate/ expected standards to use in procurement of equipment. Joint / group purchasing schemes may offer attractions in certain sectors where bulk-buying can achieve economies that would not be open to small scale (VES) purchasers.
Auditing and Appraisal
The Framework requires that audits of preparedness for emergency response should be carried out on a routine basis. This will be challenging for all services, and needs to apply to the VES sector also. The introduction of auditing for the ME preparedness function will be challenging for both PRA and VES. However, it
offers a real opportunity for the VES to demonstrate their abilities in a transparent manner. Where VES, like PRAs, are using externally set standards and accreditation systems for emergency response role, the question of benchmark standards is easily resolved? However, in the bulk of situations this may not apply and the task of developing appropriate audit and appraisal procedures for the VES is a task to be developed between the linked PRA and the VES. The question of “Who does it” arises also? While independent external evaluation would always be a preferred option, in the early stages of putting systems in place, it is probably most appropriate that the audit/ appraisal is a self-audit by the VES. The linked PRA could participate if invited as a quality assurance measure. On the question of setting appropriate benchmarks and standards, it may be appropriate not to think in terms of absolute standards (eg that evolution of drill X is to be performed in Y seconds/ minutes) – rather that measurement is used to determine a benchmark for self-improvement. The unilateral imposition of inappropriate standards by a PRA on a VES at an early stage of relationship building could be very detrimental to the objective of harnessing their capability for major emergency response.
Safety, Health and Welfare
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 imposes significant requirements on the PRAs. (Question: Do the provisions of this Act apply to the VES?) It is appropriate for a PRA to ensure that a linked VES operates safely and in so far as possible in compliance with the legislation. Annex 2 provides a series of headings which would be appropriate for managing safety in an emergency services environment. The headings include: o Approach to General Duty of Managing Safety; o Safe Places of Work; o Safe Systems of Work; o Safety in Training; o Health and Medical Issues; and o Welfare and Stress Management.
ANNEX 1 HEADINGS FOR PRA/ VES AGREEMENT
1 Introduction to Agreement
2 Roles of VES
3 Callout and Mobilisation Procedures
4 Training
5 Exercises
6 Communications
7 Equipment
8 Safety Health and Welfare
9 Insurance/ Liability
10 Auditing and Appraisal
11 Review of Agreement
ANNEX 2 HEADINGS FOR SAFETY HEALTH AND WELFARE
Approach to General Duties of Managing Safety 1.1 Safety Policy 1.2 Safety Statement 1.3 Management of Work Activities 1.3.1 Organisation Structure 1.3.2 Responsibilities for safety 1.3.3 Supervision of Work 1.3.4 Team working 1.3.5 Improper Conduct or Behaviour 1.3.6 Multi-agency operations 1.4 Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment, 1.4.1 General Approach to Risk Management 1.4.1.1 The Risk Assessment Process 1.4.2 Prioritising Issues for Action 1.4.3 Control Measures and Safe Work Practices 1.5 Annual Health and Safety Management Programme 1.6 Resources for Safety, Health and Welfare 1.7 Accident Reporting, Recording and Investigation 1.8 Information for volunteers 2.9 Consultation with volunteers 2.10 Safety Representatives 2.11 Services of Competent persons to assist in ensuring, safety, health and welfare
2 Safe Places of Work 2.1 Fixed Work Locations 2.2 Safe Workplaces 2.2.1 Design and Provision of workplaces 2.2.2 Maintenance of safe workplaces 2.2.3 Safe means of access and egress from workplaces 2.2.4 Safe plant and machinery in workplaces 2.2.5 Emergency Procedures in fixed work locations 2.3 Operation of Workplaces 2.4 Safety Audits and Inspections 2.5 Remedial Actions 2.6 Controlling exposure to certain hazards in the Workplace
3 Safe Systems of Work 3.1 Emergency Operations 3.2 Safe Systems of Work 3.2.1 Standard Operating Procedures and Guidance 3.2.2 Orders and Instructions for volunteers 3.2.3 Training
3.2.4 Information for volunteers 3.2.5 Special Appliances and Equipment 3.2.6 Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment 3.2.7 Pre-determined Attendances 3.2.8 Communications Systems 3.2.9 Minimising Exposure to Harmful Environments 3.2.10 Familiarisation with Station Area of Operations 3.2.11 Generic Risk Assessments 3.2.12 Specific Risk Assessments
3.3 Safe Person Concept 3.3.1 Organisational Responsibility 3.3.2 Personal Responsibility of volunteers 3.3.3 Incident Commander Responsibility 3.3.4 Dynamic Risk Assessment 3.3.4.1 Initial Stage 3.3.4.2 Development Stage of Incident 3.3.4.3 The Closing Stage of Incident 3.3.5 Safety Responsibilities of Personnel at Emergency Operations
4 Safety in Training