Emergency planning supported by new Welsh website
The emergency planning community now has a central source of information on civil contingencies in Wales. The Wales Resilience website is a window into work being undertaken at the pan-Wales level, the Local Resilience Forum level and within individual agencies. As well as providing emergency planners with the latest news and best practice, the site is also a source of information for the Welsh public on what to do during an emergency.
Key features of the site include:
· The latest news and publications
· Links to other organisations involved in emergency preparedness
· Coming soon - A password-protected area for planners
Cefnogi Cynllunio Brys gyda gwefan Gymreig newydd
Bellach mae gan y gymuned cynllunio brys ffynhonnell wybodaeth ganolog ynghylch argyfyngau sifil posib yng Nghymru. Mae gwefan Cymru Gydnerth yn rhoi cipolwg o'r gwaith sy'n cael ei gyflawni'n genedlaethol, gan y Fforymau Hydwythedd Lleol ac o fewn asiantaethau unigol. Ynghyd â darparu'r newyddion diweddaraf ac arferion gorau i gynllunwyr brys, mae'r wefan hefyd yn ffynhonnell wybodaeth i gyhoedd Cymru ynghylch beth i'w wneud mewn argyfwng."
Civil Contingencies Act 2004
The Civil Contingencies Bill became an Act of Parliament on 18th November 2004. One of the main purposes of the Act is to ensure that the United Kingdom is prepared to deal with major disruptive challenges in whatever form they occur.
One of the main aims of the Act is to improve co-ordination of those organisations tasked to deal with emergencies at a local level. The Act therefore directs local authorities, the emergency services, the NHS, Maritime & Coastguard Agency and the Environment Agency to work together as a group. These are described as Category 1 responders and have the following duties placed upon them to:
- Assess local risks
- Put in place emergency plans
- Put in place Business Continuity Management (BCM) arrangements
- Put in place arrangements to make information available to the public about civil protection and maintain arrangements to warn, inform and advise the public in the event of an emergency
- Share information with other local responders to enhance co-ordination
- Co-operate with other local responders to enhance co-ordination and efficiency
- Provide advice and assistance to businesses and voluntary organisations about Business Continuity Management (Local authorities only)
Category 2 responders, which include utility operators, transport operators and the Health & Safety Executive, have a duty to co-operate with Category 1 responders and share information with them.
Multi-agency structure to support the Act
In the Gwent Police area Category 1 & 2 responders come together to form the Gwent Resilience Forum (GRF) as recommended under the Civil Contingencies Act Guidance. This is the principal mechanism for multi-agency co-operation and ensures the effective delivery of those duties under the Act that need to be delivered in a multi-agency environment. Reporting directly to the Gwent Local Resilience Forum is the Gwent Co-ordination Group. This group brings together all the civil contingency practitioners that work together in delivering the key priorities as agreed by the Gwent Local Resilience Forum.
For more information on the Civil Contingencies Act click on the link below:
Civil Contingencies Act