Cumbria’s response to events such as January’s floods will benefit from an action plan to develop future emergency planning, approved by Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet today.
In its recent debrief report the Government Office North West praised the people of Cumbria, both emergency services and the public, for responding magnificently to the flooding. The report also said that agencies worked well together to minimise the impact of the severe weather conditions - even when they themselves were badly affected.
Cumbria County Council has responded excellently to emergency situations on a number of occasions. The council has well organised plans and extensively rehearsed practices in place to deal with a range of potential emergencies , ranging from a general emergency plan to industrial site sepcific plans. However, this gives no grounds for complacency.
Like all the agencies involved, the County Council will use the debrief report to assess weaknesses and areas for improvement, many of which have already been identified in their action plan.
Particular areas identified include:
- A review of emergency response training and exercise arrangements for staff at all levels.
- A full review of back-up power provision, including arrangements for schools, care homes, and storage/access of data.
- A review of current reliance on a single mobile phone network.
- A 'Cumbria Alert' website to be introduced on a permanent basis and publicised widely.
- Consider the establishment of a Cumbria wide Geographical Information System.
- Safeguard the future of the Emergency Control Centre and ensure comparible facilities are available when the lease at the Castle terminates.
County Councillor Geoff Hodgson, Cabinet Member for Public Protection said
"Cumbria County Council is very proud of both the direct efforts of its employees and the manner in which they worked with external organisations during the floods. Our achievements in January are an excellent base to build on. However we are continuously seeking to improve our planning and readiness for emergencies. This action plan goes a long way towards ensuring the best results in future.
The council began work on this action plan well in advance of the recent debrief and we are pleased that it addresses many of the issues identified by that report. It will help us put in place flexible and efficient working practices that deal with emergencies in an effective manner as and when they arise.
This is not simply about flooding and the public can be reassured that Cumbria is better prepared than ever for any future emergency."