Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar 2013/14 Emergency Planning Annual Report
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COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR 2013/14 EMERGENCY PLANNING ANNUAL REPORT 1. INTRODUCTION This is the second annual report detailing the Emergency Planning Service within Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It covers the financial year 2013/14 and details the framework and activities undertaken to support and deliver the statutory function across the Comhairle and wider Community. We live in a complex and increasingly interdependent society. Whilst this brings many benefits, it also leaves us, potentially, more vulnerable to a number of challenges. These challenges take many forms, both new and old. Irrespective of the nature of the challenge, maintaining the continuity of our way of life or returning to relative normality after a disruptive event, requires resilience. Resilience is defined as “the capacity of an individual, community or system to adapt in order to sustain an acceptable level of function, structure and identity”. In all of this, a robust civil contingencies planning process is a key factor in establishing resilience. 2. LEGISLATION 2.1 The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 seeks to minimise disruption in the event of an emergency and to ensure that the UK is better prepared to deal with a range of emergencies. The Act applies to the whole of the UK, reflects the various devolution settlements and is separated into two substantive parts: • Part 1: focuses on local arrangements for civil protection, establishing a statutory framework of roles and responsibilities for local responders; • Part 2: focuses on emergency powers, establishing a framework for the use of special legislative measures that may be required to deal with exceptionally serious emergencies. 2.2 The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 Whilst responsibility for most resilience and civil contingencies matters is devolved, some key issues, such as national security, counter-terrorism and energy policy, are reserved to the UK. In 2006 the UK and Scottish governments agreed a concordat to ensure effective cooperation on civil contingencies issues and consistent application of the Act across the UK. Whilst this is not a legally binding document, there is a strong expectation that both governments will continue to observe its terms. 2.3 Other Legislation • Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH) • Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996 (PSR) 2.3 New Resilience Structures in Scotland As a consequence of the move to a single Police and Fire Service in Scotland, the existing 8 Strategic Co-ordinating Group (Constabulary areas, SCG’s) were changed to 3 Regional Resilience Partnerships areas (RRP’s) – each supported by Local Resilience Partnerships (LRP’s) on 1st November 2013. The 3 RRP areas mirror the North, East and West areas established by Police and Fire to support strategic management of their local activity. However the local flexibility that exists for partners to determine the most effective area- based, and functional, working will be maintained. It is widely agreed that the majority of multi-agency response activity would continue to be managed at a localised level. Amendments to the Civil Contingencies Act Regulations were included in the Police and Fire reform process, these Regulations simply change the name SCG to RRP and re-designate the boundary areas. 3. RESPONDERS The Act imposes specific duties on two categories of ‘responders’: • Category 1 responders are defined as the police, ambulance, fire and rescue services, local authorities, NHS Health Boards and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Whilst the majority of Scottish Category 1 responders operate exclusively within Scotland, the responsibilities of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) extends to the entire UK. • Category 2 responders are defined as gas and electricity companies, transport operators, highway and harbour authorities, telecommunications providers, Scottish Water, the Health and Safety Executive and NHS National Services Scotland. 4. THE ACT’S 7 DUTIES There are seven main duties under Part 1 of the Act, aimed at ensuring effective arrangements are in place for planning for emergencies, responding to emergencies and the continued delivery of services. i. Duty to assess risk ii. Duty to maintain emergency plans iii. Duty to maintain business continuity plans iv. Duty to promote business continuity v. Duty to communicate with the public vi. Duty to share information vii. Duty to co-operate. 5. INTEGRATED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: DOCTRINE AND PRINCIPLES How we develop resilience in the Western Isles is based on the doctrine of Integrated Emergency Management (IEM). The aim of IEM is to develop flexible and adaptable arrangements in response to emergencies, whether foreseen or unforeseen. It is based on a multi-agency approach and the effective co-ordination of those agencies. It involves Category 1 and Category 2 responders (as defined in the Act) and also the voluntary sector, local businesses and our communities. This wider approach to the concept of resilience will ensure that we make use of all skills and resources at our disposal and will play a central role in working towards the outcome of having strong, resilient and supportive communities. 6. WESTERN ISLES EMERGENCY PLANNING COORDINATING GROUP (WIEPCG) The WIEPCG was formed in the late 1990’s, in 2005 it was reviewed and restructured to reflect the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act and to respond to the gaps identified during the Severe Weather event in January 2005. It represents the interests of all the Category 1, 2 organisations and voluntary groups in the Western Isles. The role of WIEPCG is to promote effective integrated emergency preparedness in the Western Isles. The Group meets 4 times per annum in its multi-agency planning mode and as required during the response to and recovery from a major emergency or significant disruptive event in the community. The Chair of the WIEPCG is currently the Police Area Commander; the Vice Chair is the Local Maritime & Coastguard Agency Rescue Team Manager. The Group is administered by CNES Emergency Planning. The Uist and Barra Emergency Planning sub-group meets twice a year in planning mode (October & February) the Chair Alasdair MacEachan CNES, attends WIEPCG planning meetings in Stornoway. The Barra Emergency Planning Group was formed in 2013, the multi-agency Group is chaired by Police Scotland. The Group received training in the form of the Scottish Resilience “Integrated Emergency Management” course in November 2013 which was delivered by CNES, blue light planning partners and the RRP training and Exercising Coordinator. 6.1 Partnership Working CNES Emergency Planning are leading on a number of Resilience workstreams and are represented on the following Regional & Local Groups; • CNES Chief Executive, Malcolm Burr is a member of the North Area Regional Resilience Partnership (RRP) and the Highlands & Islands Local Resilience Partnership (LRP). • Andy MacDonald, CNES Risk & Emergency Planning Manager attends the H&I LRP and is a member of the Highlands & Islands LRP working group. • Regional Animal Health Group • Outer Hebrides local Flood Risk Management Plan District Partnership • Western Isles Care for People affected by Emergencies Group • HIAL Airport(s) Planning Groups • WIEPCG Exercise Planning Group • Western Isles Community Risk Register Group • West of Scotland Marine Safety Committee • Western Isles Public Health Outbreak Control Team 7. EMERGENCY PLANS Emergency Planning meets the Comhairles statutory and humanitarian obligations to be prepared, in the form of contingency plans, to respond to and mitigate the effects of Emergencies on Communities in the Western Isles. The Comhairle also supports local businesses with advice on Business Continuity matters to ensure essential services can be delivered during and following any disruptive challenge to our Communities. 7.1 Current Comhairle Plans: • CNES Emergency Plan • CNES Severe Weather Plan • Western Isles Emergency Rest Centre(s) Plan • Western Isles Mass Fatalities Plan • Western Isles Multi Agency Response Plan • Recovery Plan • Control of Major Accident Hazards Plan (COMAH) (Off Site) SGN Top Tier Site, Stornoway • Pipeline Safety Plan, SGN Site - No2 Pier/SGN Site, Stornoway • Oil Pollution Plans (Technical Services Department) 8. COMMUNITY RESILIENCE Community resilience is defined by the Scottish Government as: "Communities and individuals harnessing resources and expertise to help themselves prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies, in a way that complements the work of the emergency responders." It is based on a culture of preparedness, in which individuals, communities and organisations take responsibility to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. Preparing Scotland, Scottish Guidance on Resilience states that all responders should support the development of community resilience and should apply and encourage an innovative approach. Building community resilience should not be seen as an add-on, but should be carried out as part of responders' day-to-day activities. The potential return on investment for responders in promoting community resilience is high, as they can unlock skills, knowledge and resources held by the entire community. CNES Emergency Planning have fully supported the principles of Community Resilience in 2013/14 and encouraged Community Groups to prepare Community Emergency Plans using the National templates. Community Resilience Workshops were held in