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 22 nd 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 of the Taoiseach
September 11 th 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.
The Government Task Force (GTF) on Emergency Planning was established • 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
Summary of Key Lead Roles & Responsibilities Emergency/Incident Lead Emergency/Incident Lead Department Department Infectious Animal Diseases, Agriculture, Food Explosive Ordnance, National Justice and Feedstuff Contamination, Food & Marine Security (including terrorism), Equality Safety Water Rescue Inland, Public Order/Crowd Events Tsunami & Earthquake Communications, Public Health Emergencies, Health warnings, Communications Energy and Pandemic Influenza, Biological Services, ICT, Cyber Attacks, Natural Incidents Energy Resources Nuclear, Hazardous Materials, Environment, Aviation Security/Terrorist Transport, Radioactive Contamination, Community and Incident, Railway Accident, Tourism and Environmental Pollution, Local Major Road/Infrastructure Sport Severe Weather, Flooding Government Accident, Marine Search and Response, Coastal Erosion, Rescue, Shipping Disasters, Water Supplies, Fire, Landslide Marine and Coastal Pollution, Response, Building Marine Emergencies. Collapse/Accidental Explosions
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
The Office of Emergency Planning 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
National Strategic Structures for Emergency Planning Logistically supported by the Government Government Secretariat, Department of An Taoiseach and by National the Lead Government Department Security in respect of policy. Minister for Defence Committee Government Task Force on Office of Emergency Government Emergency Planning Planning (OEP) Information (Chaired by Minister for Defence) Service (Coordination & Oversight) Inter-Departmental Subgroups (Chaired by OEP or the Lead Dept.) Departmental Lead & Support Departmental / Press & Departments and certain Interdepartmental Information public authorities Structures & Expert Officers Committees
Emergency Management in Ireland 2006 2010 2004 2011 The MEM is for the main PRAs, i.e. To be replaced by a National the Gardaí, HSE and Local Authorities Framework in 2015
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: – Hazard Analysis (includes Risk Assessment) – Mitigation (includes Risk Management) – Planning and Preparedness – Co-ordinated Response and – Recovery
Informing the public & promoting awareness www.winterready.ie www.emergencyplanning.ie @emergencyIE
International Actors in EM No consistency of terminology or definitions
The EU & National Risk Assessment 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 of an overview of the major risks the EU may face in the future
National Risk Assessment for Ireland Process • 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 outlined 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 Methodology 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 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.
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