Ireland Brigitta O'Doherty, Office Emergency Planning Keith - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Emergency Mgt in Ireland

Brigitta O'Doherty, Office Emergency Planning Keith Leonard, National Directorate Fire & Emergency Management Caroline McMullan, DCU Business School

The Office of Emergency Planning

Conference National Museum of Ireland 22nd October 2014

Presentation will cover

• Background to Emergency Planning in Ireland
• Current Government structures and emergency

planning in Ireland

• The Government Task Force on Emergency

Planning and the Office of Emergency Planning

• International Actors
• Risk, including our National Risk Assessment
• Future tasks

The National Emergency Co-Ordination Centre (NECC)

Opened in 2007, previously no such facility was available for handling major emergencies/crisis at a National level

• Not a ‘bunker’ or CBRN protected
• Large flexible space
• Used for National Emergencies,

Exercises, Meetings & Training

• Provides Robust Communications

(Voice, Data & Video Conferencing)

Background Pre 2001

• 1958 Inter-Departmental Committee on

emergency planning established

• Concentrated on wartime emergency planning

and procedures

• 1975 move to peacetime emergency planning
• 1985 separation of wartime and peacetime

planning

• Lead Department concept being developed

through Committee chaired by the Department

• f the Taoiseach

September 11th 2001

A catalyst event for global emergency planning

Questions asked in Ireland in 2001

• Could it happen here?
• Are we prepared?
• Is there a national disaster plan?
• Who is in charge?
• Who will tell us what to do?

Emergency Planning Oversight & Assessment

• The obligation to exercise an oversight role in

relation to peacetime emergency planning is placed in the Minister for Defence through the Office of Emergency Planning.

– Government decision (Ref. S180/46/01/0002)

• The thrust of oversight must be to:

– produce a system which is consistent with the form and spirit of this decision, and – promotes the best use of resources and compatibility between various emergency planning requirements.

• Chaired by the Minister for Defence
• Provides active political leadership of the emergency planning process
• Facilitates government oversight of emergency planning in Ireland

(All Government Departments are represented and some key Public Authorities)

• Facilitates contact and coordination between Government Departments/Agencies

(Builds trust which is invaluable when they have to work together in an emergency/crisis)

• Oversees all emergency planning to ensure:

– the best possible use of resources – compatibility between requirements

• Meets every 6 - 8 weeks or in a National Coordination formation during an

Emergency/Crisis

The Government Task Force (GTF) on Emergency Planning was established

Summary of Key Lead Roles & Responsibilities

Emergency/Incident Lead Department Emergency/Incident Lead Department

Infectious Animal Diseases, Feedstuff Contamination, Food Safety Agriculture, Food & Marine Explosive Ordnance, National Security (including terrorism), Water Rescue Inland, Public Order/Crowd Events Justice and Equality Tsunami & Earthquake warnings, Communications Services, ICT, Cyber Attacks, Energy Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Public Health Emergencies, Pandemic Influenza, Biological Incidents Health Nuclear, Hazardous Materials, Radioactive Contamination, Environmental Pollution, Severe Weather, Flooding Response, Coastal Erosion, Water Supplies, Fire, Landslide Response, Building Collapse/Accidental Explosions Environment, Community and Local Government Aviation Security/Terrorist Incident, Railway Accident, Major Road/Infrastructure Accident, Marine Search and Rescue, Shipping Disasters, Marine and Coastal Pollution, Marine Emergencies. Transport, Tourism and Sport

GTF Subgroups – Chaired by OEP

(Current OEP Roles and Responsibilities)

• Risk:

– Manages and updates the National Risk Assessment for Ireland – Monitors any changes in the risk environment, and – Reviews the Roles and Responsibilities and Strategic Emergency Planning Guidance

• CBRN

– Reviews the Protocol for Responding to Malign CBRN Incidents – Reviews associated Standard Operating Procedures

• Flood Warning and Communications

– Flood Forecasting and Warning Systems – Broadcasting Protocol – Social Media

• National Framework for Emergency Management

Structure & Role:

• Joint civil and military staffing
• Provides advice and support to the Minister for Defence on all

Government Emergency Planning

• Provides support to the Government Task Force and related

Subgroups

• Annual business planning process outlines roles &

responsibilities

The Office of Emergency Planning

Government

Minister for Defence

Government Task Force on Emergency Planning

(Chaired by Minister for Defence)

Inter-Departmental Subgroups

(Chaired by OEP or the Lead Dept.)

Office of Emergency Planning (OEP)

(Coordination & Oversight)

Departmental Press & Information Officers Lead & Support Departments and certain public authorities Departmental / Interdepartmental Structures & Expert Committees

Government Information Service

National Strategic Structures for Emergency Planning

National Security Committee Logistically supported by the Government Secretariat, Department of An Taoiseach and by the Lead Government Department in respect of policy.

Emergency Management in Ireland

To be replaced by a National Framework in 2015 2004 2011 The MEM is for the main PRAs, i.e. the Gardaí, HSE and Local Authorities 2006 2010

– Hazard Analysis (includes Risk Assessment) – Mitigation (includes Risk Management) – Planning and Preparedness – Co-ordinated Response and – Recovery

The Framework for Major Emergency Management (MEM)

Provides a systems approach to Major Emergency Management in Ireland at a Regional and Local Level involving a continuous cycle of activity. The principle elements of the approach are:

Informing the public & promoting awareness

www.emergencyplanning.ie www.winterready.ie @emergencyIE

International Actors in EM

No consistency of terminology or definitions

The EU Council Conclusions on a community framework on disaster prevention within the EU were adopted on 30 Nov 2009

• Emphasised hazard and risk identification, analysis and assessment

as major components of EU disaster management.

• Invited Member States to develop national approaches to risk

management, and

• To make these available to the EU Commission for the development
• f an overview of the major risks the EU may face in the future

The EU & National Risk Assessment

• Led to a wide level of consultation through the GTF with all Government

Departments/Agencies in 2012 and with some EU Member States

• The process adopted was based upon the risk assessment methodology
• utlined in the Framework for Major Emergency Management and more

specifically in the Guide to Risk Assessment in Major Emergency Management

• All Government Departments/Agencies engaged in a series of workshops and

focus groups, in collaboration with Dublin City University, to analyse and identify National risks.

• Managed on an ongoing basis by a GTF Sub-group on risk.

National Risk Assessment for Ireland Process

Key steps:

• Assessment of the likelihoods (probability) of the hazard occurring.
• Examination of the potential impacts (severity of consequences to life and

health, property and infrastructure, and the environment) of the hazards identified .

• Impacts were assessed on the basis of reasonable worst case scenario.
• The impact and likelihood criteria were specifically outlined based upon the

agreed classification system in the “Guide to Risk Assessment in Major Emergency Management” (See Sections 4.2 and 4.3 of the NRAI).

• On impacts, the assessment criteria were scaled up in order to reflect

emergencies requiring national (rather than regional) coordination.

National Risk Assessment for Ireland Methodology

National Risk Matrix – All Hazards

A: Flooding & X: Cyber Incident are High Impact and High Likekihood, which require priority.

A New National Framework - Way Forward

• Will draw on material from our existing national documents and best

international practice

• The GTF has tasked a Working Group to draft the National Framework for

Emergency Management

• It will be made up of the six principal LGDs under the Chair of the Office of

Emergency Planning (OEP)

• An Garda Siochana and the Health Services Executive will be represented
• The OEP and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local

Government will provide the rapporteurs. The first draft of the National Framework will be provided to the GTF by the end of 2014.

The National Framework Subgroup Tasks

• To codify and embed in a National Framework concepts such as:

– Resilience – Lead government department (LGD) – Risk Management, including assessment and mitigation – Horizon scanning

• To address Coordination, Control and Communications issues at a National level

and the linkages with the Regional and Local Major Emergency Management

• To Improve the guidance and direction to LGDs as to how they should plan
• To foster resilience within LGDs, to enable them to deal with ‘their’ emergencies
• To enhance the Lead Roles and Responsibilities with the LGD Principle
• To consider the role of the OEP going forward

National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management

• Setup 2009
• Section of Department of Environment,

Community & Local Government

• Board, Staff & Consultative Committee
• Fire Safety, Fire Operations, Legislation,

Supporting local Fire Services

• Emergency Management

What is Emergency Management?

• Planning & Preparing for

– Natural Disasters (flooding, storms) – Technological Emergencies (fire, hazardous material) – Transport Accidents (Air, Sea, Rail, Road) – Security (CBRNe)

Emergency Management in Ireland

• Driven at Local Level by the Principal

Response Agencies (An Garda Síochána, HSE, local authorities)

• Framework for Major Emergency

Management (2006)

• Supported by Government Task Force,

Office of Emergency Planning and Lead Government Departments at national level

Purpose of the Framework

• Provide a systems approach to emergency

management from the Risk Identification stage, through the Planning and Preparedness stages to Response and the Review stage

• Ensure that each stage of emergency management

is co-ordinated

• Define a common language & terminology
• Simplify Inter-Agency working
• Provide a system for assigning a lead agency in

every emergency situation

Systems Approach

• International good practice
• Cyclical process of

continuous improvement

• A way of managing multi-

level, multi-sectoral work

• Applicable to emergency

response services

The principles that underpin the Framework

• Protection and care of the public at times of

vulnerability

• Clear leadership in time of crisis
• Early and appropriate response
• Efficient and co-ordinated operations
• Transparent and accountable system of

emergency management

• Safe working
• Promoting community resilience

Planning Structures

• Government Task Force
• National Steering Group
• National Working Group
• Regional Steering Groups (8)
• Regional Working Groups (8)
• Task specific groups

Response Structures

• On-site Coordination Group
• Internal Crisis Management Teams (PRA)
• Local Coordination Group
• National Co-ordination Group

Lead Concept

• Lead Agency
• Lead Government Department
• Mandate to lead co-ordination at the

response phase; more complex picture for

• ther four stages

Local Co-ordination Group

• Agenda (Information Management)
• Driven by Strategic Aims
• Mandate
• Public Information
• Link to Parent Department/ NCG
• Dealing with complex emerging issues
• Anticipating issues
• Supporting On-site Co-ordination

Link to Heritage

• Large part o the Fire Service is made up of

retained Fire-Fighters

• drawn from local community
• Active in the community
• Local knowledge

CO-ORDINATION

• Collaborative leadership
• Shared objectives
• Clarity
• Trust
• Mandate to make and implement decisions

collectively

Detailed information on the Framework, supporting guidance, interagency protocols and governance structures can be found at www.mem.ie

Individual and Household Emergency Preparedness in Ireland: Interim Results 2014

Dr Caroline McMullan, Gavin D. Brown Dr Ann Largey DCU Business School

Demographics

• 1295 responses to date
• Responses from each County
• Even split between male (51%) and female

(49%)

• Age profile - under 45s (68%) over 45

(32%)

• 76% own dwelling v 24% renting
• 88% live in house v 12% in apartment

Likely to affect Individual/Home

“Very Likely”

• 1. Storm
• 2. Disruption to Energy Supply
• 3. Low Temperatures & Cyber Incident

“Extremely Unlikely”

• 15. Radiation (Domestic)
• 16. Terrorism
• 17. Drought

Greatest Impact on Individual/Home “Very high impact”

1. Fire 2. Nuclear (Abroad) 3. Infectious Disease Affecting Humans

“Very Low Impact”

• 15. Flooding
• 16. Infectious Disease (affecting livestock)
• 17. Drought

Most Commonly Experienced Emergencies

1.Disruption to Energy Supply (73.5%) 2.Storm (69%) 3.Severe Snow (64.5%)

Prepared to Deal with an Emergency?

Level of Preparedness

• Fire – 54.37% felt they were prepared for

this emergency

• Storm – 45.36 felt they were not prepared,

but saw the benefit in preparing

• Drought – 46.6% felt they did not need to

prepare for this emergency

• Nuclear (Abroad) – 57.92% felt nothing

they do would help should this emergency

• ccur

Present in Homes

Emergency Supplies

Critical Supplies

0 Days 1-2 days 3-5 days 6-7 days 8+ days Bottled Water 34% 34% 20% 7% 5% Food 3% 14% 36% 24% 23% Medication 8% 10% 19% 18% 45%

Transport

• 91.34% of households have a vehicle
• However, 71.94% drive until fuel tank is

close to empty

• On refuelling: 46.39% fill; 16.38% half fill;

6.76% quarter fill the tank

Funding Priorities

How important is it that national government invest in:

Not important Not very important Neither important nor unimportant Somewhat important Very important Protecting private property

6.16% 10.52% 19.23% 35.39% 28.69%

Protecting historical and cultural landmarks

2.23% 4.14% 11.80% 36.45% 45.38%

Preventing development in hazardous areas

1.38% 1.81% 6.48% 20.72% 69.61%

Protecting and reducing damage to utilities

1.06% 1.49% 6.38% 24.65% 66.42%

Strengthening emergency services

1.06% 0.85% 3.19% 18.28% 76.62%

Protecting critical facilities (e.g. hospitals, fire stations, transport networks)

1.06% 0.64% 2.98% 10.95% 84.38%

Citation

• If citing the results of this survey/presentation,

please use the following format:

McMullan, C., Brown, G., Largey, A., 2014, Individual and Household Emergency Preparedness in Ireland: Interim Results 2014. “Prepare to Protect” National Museum of Ireland Collins Barracks, Dublin, Ireland.

Questions

Contact Details:

• ep@defence.ie

caroline.mcmullan@dcu.ie keith.leonard@environ.ie