Disaster Management - Essay Example

Introduction Two incidents at Blackpool involving chemical attack at the Blackpool Promenade and the Blackpool Tower are suspected to perpetrated by terrorists. There are also information available at Skelmersdale linking the two incidents to suspected perpetrators. This paper examines the command structure that would be applied to deal with this incident, the responsibilities of the category one responders, makes a discussion of the issues arising with respect to identification and treatment of casualties, evaluates issues regarding warning, informing the public, and incident communication, formulates a strategy to deal with the attending media representatives, and presents a draft press statement for the media. The command structure to deal with the incident The response to this disaster would require a multi-level co-ordinated command structure of a devolved administration. This would include the central government’s cabinet office, the lead department and other departments, the regional civil contingencies committees, the strategic gold, the tactical silver, and the operational level bronze (Anonymous 2005). While the devolved administrations would be in charge of managing the entire emergence, each group would respond to the specific aspects of the emergency that lies within their policies and expertise. Thus, the concerned administrations would initiate their own response and co-ordination as appropriate, and offer support on the management of the disaster. The aim would be to avoid extensive impact, while attempting to restore normalcy. The flow of command would to be observed to avoid any confusion in the direction to take in case of opposing views or other such factors that may result to a standoff. The response to the emergency in Blackpool would adhere to the United Kingdom’s idea of lead government department (LGD). The devolved administration would take the overall charge of the situation to co-ordinate presentation and handling. The central government would be represented by the Cabinet Office and its various departments including the Lead Government Department. The Cabinet Office in consultation with the office of the Prime Minister would decide and select the most suitable Lead Government Department to lead in responding to the attack, especially when the LGD is not clear. The Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) would be activated to support the lead government department in managing the response (Anonymous 2005). It would be chaired by the Prime Ministers who would be in charge of harnessing every possible resource required in the operation. The Cabinet Office would preside over preliminary meetings or any other meetings that require its intervention, like in clarifying any uncertainty during response, while other government departments assume roles within their policy. The Prime Minister could also nominate the Home Secretary or a senior Minister to direct the central government’s response through COBR. However, the Home Secretary should assume the leadership of the cabinet’s Civil Contingencies Committee in COBR in case there were any appointments. Either the lead government department or the Cabinet Office can preside over the meetings of officers in the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms. A Government Liaison Officer would provide the link between the COBR and the Strategic Co-ordinating Group, and in particular the strategic gold commander. The Regional Civil Contingencies Committee would also be convened as a Regional Resilience Tier (RRT) under the discretion of the lead government department and/or the Cabinet Office. The roles of this committee would be to support communication between the national and local level as well as co-ordinate various local agencies, and identify and task resources. The various agencies that the Regional Civil Contingency Committees would be in charge of include the Local Strategic Coordinating group. The strategic Gold commander would receive commands directly from the Local Strategic Coordinating Group, and would in turn oversee the operations of the Tactical Silver and the Operational Bronze. However, the Operational Bronze would be under the direct command of the Tactical Silver. The responsibilities of the Category One Responders to be involved in the response There are a number of the Category One Responders who would have various responsibilities in dealing with the Blackpool incidents. These responders include the statutory emergency services, the local authorities, the national health service, and other relevant agencies such as the environmental agency. Each would of these responders would have specific responsibilities that befits their area of expertise. The emergency services are required to be ready at all time, and would provide the initial response to the Blackpool disaster as well as alert other services including the local authorities. The emergency services that would be required in this incident include the police, fire and rescue, coastguard services, ambulance, and the British Transport Police. The police would have the responsibilities of co-ordinating all the activities of other responders at the Blackpool incidents as well as the investigations at Skelmersdale. It would be their responsibility to ensure that the scenes of the incidences are preserved to allow subsequent investigations. The police would be required to establish and preserve cordons not only to facilitate the activities of other responders in saving life, caring for the survivors, protecting the public, but also to protect the scene. The police would also conduct searches, while taking the primary role of managing the safety of everyone involved within the cordons. The police would also be involved in overseeing the investigation of the suspects, in processing casualty information and making arrangements for the dead, and in co-ordinating searches. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency would be responsible of search and rescue activities in the maritime zone since the Blackpool promenade is close to the sea. They would also be required to deal with issues of the sea pollution. The fire and rescue service would be charged with rescuing people trapped in the Blackpool Towers as a result of the fire and its effect. They would be required to prevent further effect of the fire through control and protective measures as well as extinguishing. They would also examine the status of the released chemicals to advice on the safety of the zones. area and This service would also assist in decontamination of the chemical substances, handling of the casualty, and recovery of bodies. The fire service would also take the lead on health issues of people within the cordon. The various arms of the national health service would also take various responsibilities. The ambulance services have the responsibilities of sustaining life by offering on-site treatment, determining the priority of releasing trapped casualties as well as decontamination, and transporting casualties to hospitals. Hospitals would offer medical treatments and provide trained staffs who would either form part of the team of mobile medical officers or manage the medical resources at the emergency area. The primary care trust (PCT) would be involved in planning processes of the emergency. The NHS public heath arm would also provide advice to the emergency services, the public and even NHS organizations on matters regarding, for instance, diseases and other hazards resulting from radiological, nuclear, chemical and biological substances. The HM Coroner would be charged with investigating the cause of deaths as well as how, when and who died. The local authorities include the county councils, the borough councils, and unitary authorities such as the Blackpool. The primary concern of the Blackpool local authorities would be to provide support to people in through collaboration with the emergency services. They would also be responsible for mitigating effects of the emergency on people, infrastructure and properties, co-ordinating the voluntary sector, and providing support in case of disruptions. The local authorities would also lead in facilitating community rehabilitation and environmental restoration. The environmental protection agency would be involved primarily in protection of the environment. It would thus be required to offer remedial actions in mitigating and preventing environmental effects of the emergency, provide expert advice, provide warnings on potential effect to people, and investigate the cause of the emergency as well as monitor its effects. Discussion of the issues arising with respect to identification and treatment of casualties It is important to know various issues that arise in regard to the identification and treatment of causalities of the Blackpool emergency. The emergency affects several group of people who include the dead, the injured survivors, the uninjured survivors, families and friends of these victims, onlookers, and responders (United Kingdom Cabinet Office p.40). Treatment and care is the primary issue arising out of the injured survivors. However, the injured would need clearage for triage, especially if the resources are not sufficient. The victims who need quick medical attention would be given priority for treatment. The need for transporting the injured to hospital for further treatment would necessitate assessment of the of victims stability. Therefore, stabilization measures would be carried out before any evacuation of unstable victims is done. There is also the consideration on transporting injured survivors to hospitals, where there maybe need to use a helicopter. Other issues include establishment of on-site medical communications, medical staff transportation, the need to have a medical incident officer (MIO), provision and replenishment of ambulance and medical resources and supplies. There are also identification and treatment issues arising with the uninjured survivors. Although not injured physically, the uninjured victims may suffer from trauma, shock, grief, and intense anxiety. This group of the victim would therefore require sensitivity while being treated. The uninjured survivors often frantically seek information and may want to know of their relatives, colleagues and friends, about the incident and other survivors, and what would happen to them. Issues such the need for warmth and shelter, social support, food and drink and first aids as well as toilet, washing and changing facilities may also arise. Uninjured survivors, moreover, may be required to provide vital information about the incident as well as about other survivors. Prioritizing between removing these victims from the incident scene and retaining them to provide information is an issue that need carful balance. While the onlookers could also suffer from trauma, they are vital in proving information of an incident. There is also the issue of identifying friends and relatives of the victims, which necessitate creation of reception at appropriate locations. These people require accurate information. They may suffer intense anxiety, grief or shock and therefore require sympathetic approach. Regarding the responders is the issue of determining the identity and whereabouts of persons. This would require establishment of a casualty bureau to act as the central point for contact and information, and for distributing information about the incident and casualties. In respect to the identification of the dead there are certain issues that may arise. These include the information and emotional needs of the bereaved, the welfare of the responders, expert approval of the death, and the need to protect evidence. Recognisability of the dead persons is another issue. The need for mass burial may arise in case some dead bodies cannot be identified. This would raise other issues such as preferences of various religious groups in dealing with the dead bodies, especially if they believer their faithful to be among the victims. Evaluation of issues regarding warning, informing the public, and incident communication The issues regarding warning and informing the public are diverse. First, there is need to align with the statutory requirements. Thus, as required by law, the public must be informed of the risks associated with emergency, and the preparedness of the category one responders in dealing with them. The public should also be given warning and advice about the emergency. This informing, warning, and advise should be continuous until the emergency is fully resolved. Warning and informing the public also requires accountability as identification of the office or person in charge of providing credible information. Protocol is necessary and unauthorized person must not give out information regarding the emergency. It is essential that the public is not alarmed unnecessarily. The cost and type of media are other issues considered in warning and disseminating information to the public. The information should be able to reach a wide reach of audience. Identifying the audience type is also important. Strategy formulation to deal with the attending media representatives A strategy for dealing with the attending media representatives is vital (HM Government 2005, p.43). Regulation of access to the emergency area would be established. The police would be in charge of enforcing the control to ensure that the media does not interfere with the rescue operations or available evidence. However, a media liaison point would be created close to the scene of emergency to serve in receiving and authenticating media personnel, and informing them on various arrangements. A media liaison officer from the police would be nominated to offer credible response to media questions, although some senior staff and specialist would be allowed brief interviews with the media. Assistance would also be sought from the government news network (GNN) in form of technical support, staffing the media centre, handling VIP guests, and liaising with the lead government department. The Access Overload Control for Cellular Radio Telephones would be invoked to allow priority of using cellular telephone system to important organizations. The media would be briefed and frankly given explanations on crucial points like the need to avoid speculation and provide accurate information. A good relationship would be established with the media to avert other problems. Pooling arrangements would be effected if the media representatives becomes every large, and because of security and safety considerations. A draft press statement for the attending media 25 November 2009 The Cabinet Office, The United Kingdom Government Blackpool A suspect terrorist attack at Blackpool The government of United Kingdom has learnt of a suspected chemical and suicide terrorist attack at Blackpool Promenade and Blackpool Tower that has affected several people. The government has launched response and investigations into the incidents and wish to co-operate with everyone to resolve this emergency. The department of Internal Security supported by the Cabinet Office Briefing Room will take the lead in overseeing the response. The Cabinet Office Briefing Room will be headed by the Prime Minister, and will be responsible for disseminating information about the emergency. We advise people not to go to these affected areas, especially at the Blackpool Promenade to avoid further victims. Cabinet Office will give clearance once it establishes the safety of the area. The public can inquire about the victims and the incident through the reception set by the Cabinet Office Briefing Room at Winter Gardens. Other groups wishing to know about the emergency should contact the media liaison officer or visit the media liaison point located immediately after the outer cordon outside the Blackpool Towers. We appeal to all the government departments as well as the public, the private sector and the international community for support in dealing with this disaster. Information about the emergency will be released after every three hours through the media and the emergency website (www.blackpooldisaster.com). Further assistance can be obtained by contacting the Cabinet Office Briefing Room at 800-2-2222, 800-2-2222, 800-3-2222, or 800-3-2222. Conclusion This paper has examined the command structure that would be applied to deal with this incident, the responsibilities of the category one responders, makes a discussion of the issues arising with respect to identification and treatment of casualties, evaluates issues regarding warning, informing the public, and incident communication, formulates a strategy to deal with the attending media representatives, and presents a draft press statement for the media. Reference list Anonymous 2005, Central government arrangements for responding to an emergency: concept of operations. HM Government 2005, Emergency Response and Recovery, United Kingdom Government, UK. United Kingdom Cabinet Office, Dealing with disaster, 3rd Edition Read More

The Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) would be activated to support the lead government department in managing the response (Anonymous 2005). It would be chaired by the Prime Ministers who would be in charge of harnessing every possible resource required in the operation. The Cabinet Office would preside over preliminary meetings or any other meetings that require its intervention, like in clarifying any uncertainty during response, while other government departments assume roles within their policy.

The Prime Minister could also nominate the Home Secretary or a senior Minister to direct the central government’s response through COBR. However, the Home Secretary should assume the leadership of the cabinet’s Civil Contingencies Committee in COBR in case there were any appointments. Either the lead government department or the Cabinet Office can preside over the meetings of officers in the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms. A Government Liaison Officer would provide the link between the COBR and the Strategic Co-ordinating Group, and in particular the strategic gold commander.

The Regional Civil Contingencies Committee would also be convened as a Regional Resilience Tier (RRT) under the discretion of the lead government department and/or the Cabinet Office. The roles of this committee would be to support communication between the national and local level as well as co-ordinate various local agencies, and identify and task resources. The various agencies that the Regional Civil Contingency Committees would be in charge of include the Local Strategic Coordinating group.

The strategic Gold commander would receive commands directly from the Local Strategic Coordinating Group, and would in turn oversee the operations of the Tactical Silver and the Operational Bronze. However, the Operational Bronze would be under the direct command of the Tactical Silver. The responsibilities of the Category One Responders to be involved in the response There are a number of the Category One Responders who would have various responsibilities in dealing with the Blackpool incidents.

These responders include the statutory emergency services, the local authorities, the national health service, and other relevant agencies such as the environmental agency. Each would of these responders would have specific responsibilities that befits their area of expertise. The emergency services are required to be ready at all time, and would provide the initial response to the Blackpool disaster as well as alert other services including the local authorities. The emergency services that would be required in this incident include the police, fire and rescue, coastguard services, ambulance, and the British Transport Police.

The police would have the responsibilities of co-ordinating all the activities of other responders at the Blackpool incidents as well as the investigations at Skelmersdale. It would be their responsibility to ensure that the scenes of the incidences are preserved to allow subsequent investigations. The police would be required to establish and preserve cordons not only to facilitate the activities of other responders in saving life, caring for the survivors, protecting the public, but also to protect the scene.

The police would also conduct searches, while taking the primary role of managing the safety of everyone involved within the cordons. The police would also be involved in overseeing the investigation of the suspects, in processing casualty information and making arrangements for the dead, and in co-ordinating searches. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency would be responsible of search and rescue activities in the maritime zone since the Blackpool promenade is close to the sea. They would also be required to deal with issues of the sea pollution.

The fire and rescue service would be charged with rescuing people trapped in the Blackpool Towers as a result of the fire and its effect. They would be required to prevent further effect of the fire through control and protective measures as well as extinguishing.

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