Community Resilience –

Engaging with Stakeholders

Michael Gurden

Senior Emergency Planning Officer

Essex Civil Protection & Emergency Management for Essex County Fire & Rescue Service

Email : michael.gurden@essex.gov.uk

• Brief reminder of Command and Control

• LA responsibilities

• ECPEM role

• Recovery

• Initiatives

Emergency Response

Emergencies are co-ordinated on a multi-

agency response at three levels: -

• Strategic Gold

• Tactical Silver

• Operational Bronze

Essex Civil Protection & Emergency

Management

In January 2012 Essex County Fire &

Rescue Service formed a partnership with

Essex County Council and formed the

ECPEM team (formally ECC Emergency

Planning)

Responsibilities During An Emergency

• Emergency Assistance Shelter (Rest Centre; Family and Friends Reception Centre, Humanitarian Assistance Centre)

• Support Police at Survivor

Reception Centre

• Recovery and Clear-up

• Memorials and anniversary remembrance

• Transportation

• Children’s Services

• Adult Social Care

• Co-ordinate the voluntary agencies

• Co-ordinate mutual aid

District, Borough

and City Councils

Essex County Council

ECPEM Role

• Provide 24/7 Duty Officer Cover

• Maintain an Emergency Response Capability in the CERC with

trained volunteers from ECC

• Enable ECC to work with partners i.e. County Strategic Group (CSG

formed from Corporate Leadership Team and the Political

Leadership Team) and the County Tactical Group (CTG)

• Provide Liaison / Support Officer for ECC Gold representative at

Multi Agency Strategic Command Group (Gold)

• Co-ordinate the work of the Voluntary Network

• Co-ordinate the response should several LA’s be involved

7

Community Resilience

Recovery

How is it managed? Long Term – The Scene

• Recovery cannot be underestimated in terms of

resources and time

• Decontamination

• Waste/Hazardous Material Disposal

• Resurfacing

• Co-ordinate utilities

• Environmental monitoring

Recovery

Long Term – The People

Health Issues

Psychological Issues / Trauma

Crisis Support Team for Essex (CSTE)

provides:

• Emotional and practical support for the people of

Essex who have been affected by a disaster

Recovery

Long Term – The Businesses

Business recovery including:-

• Employment Issues

• Revenue Issues

• Redevelopment Opportunities

• Rejuvenation of the local economy

Current Initiatives

Communicating with the public is a duty on all Category 1 Responders

• Multi Agency working on warning and informing under the ERF

• Engaging with communities

• Working with the local media

• Innovative ways to deliver messages to the wider community

• Establishing a National Awareness Course at the Easingwold

Emergency Planning Collage

• Developed a protocol for Variable Message System (Highways

Agency)

• Developing Community Resilience through schools

Working with Schools

Developing tool kits to engage children to

raise their awareness on emergency

planning through fun activities meeting the

national curriculum

Community Resilience

• “To engage the public to take responsibility for

themselves, their family and the wider community prior

to an emergency is difficult….the lack of interest is

characteristic of many people…..”

• Larsson and Enders 1997

• Research suggests that engagement with the community

is cost effective and can change behaviour

Community Engagement with

Stakeholders Our aim

• Promote Community Resilience through Schools

Objectives

• Make schools a safer place for children and other school

users

• To create an environment for Children to learn and share

• To change behaviour

• To develop community resilience through Children

• Example ………..Tilly and the Tsunami

What if we could make a resilient child who is able to…….

Be confident

Communicate

Listen and understand

Understand and follow

rules

Think and plan ahead

Perceive risks and

hazards

Make considered

choices

Work in teams

Have a good

community spirit

Understand

emergencies

Appreciate the roles

of emergency

services

Interactive learning

Children aged 6

years to 11 years

learning about

Emergencies

Whatif……? CD

www.whatif-guidance.org

Interactive

Strategic Planning

5. Do you now have a Grab Bag at home, ready for

any emergency?

36%

64%

Yes

No

7. Did you enjoy the Ben and Molly 'What If'

game?

79%

21%

Yes

No

6. Do you know what a Rest Centre is?

78%

22%

Yes

No

8. Did you look at the 'What If' calendar?

63%

37%Yes

No

Working with partners

Community Engagement

• Are you ready for winter campaign

• Using “What if” to draw the children, which draws the parents

• Engagement with other ECC Services – Trading Standards, Social

Care, Fire Service

• Positive response by All – this event acted as a trigger

• Engagement with media

• Getting the media on your side – local and national

The future

Molly and Ben?

Evolution of Molly and Ben

Thank You

Questions?