The life cycle of an emergency Learning from recent experience

Case studies

Foreword

Councils that have had to respond to Of particular interest was the view from emergencies know that from the public’s a number of recent emergencies that the point of view, the effects of an incident can line between response and recovery has be felt long after it first occurs and in different substantially blurred, with work on recovery ways over time. In that sense, emergencies being initiated while immediate responses can have a life cycle of their own, which calls are still being worked through, and both then for local partners to match and adapt their informing preparation for future emergencies, approaches through different phases. helping to complete the cyclical nature of integrated emergency management. As the types of emergencies that our areas are facing have become more diverse and The case studies were completed in autumn complex, this has prompted both senior 2018 through a series of interviews. This political and managerial leaders to think guide is not a comprehensive analysis of the carefully about local and corporate resilience, debrief of each emergency but aims instead and the importance of civic leadership to provide an overview of councils’ reflections in responding to and recovering from on how they and partners responded to emergencies. Therefore over recent months, the incidents, have been supporting their the Local Government Association (LGA) residents and communities to recover and has updated its councillor guide on civil how they are building the lessons learnt into emergencies, and Solace has worked with the planning for future emergencies. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to update their joint guidance for The two emergencies are clearly very chief executives from 2014. different, yet common themes and learning emerge from them, which are summarised But both the LGA and Solace also felt that it at the end of this document. We hope that would be valuable to take a more in-depth both councillors and officers will find it useful look at political and managerial leadership to reflect on these in the context of their own in the context of how specific emergencies councils’ preparedness. were handled. This document takes two emergencies – the horrific bomb attack at Stephen Baker Manchester Arena in May 2017 and a flooding Solace spokesperson on civil resilience incident across Suffolk earlier the same year – and looks at them during the different stages Councillor Simon Blackburn of the integrated emergency management Chair, LGA Safer and Stronger Communities cycle; preparedness, response and recovery. Board

Learning from recent experience 3 Manchester City Council Manchester Arena Attack

On Monday 22 May 2017, a suicide bomber detonated an improvised device in the crowded foyer area immediately outside the Manchester Arena, where around 14,000 people had been attending an Ariana Grande pop concert. Twenty two people, including several children, were killed; over one hundred sustained physical injuries; many more suffered psychological and emotional trauma. Manchester City Council responded to the incident as a category one responder, working in partnership with a vast range of other organisations, including those which form the Greater Manchester Resilience Forum.

Preparedness Leadership for resilience in Greater Manchester is provided through a lead The 10 metropolitan borough councils in politician (the Deputy Mayor of Greater Greater Manchester (GM) are served by a Manchester), lead chief executive, lead single civil contingencies and resilience unit director of public health and a lead coroner, (CCRU). This was established in 2011 with appointed from within the 10 local authorities. the objective of developing a single approach The lead chief executive is supported by a to emergency planning and resilience that Civil Contingencies Chief Officers Group is broadly consistent across all the councils comprising lead resilience officers from within the footprint of partners, such as GM each of the 10 GM councils: Manchester is Police and GM Fire and Rescue. represented by Fiona Worrall, Director of Neighbourhoods, and Chief Officer for Civil The approach recognises that many Contingencies and Resilience at Manchester emergencies have impacts across boundaries City Council. and ensures that individual boroughs benefit from a shared unit and expertise that would The lead politician, lead chief executive, lead be difficult to maintain individually. Since director of public health and lead coroner 2013, emergency preparedness, resilience represent councils on the Greater Manchester and response support to GM directors of Resilience Forum, the strategic multi-agency public health has also been integrated into forum which oversees and coordinates CCRU service delivery. multi-agency civil resilience activity across Greater Manchester. The forum commissions The CCRU is hosted by Manchester City delivery of work through the multi-agency Council, based at Greater Manchester Police Resilience Development Group (RDG) and a headquarters and is on call 24 hours a day, number of work-stream groups which form 365 days a week; the head of service is the part of the forum’s partnership arrangements. GM Chief Resilience Officer. Manchester City Council chairs the RDG and some of the working groups, including the Risk Assessment Working Group.

4 The life cycle of an emergency Manchester City Council’s own work Manchester City Council’s Chief Executive programme for emergency preparedness is Joanne Roney had been in post for just informed through the annual business plan five weeks when the attack took place, for GM local authorities (overseen by the Civil but crucially her induction programme Contingencies Chief Officers Group) and had included a session on this issue with the multi-agency work programme (overseen Fiona Worrall. Having quickly established by the Greater Manchester Resilience a relationship with the lead officer for Forum). The council undertakes an annual emergencies proved important given how assessment of the internal arrangements soon the chief executive was required to lead critical to emergency preparedness in order the response to an emergency. to identify any areas for development. Regular briefings and training in relation Reflecting the importance of emergency to civil contingencies are provided for preparedness to the city, they also provide councillors at Manchester City Council. additional funding to the CCRU for enhanced An e-learning tool is also available, and services, and have worked with CCRU and information about emergency planning is partners to develop a range of plans; the usually included in councillor inductions. GM Generic Response Plan, GM Mass The role of councillors in an emergency Casualties Plan, and the Manchester Borough is explored during briefings and training Evacuation and Shelter Plan, all utilised in sessions; emergency planning procedures response to the arena attack. Rotas were in ensure that councillors are notified of place to ensure the availability of staff for incidents where required. emergency response, including strategic officers at senior management team level, Manchester City Council and the wider tactical level officers and operational resilience forum also ensure that regular staff. Manchester City Council’s internal simulation exercises are undertaken to plans also set out the range of operational test plans and preparedness. At least one services which can play a crucial role in multi-agency strategic (gold) level exercise emergencies, for example the social care is undertaken annually; in addition, more and communications teams were deployed to tactical (silver) level multi-agency responses support the response to the arena attack. An are exercised at the Greater Manchester level Emergency Control Centre is also maintained and around the individual boroughs. Previous as a resource for coordinating internal major exercises included Exercise Winchester services in an emergency. Accord (a terrorism exercise at the Trafford Centre), Exercise Sherman (a borough based In terms of training and support, CCRU offers terrorism exercise), Exercise Triton (a GM a range of training and exercising for both wide reservoir failure) and Exercise Ebola officers and councillors. For officers, it has in (a GM response to Ebola). An event had the past commissioned a GM wide session also been held in Manchester to exchange of MAGIC (the Multi Agency Gold Incident learning in relation to mass fatalities planning Command training run by the College of and response, including speakers involved Policing) and a local one day version of the in the response to the Shoreham air crash. Emergency Planning College gold command These events had all provided significant course. The CCRU runs briefing, training and opportunities to test a range of plans, awareness sessions in individual boroughs, including many of those relevant to the which each taking responsibility for ensuring response to the Manchester Arena attack, senior officers are aware of local procedures. and helped strengthen the response to it.

Learning from recent experience 5 Cooperation with expert organisations and the Manchester City Council’s immediate voluntary and community sector was also well operational response focused on the need established prior to the attack: Manchester to provide support to those affected by the City Council had commissioned training and attack and to coordinate the wider response exercises from organisations such as the to it. In the early hours of Tuesday 23 May, Foundation 4 Peace and Disaster Action, they established a family assistance and resulting in additional sources of support reception centre at Manchester City’s Etihad in the emergency response. Following the Stadium; it was recognised that the type of attack, officers were able to draw on specific leisure or community centre often identified and generic plans in relation to humanitarian in local authority emergency plans would assistance and working with the British not be appropriate given the nature and Red Cross to establish a financial support scale of the emergency. Lead officers from scheme. the health and social care and children’s services teams were deployed to the Etihad In terms of mutual aid arrangements to at 1.30am; other staff were subsequently support individual boroughs in the event of deployed to the centre. Although not in the an emergency, Greater Manchester was in a plan, staff spontaneously brought their mobile strong position due to an established history phone chargers to the centre, instinctively of partnership working in the city region (as understanding this would be a pressing need evidenced by the existing of the joint civil for those trying to make contact with worried contingencies unit). relatives and providing a simple learning point for future emergency plans. Response In the aftermath of the attack, local restaurants, hotels and taxis all quickly The attack occurred at 10.31pm. Within opened their doors or offered their services an hour, GM Police had declared a major for free, but there were many unaccompanied incident, with armed police and British military young people whose parents didn’t know personnel deployed to Manchester city where they were and who were travelling centre as part of Operation Temperer. Internal to the city to try to find them. To manage Manchester City Council and wider GM multi- safeguarding issues, the city’s gold command agency plans, procedure and structures were sent officers to check at hotels and places all activated. Initial activation of Manchester where children had taken shelter, to check City Council’s procedures was self-declared they were safe and to clarify rumours. within minutes of the detonation; the on-call Manchester City Council and GM Police both gold officer was immediately deployed to GM designated lead officers to coordinate the Police Force HQ and on site by 11.30pm, wider contributions from businesses offering with strategic officers on site in the Town Hall to help in other ways. by 211.40pm. Officers from CCRU were in place on both sites shortly after. Manchester Council highways staff were deployed City Council’s Emergency Control Centre was to support the management of the road activated within the Town Hall complex; multi- network, including putting in place road agency command and control arrangements closures, and to provide assistance to those were established, including co-location of unable to access vehicles and property partners at the Force Command Module at within the cordoned area. Council staff also GMP HQ and convening of the Strategic arranged hotel accommodation for affected Coordination Group (SCG) at 4.15am. Council families, friends and professional responders officers, supported by CCRU, were deployed deployed to Manchester from outside of the to Force Command for the full nine day city region (eg Ministry of Defence officials). response period. This enabled coroners’ staff to focus on the work required to enable identification of the deceased at the earliest point.

6 The life cycle of an emergency Effective strategic leadership was critical to Communications was a key part of the their response. Manchester City Council’s response. The scale of media enquiries Leader, Councillor Richard Leese, Deputy was unprecedented and members of the Leader, Councillor Sue Murphy and Chief world press remained in the city centre for Executive Joanne Roney met hourly to three weeks after the attack. A dedicated ensure they had a complete overview of the team was swiftly set up by Manchester City response; this leadership stayed in place Council to manage communications – this throughout the response period, while the was established at the same time as gold and other Deputy Leader, Councillor Nigel Murphy, silver command – and worked with GM Police assumed responsibility for overseeing normal to ensure clear lines and key messages were business. Councillor Leese and Councillor shared across a range of media. Social Sue Murphy took responsibility for keeping media proved to be hugely important; a team other councillors adequately briefed, and all of five people managed the social media councillors received the three hourly SITREP response, including correcting rumours and report (information normally shared with inaccuracies and providing information and senior political leaders only). This enabled updates. councillors to be out in their communities providing information and reassurance, while The communications team was supported by also ensuring that officers were allowed to communications staff from across the Greater lead the operational response without being Manchester councils, an example of the responsible for briefing all councillors. mutual aid Manchester City Council was able to draw on following the attack. In addition to In leading the operational response, Joanne the communications support, social workers Roney attended both gold and silver from elsewhere in GM provided support at command; visited the reception centre and the reception centre, and staff from Salford scene of the attack, and worked out of the City Council supported the joint work with emergency control centre at the town hall, businesses who were captured within the recognising the need to be present at all of cordon area. Those involved in the response these to get a full overview of the response emphasised the importance of being clear and where any gaps might be. where councils can get mutual aid from in these situations and of being able to ask Manchester City Council’s senior leadership for support in a structured way; but also quickly established a successful division of recognised the importance of established communications responsibilities; although not and trusted partnership working as a basis formally mapped out in its emergency plan, for mutual aid. Councillor Leese led communications with the local media; Councillor Sue Murphy assumed Civic and community leadership was at responsibility for communications with the the heart of the response, including the international media, and Joanne Roney community’s desire to hold a vigil the day led on internal and other communications after the attack. Aware of proposals on social issues. Councillors with an international media for people to meet in Albert Square, background or other language were also Manchester City Council recognised the asked to support some of the international importance of putting plans and management media work. Although the GM Mayor, Andy around this, and of providing a focal point Burnham, had been in post for just a few for people. They took the lead in arranging weeks on 23 May – relatively little time to the event and managed the delicate job update emergency plans to reflect the new of balancing the presence of many senior civic role – Manchester City Council’s political politicians at a memorial event during the leadership worked fluently with the new Mayor middle of the General Election purdah period to provide a joint public face for the city. by inviting a local poet to speak. The vigil was just one of a number of visits from VIPs which were managed in the aftermath of the attack.

Learning from recent experience 7 Following the vigil on 23 May, a minute’s It was also agreed that the Great City Games silence was held on 24 May, a one week and the Manchester Run would still go ahead on vigil the following Monday, and a multi- on 26 and 28 May respectively. This was faith We Stand Together event the following especially important in giving a clear message Tuesday. Additionally, Manchester City that Manchester was open for business as Council staff were on hand 24 hours a day at usual and that participation in events such as places of remembrance, providing water and this were key to the city’s recovery. comfort to people. At a community level, from 23 May ongoing Immediately following the attack, the community engagement was prioritised to Manchester Evening News set up a fund inform, advise and support residents and to receive donations via the Just Giving businesses. This included a meeting with over website; a number of individuals had set up 200 businesses at the Central Library and similar pages, some seemingly fraudulently. visits to city centre residents and businesses, With the Manchester Evening News quickly 19 of which were within the area cordoned receiving a substantial sum in donations, off following the attack and were supported Manchester City Council worked with the to implement business continuity measures British Red Cross to bring together all the where required, ensuring no loss of service fundraising under the ‘We love Manchester’ or employment. fund, having established that the Lord Mayor’s charity would not be able to make payments Officers and members met with community to victims from outside Manchester, and groups within the first few days to understand recognising that there was a need for proper the key issues they were experiencing, management around the fund. The fund was including individuals from the Libyan rapidly established as a charity, and the first community who had been particularly payments from it were made within 10 days, impacted by the incident following the news providing financial support to assist with that the bomber was of Libyan descent. Two hotel, travel and funeral costs incurred by the days after the attack, Manchester City Council bereaved families and people who had been held an open event with Councillor Leese, seriously injured. The legal team also secured Councillor Sue Murphy and Fiona Worrall a trademark for the Worker Bee (the city’s where people could feedback their concerns symbol) after becoming aware that another and feelings. This provided an opportunity individual had sought to trademark the for the council to listen to what people were Manchester Bee and may have been trying to saying and understand community feelings. profit from the attack. An important role for ward members was to As well as enabling a focal point for provide support in the communities where remembrance, Manchester’s civic leadership the police subsequently raided homes to was seeking to provide very visible make arrests in the days following the attack. reassurance that the city was still open for Each of these required reception facilities for business by supporting a strong message displaced families to be set up and in some that the city will ‘stand together’ and not let cases support was given to help evacuate terrorism win. As soon as it was possible, local schools within the area. There was good Councillor Leese provided assurance to communication from the police, with ward residents and visitors that the city was safe councillors emailed to make them aware of the and that people should continue to come to raids immediately after they had taken place. visit the city. Following the increase in threat With a spike in hate crime following the attack, level, he also publicly explained that there councillors also had a crucial role in providing was no specific intelligence to suggest a reassurance to all parts of the community, and further attack in Manchester would take place. in understanding where tensions were, to help support long term recovery.

8 The life cycle of an emergency Given the disproportionate impact of the This approach was more publicly reflected in incident on young people, considerable the decision to continue with events such as work was undertaken to ensure that school the Manchester Games, and by supporting staff and pupils received the information and arrangements for the One Love Manchester advice they required to provide reassurance fundraising concert, which was attended by and access support if needed. Head 50,000 people at Old Trafford cricket ground teachers, college principals and early years’ less than two weeks after the arena attack. settings were kept aware of the events both immediately following the incident and during A recovery coordination group, chaired by the nine day investigation, particularly where Manchester City Council, was established activity was taking place near schools. to oversee the recovery process. An initial Manchester City Council provided details priority of the group was to commission of how to access educational psychology an impact assessment to enable a better support and the employee support helpline, understanding of the issues and the arranged drop-in events during half term pathways which individuals, organisations for children looking for support following and communities would be likely follow on the attack, and provided links to practical the road to recovery, drawing on national and advice such as attendance, polling day and international experience of previous incidents. examination information. Manchester City Council developed a recovery action plan with six work streams; welfare and health, community recovery, business and Recovery economic recovery, communications, finance, debrief and learning. Manchester City Council had previously taken a lead role in developing the GM Strategic On welfare and health, bereaved families Recovery Guidance. This meant they were supported by GM Police family liaison recognised the value of early consideration of officers and entitled to support from the the recovery phase, and began to implement National Homicide Service. For those injured recovery arrangements as soon as possible in the attack, and their families, Manchester in the response phase (the formal handover City Council ensured the provision of a lead from GM Police and transition to recovery worker to coordinate a care and support plan took place on 31 May).Their approach during including a wide range of services beyond both response and recovery was based upon health and social care. As many of the injury two underlying principles. The most important victims were from outside Manchester, this was the need to put victims at the heart of included working with their home councils; their work, providing support no matter what Joanne Roney wrote to all council chief the cost was. Normal rules, the usual need to executives early on, highlighting the need for understand which budget or cost centre was their organisations to understand whether any funding something, did not apply; and this local families had been directly impacted by was instinctively recognised. the attack.

At the same time, there was an appreciation of For Manchester City Council staff, and the need for the wider city – and Manchester other responders, there was access City Council itself – to try to restore business to employee assistance programmes as usual as soon as possible. Internally, this and occupational health provision; was reflected by the decision to go ahead best practice approaches were shared with a regular staff engagement session on across organisations. The Resilience Hub Wednesday 24 May, and the recognition of the (contactable by telephone and online) was need to maintain business as usual activities also quickly set up to provide health and alongside the response. emotional support through a number of different routes including counselling.

Learning from recent experience 9 This was available for anyone affected by A significant amount of work was undertaken the attack, such as those who attended the during both the response and recovery to concert or members of the public. promote information about how hate crimes could be reported. Alongside getting messages Manchester City Council has consistently about this into the media, council staff visited promoted the support and followed up local high schools to promote reporting tools. with its staff and councillors on using the service. The significant impact on staff Identifying and addressing the impacts on who were closely involved in managing the businesses and the economy has required response – managing tasks council officers a coordinated effort by a number of never normally expect to have to undertake organisations, including city centre businesses, – was recognised and has been repeatedly CityCo (the city centre management company acknowledged by the organisation’s senior for Manchester and Salford), Marketing leaders. Again, as with budgets, it was Manchester, Salford City Council and recognised that different rules applied; Manchester City Council. Early work was sometimes people just needed the support also undertaken to determine the short and offered in a hug. medium term impacts on retail businesses, hotel operators, the music economy and the The community recovery work stream has wider visitor economy within the city and city been overseen by a community recovery region. To achieve this, Marketing Manchester, group, which has built on earlier engagement CityCo and local businesses all helped to activities to promote cohesion. The group obtain and share information regarding footfall, worked with ward councillors, communities, reservations, flights and trading. Engagement stakeholders and partners to undertake a with businesses was supported heavily by community impact assessment and develop CityCo’s reach across the business community, a GM Challenging Extremism and Building particularly in the vicinity of the Manchester Community Cohesion Action Plan. The plan Arena. included building community (and particularly youth) resilience, countering extremism, The communications work highlighting that engaging faith and diverse communities and Manchester was open for business was supporting schools and the further/higher designed to support business and economic education sector. recovery in the city: Marketing Manchester worked closely with Visit England to seek to Alongside a wide range of other activities, ensure that perceptions of Manchester as a work has focussed on continuing to engage place to visit suffered no long term impact. and build relationships with communities Manchester City Council provided direct impacted by the attack, through one-to-ones, support to a number of people employed dialogues and workshops. The plan has by the arena who would have struggled been supported by a pre-existing campaign financially without employment after the arena and grant programme aimed at building was closed until September; efforts were community resilience to prejudice, hate made to reschedule within Manchester as and extremism, RADEQUAL. Small grants many as possible of the events cancelled due have been allocated to: support groups and to the closure. communities impacted by the attack; work across communities to identify and counter Work was undertaken to collate the costs all forms of extremism; and work with young incurred by Manchester City Council, people outside of school to build their other GM local authorities and partner understanding of extremism, enable critical organisations and make a request to thinking and help to build resilience to hate government for additional funding to cover and extremism. this. With the identified costs across all partners totalling £28 million, this was a sum that partners needed support with.

10 The life cycle of an emergency Securing funding from government proved to One example of learning being built in since be a more time consuming task for the city’s the attack is the revised mass fatalities plan political leadership than expected. for GM, with the important role bereavement nurses have to play in such incidents now Management of the We Love Manchester incorporated in a clear procedure. GM fund has proved to be a complex and resilience partners, including Manchester resource intensive challenge. Manchester City Council, are continuing to work on City Council worked with the British Red the recommendations, and it was felt that Cross to establish appropriate governance eighteen months on a lot had already been for the fund, including a group of trustees done. that combined financial and legal expertise from the local business community as well as But it was also noted that a huge amount democratic oversight through Deputy Leader, of work and resource is required after an Councillor Sue Murphy. It was key that this emergency to address lessons learnt; there is group had the right skills mix and it was also recognition that there is a difference between imperative that the trustees were actively identifying lessons, and learning them by involved, accessible and acting quickly to actually changing behaviours. The important ensure no delays in decision making. role of councillors in terms of advocacy and resourcing, ensuring the issue does not slip Decisions about awarding the £22 million off the agenda as time passes, and using funds raised have been complex. Managing soft powers to ensure multi-agency and the fund and allocating resources in interoperability lessons are addressed, were some cases became intertwined with the highlighted. victims’ anger and grief about the incident. Manchester City Council recognises the need for a process to manage donations in these circumstances. More needs to be done in advance about the lack of support, and particularly support that kicks in immediately, for victims of this type of incident.

Debriefing and understanding the lessons learnt from this emergency is just one strand of the recovery programme, but has been an important focus. GM Mayor Andy Burnham commissioned Lord Kerslake to undertake an independent assessment of the preparedness for and response to the attack, alongside the routine single and multi-agency emergency planning debriefs. The report praised the GM multi-agency approach and preparedness, highlighting the exceptional civic leadership shown by Manchester City Council and the GM Mayor in response to the attack, but made a number of recommendations for the GM Resilience Forum to enhance future preparedness and response.

Learning from recent experience 11 Suffolk North Sea tidal surge

On Friday 13 January 2017 through to the early hours of Saturday morning the East Coast experienced a North Sea tidal surge. The preparation, response and recovery activities in Suffolk were led by the Suffolk Resilience Forum in conjunction with a number of Suffolk local authorities. In 2013, areas in Suffolk had suffered devastating effects from the most serious tidal surge in over 60 years. This case study details how ongoing learning from 2013 informed the 2017 response.

Preparedness The relationship between the authorities offers a trusted partnership in the event The Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Unit of an emergency and ultimately enhances (JEPU) is responsible for assisting with effectiveness in both preparation and emergency preparedness for local authorities response. The close working relationship in Suffolk, comprising Suffolk County Council between councils through the JEPU provides and all seven district and borough councils. a good basis for the provision of mutual aid, The unit was established in 2005 in recognition with all procedures standardised to simplify that pooling resources would increase support arrangements. There is a fostered capacity and strengthen capability when sense of shared responsibility. responding to incidents or emergencies. JEPU As part of a legal agreement, each authority works with multi-agency resilience partners in Suffolk has a mandatory minimum number and voluntary and community organisations of roles which must be filled in the event to ensure that Suffolk is prepared for of an emergency, including rest centre emergencies. To mitigate the coastal flood staff, emergency control centre operatives risk JEPU works with the Environment Agency and liaison officers. The performance and and Coastal Partnership East, comprising all capability of each council is monitored and coastal facing local authorities in Norfolk and senior officers from each authority meet Suffolk, to improve flood defences, develop twice a year to discuss training needs, planning and conduct training. weaknesses that need to be addressed and The Suffolk Resilience Forum and JEPU lessons identified. Resilience has also been offer a range of training and exercises for built into the organisational structure with responders, including officers and councillors jobs for managers including roles in incident across the local authorities. The regular management as part of ‘assisting the council events, including a recent recovery exercise in responding to a Civil Contingency Act and consequence management workshop for emergency or business continuity event’. heads of service and corporate management, For councillors in Suffolk, the JEPU provides improves interaction, ensuring that partners training to clarify the role of councillors in and agencies are familiar with each other’s emergencies. capabilities.

12 The life cycle of an emergency Although they are not involved in operational The councils promote the Business Efficient decisions, there is appreciation that elected Resilience Toolkit (BERT), developed by the members benefit from the opportunity to CPE, JEPU and Environment Agency, which consider potential scenarios given that they will is a free online tool available for businesses generally have little experience of emergency to assess their ability to adapt to impacts of planning. They are provided with written severe weather and other emergencies. resources outlining key points of emergency response and recovery and their essential public-facing role within the community. Response The JEPU advocates the Government initiative In 2017, early warnings from the Environment for community resilience through local Agency were received on Monday 9 January, volunteers. There are numerous community indicating a low likelihood that high tides emergency planning groups (CEPGs) might cause minor impacts from Wednesday throughout Suffolk which are available to 11 January through to the end of the week. support the council and emergency services As a precaution the Lowestoft temporary in the event of an emergency. Within the flood barrier was deployed and construction Suffolk Resilience Forum Flood Plan, there commenced. are bespoke arrangements for vulnerable locations with details about the local CEPGs Following the receipt of new flood guidance and how their knowledge of the area and of from the Environment Agency on Wednesday vulnerable residents can assist emergency 11 January, the Suffolk Resilience Forum responders, particularly those unfamiliar with set up the Tactical Coordinating Group to the area. JEPU offers training in rest centre assist with contingency planning and the operations for these volunteers, so that they prioritisation of the multi-agency response. can support the statutory obligations of both The group was set up on this occasion the council and emergency services during following learning from the 2013 incident, an incident. where the failure to establish a group led to ineffective multi-agency coordination. The tidal surge in 2013 caused widespread While establishing the Tactical Coordinating flooding in Suffolk, damaging 231 properties, Group worked much better during the contaminating over 500 hectares of farmland 2017 response, learning suggested that and affecting 117 businesses, mainly in the the location of the group would be better town of Lowestoft. As a result, Waveney sited near the police silver command to District Council purchased a temporary flood improve information sharing and situational barrier which, following receipt of a flood awareness. warning, can be erected across four locations to safeguard the town of Lowestoft. The JEPU Mutual aid was activated by the responders, ran a workshop for all those who would be with additional staff dispatched from across involved in deciding whether to erect the the country to assist with the response. While barrier, including the construction crews and the impacts were predominantly assessed as local businesses, where parts of the barrier likely to affect Waveney and Suffolk Coastal sit on private land. District Councils, other local authorities provided support and mutual assistance. In the aftermath of 2013, the local councils Suffolk County Council established a hotline also encouraged businesses to look at their and their Emergency Control Centre to own business continuity and make simple assist with coordinating support and other changes to their operations to become more local authorities earmarked volunteers and flood resilient. equipment for rest centres in the affected areas.

Learning from recent experience 13 To adapt to the needs of the situation On Friday 13 January evacuation of some councils implemented a ‘just in time’ training residents began. The Environment Agency scheme; identifying roles within response recommended the evacuation of people structures that require little prior training. from the severe flood warning areas and Volunteers from within the workforce who are social media, leafleting and door knocking able to provide support are given a short by Suffolk Constabulary was used to alert briefing and work under the supervision of affected residents. The flood zone postcode experienced staff. This process has mitigated data, developed by the Environment Agency some of the impacts of dwindling resource following the 2013 incident, was invaluable and staff levels and provides extra support in coordinating the evacuation, with to authorities and the community during an enhancements including: the ‘sectorisation’ incident. of the flood zones into distinct areas based on the flood risk to individual properties; the The communication teams, working inclusion of the total number of commercial collaboratively as ‘Communicate Suffolk’, and residential properties within each flood played a key role in the response, providing zone and alterations to the postcode data messaging and information to residents to allow the results to be collated; plus and councillors throughout the event. the sharing of maps showing flood zones, With evacuation planning underway, staff transport hubs and rest centres with CEPGs identified problems in the mixed messaging to enhance their support during evacuations. that residents were receiving between local updates and national news. While Suffolk Four council rest centres were set up by made the decision not to evacuate residents Waveney and Suffolk Coastal District Councils until the day of the flooding, national media and Suffolk County Council arranged was reporting evacuations in neighbouring transport for evacuated residents. Volunteers Lincolnshire and Essex, causing confusion from the councils ran the emergency control in the community. Communicate Suffolk used centres, rest centres and helpline and non- social media to interact with residents, explain affected councils earmarked staff for second the reasoning behind the decision and quell and subsequent shifts, including volunteers any fears that there was any need to evacuate trained under the ‘just in time’ scheme. immediately. A number of community emergency planning A number of requests were made by groups activated town or parish response local residents for sandbags and the plans, including setting up village halls/sports communications team had to relay the clubs as places of refuge. In retrospect, the council’s policy, adopted by all Suffolk local councils realised that they could have made authorities, which is not to provide sandbags better use of the community’s leadership due to their inefficacy and because it is a and goodwill. There is a need to properly home owners’ responsibility to install flood use the CEPGs and integrate them into the mitigation measure for their property. It response. For example, there are now plans became apparent that a large proportion of to engage with CEPGs and provide local residents were unaware of the policy or did authority trained staff to resource community not know what flood resilience products are rest centres. This would make far better use available for properties. A key lesson is the of local resources, reduce some of the strain need to be more proactive in communicating on the council and improve the evacuation the policy and providing information on the response rate for local residents. This was council website about sandbags and flood due to be explored further in an exercise resilience products. The councils are also being held in autumn 2018. working with the Environment Agency to provide residents living in flood risk areas with information on how to protect their homes and businesses.

14 The life cycle of an emergency Recovery A culture of continuous learning is embedded in the local authorities so that lessons from The 2013 event highlighted the blurred each event are applied in the preparation, line between response and recovery and a response and recovery of the next one. need to adapt the initial recovery effort to Particular lessons in community leadership reflect that. In 2017 the forum established a and visibility informed Waveney District recovery working group during the response Council’s actions following a large fire on the phase to collate information from agencies high street in Halesworth in June 2018 which to determine which areas had been affected destroyed two historic buildings and caused and the level of impact. A community impact significant disruption to numerous businesses assessment is now completed based upon and the surrounding area. actual on-scene assessments which are A community help point was set up by JEPU widely shared to complete a comprehensive during the response, with visible presence picture of the results of any flooding. This both within and outside the cordon zone. improves situational awareness and enables This facilitated high levels of engagement the more efficient prioritisation of recovery with both the incident commander and effort and distribution of resources. business and residents outside of the In 2013, the council received criticism for cordon. Building control provided structural not being visible at the start of the recovery advice, highways implemented diversion phase to support residents affected by routes around the town centre and the local flooding. The JEPU devised the concept of councillor, supported by the town council a community help point to provide a physical and communications, provided reassurance presence within communities and deliver and advice. In the immediate aftermath, the situational awareness. The community help council convened a public meeting to engage point is set up quickly to help determine what with local residents and start to consider the local support is required, signpost where longer-term support to businesses affected support is available and to provide a focal by the fire. Through regular meetings the point for councillors and other services, such local authority has remained engaged with as housing or insurance companies, to work the recovery process and taken a leading through. This helps to ensure that councils role in promoting the high street as ‘open are aware of any ongoing issues and remain for business’ to encourage footfall and actively engaged within the community as regenerate a thriving community. part of their leadership role.

Fortunately, in 2017 the threat from the tidal surge subsided and very little flooding occurred; there were no deaths or serious injuries, although on Saturday 14 January, a walker was killed after a section of cliff collapsed. In the immediate aftermath the councils emphasised the importance of learning lessons to improve procedures and the effectiveness of decision making.

Learning from recent experience 15 Summary of key themes

No two emergencies are identical and all Simulation exercises offer an invaluable incidents will inevitably require tailored opportunity for local resilience partners to test responses. However, this section draws their plans and adapt them as necessary. In out a number of the key themes that have particular, they provide a chance to consider emerged from both case studies in this guide how changing environmental conditions need for consideration by other councils as they to be factored in, for example, roadworks, consider their own strategies for emergency special events, time of day. management from preparedness through to recovery. Training does not have to remain within the organisation. If there are local community Established, trusted relationships enhance or voluntary organisations which could be the effectiveness of response. utilised in the event of an emergency it is The level of trust that has to be present to worth thinking about whether training could enable multi-agency responders to operate be tailored to enable them to provide a as a team at a moment of crisis cannot support function as well. be underestimated and requires proper investment of time beforehand. Local Clarity of roles and responsibilities is vital, resilience forums offer a ready platform but not at the expense of being able to for developing these relationships, and adapt as conditions require. senior leaders should be encouraged to Being clear about who is expected to do participate to help solidify relationships and what provides a head start at the time of an understanding that will be needed during the emergency. But effective leadership also response to an incident. means being flexible about what is needed and adapting roles and responsibilities This principle applies not only to relationships accordingly. This principle particularly holds between organisations, but also within in the case of senior officers leading the them. In a council context, good working managerial response to an incident, whose relationships between the council executive, leadership may need to be visible in different senior management team and emergency forums with varying stakeholders at different planners will lay the groundwork for an points in the response and, especially, the effective response. recovery.

It pays off to invest time in training. It is important to ensure good situational Training is a crucial element in building both awareness for members and community individual and collective capabilities to deal voluntary groups through regular updates with emergencies. The building blocks for as an incident unfolds. Assurances about useful training can be laid with the induction when they can be expected to be briefed, process for both members and officers, their role and to what extent they can assist to ensure that they are aware of agreed by providing community leadership and procedures and plans as well as what will engagement should be explained. be expected of themselves and others if an incident should occur.

16 The life cycle of an emergency Communication with the public has to sound emergency preparedness. Apart from be timely, sensitive and accurate but the rare occasions, normal council business does biggest risk may be in waiting too long to not completely stop during emergencies. give out messages. Having alternate arrangements in place for Depending on the nature of an event, both political and managerial leadership of messages may start to circulate even before day-to-day business while the leader and an emergency has occurred, for example chief executive may have to focus on the in a weather-related incident. There is a emergency can help to ensure continuity. delicate balance between making sure These arrangements may be different from that information given out is accurate and the traditional ‘business continuity plans’ that being fleet of foot. Particularly against the councils have in case of service disruption. backdrop of social media, others can start to fill a perceived communications gap in almost Work with the grain of your community’s no time at all. response. For the most part, emergencies draw out the Being clear in advance about what channels best instincts of residents and communities people should turn to in the event of who want to help, contribute and come an emergency can help direct traffic to together. There is a lot to be gained from appropriate communications, for example, letting communities take the lead in what the council website, dedicated hotline, healing and recovery looks and feels like social media account or local radio station. to them. It may not always be 100 per cent Credibility has to be established well before possible to accommodate every plan or idea, an emergency hits; people will naturally but working with the spirit of what is sought turn to whom they trust the most during an can ensure a positive outcome. emergency. Voluntary and community sector organisations Being on top of basic details should can play a particularly helpful role in providing be a fundamental part of emergency a bridge between councils and residents. preparedness as it gets the response off to These relationships are most effective when a stronger start. they are established well before and outside of Having a list of contact details for key council the context of an emergency. officers and partner organisations and knowing who is on leave and authorised to Be prepared to ask for help. act in their place are the basics that ensure Effective leaders are able to look clearly that valuable time is not lost when an incident at a situation and identify when they occurs. As council workforces shrink, teams need additional support. Some parts of get restructured and officers move to new the country have established mutual aid roles, the task of keeping on top of such arrangements, while others have tended to details gets more challenging, but is worth call on peer support on an ad hoc basis. investing in. It is a good idea for all councils to have discussions with neighbouring authorities Other practicalities are also worth considering about how they might be able to support each in advance. For example, if a rest centre had other in the event of an emergency. National to be set up, how would they be equipped organisations such as the Local Government and staffed. If the response takes a number Association (LGA) and Solace are always on of days, how would staffing resource be hand to try to broker support as needed. planned and mutual aid activated. Asking for help also extends to the personal Plans have to be in place for how business level. Emergencies can be taxing for as usual will continue. individuals, both emotionally and physically. It Being able to maintain as much normality and is important to reach out to peers for personal continuity as possible when an emergency or professional support in order to be able to has occurred is a fundamental element of lead recovery over the long haul.

Learning from recent experience 17 Being able to lead effectively at the time of an emergency is as much about culture as strategy. Plans and strategies may be the blueprints of a response, but flexibility and a strong collaborative culture will be the glue that binds it all together and brings it to life. That is why it is particularly worth reflecting on the values and behaviours demonstrated during response and recovery so that future planning in its widest sense also takes into account broader learning and development needs to improve resilience.

Keep an eye on lasting impacts on residents and businesses. After an incident has occurred, there may be issues that are outside of councils’ control, but will have an indelible impact on our communities’ experience of recovery. For example, difficulties in getting insurance companies to pay out, challenges in accessing mental health services or delays in receiving compensation from government schemes can prolong a sense of trauma. Although councils may not have direct levers in these cases, it is worth keeping track of them so that council leaders can try to use their soft influence and leverage to secure a positive outcome for residents wherever possible.

18 The life cycle of an emergency

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