The Police and
Sheltering/Evacuation
9.1.
If for instance due to
flooding or a bomb threat, the
Police will make a decision, based on expert advice, that the public should be
advised to take SHELTER OR EVACUATE currently occupied buildings. The Local
Authority can assist the Police decision-making and action by providing access
to population data.
9.2.
Evacuation
might be advisable:
a.
When the
population can be moved from the threatened area without unnecessary risk -
and the nature of the hazard is such that sufficient time is available to move
the number of people likely to be involved - the public might be recommended
by the Police to move to a safe area until the hazard has passed.
b.
Where destruction or severe damage to property is incurred, evacuation
is likely to be the only option.
Sheltering
might be advisable: when it is dangerous to be out of doors.
c.
There will also be a need to decontaminate victims in the
event of a terrorist attack using biological/chemical or so called
‘dirty bombs’s. This will involve specially designed tents in
which there will be showering facilities allowing people to be
decontaminated in a closed and controlled environment, as well as medically
examined. Victims will be expected to undergo this process. The fire and
health services are to be provided with relevant equipment.
Types of Accommodation
9.3.
Provision
of accommodation may not always be the responsibility of Social Services;
Housing and Education can also play a part.
Accommodation
provided may also be multi-purpose.
Emergency
Rest Centres
Emergency
Rest Centres (ERC) are provided to meet short-term accommodation needs,
although some evacuees housed in them may to be accommodated on a more
long-term basis. They may thus provide a complete solution to accommodation
needs for those who can return home, or a temporary accommodation, assessment
and transit facility for those requiring longer-term accommodation.
It is the duty of the Local
Authority to provide emergency accommodation.
Where possible, ERC ’s should be buildings that have been previously
identified and prepared for the purpose.
If overnight stays are necessary, stays in excess of three nights
should be avoided as ERC ’s are
not usually suitable for long-term accommodation.
An ERC is a place where:
·
survivors or persons evacuated can receive temporary shelter, warmth
and feeding;
·
basic first aid and nursing care, welfare and overnight accommodation
can be provided;
·
families who have been separated during the incident can be brought to
together.”
Survivor
Reception Centres
Survivor Reception Centres (SCR’s) fulfil the range of functions
described under Rest Centres, above. They
may require to be set up following an incident and there may be no opportunity
to utilise prepared buildings, due to the urgency of the situation and/or the
location of the incident. SCR’s
will also be required to provide premises in a secure area, to which those who
have been directly involved in an incident and are uninjured can be taken, so
that the Police can have access to the survivors during their initial
investigation into the incident. In
case suspects are in their midst – where there is a possible criminal cause
of the incident – survivors will be required to stay until such checks are
completed. Increasingly the police are now allocating Family Liaison Officers
(FLO’s) to families or individuals. FLO’s are a primary member of the
investigation team and provide information and support to survivors and the
families of the bereaved. Local authorities and FLO’s need to work closely
together to ensure that welfare needs are met, as in the aftermath of the
Paddington Rail Crash in 1999.
Friends
and Relatives Reception Centres.
Friends
and Relatives Reception Centres may be required to provide an assembly point
where friends and relatives of victims, who have travelled to the scene of the
incident, can be received and arrangements made for their special needs.
It is thus possible that an Survivor
Reception Centre could be required close to the site of the incident, with a
Friends and Relatives Reception Centre at another location and a longer term
Emergency Rest Centre at a third. In
a very large incident, duplication of premises may be necessary.
Survivors should be moved from the SRC to the Reception Centre as soon
as that is possible. Similarly
friends and relatives should leave the Friends and Relatives Reception Centre
for the Reception Centre, as soon as the person(s) they are looking for has
been moved.
Other
Accommodation
At
the Planning stage:
a.
Identify a centre of
operations for major incident team. Make
sure there is an alternative in another building.
b.
Identify offices for crisis
support team
c.
Emergency
centres – prepare with Emergency Planning Officer list of suitable public
buildings and identify facilities available and occupancy figures.
d.
Identify suitable premises
for a drop in/information centre(s) and help line.
It makes sense to combine the two.
Make sure there is space available for privacy, group meetings and rest
rooms.
e.
Identify a staff
marshalling/briefing point.
Relocation of Survivors
9.4.
At
the time of disaster ascertain the extent of the damage to property etc., plan
for relocation if necessary, but try to maintain existing family/community
links. Remember temporary
arrangements can be long term, but longer-term accommodation should be in
consultation with the Housing Department.
Selection and
Preparation of Premises
9.5.
The
local authority Emergency Planning Officer (EPO) or equivalent, along with
social service staff, will undertake the selection and preparation of
buildings to ensure that they can be made available to the Police at very
short notice. Selection of
premises should be based on:
a.
Geographical location give authority wide cover and take into account
predetermined safety aspects in their location relevant to known hazardous
sites (e.g. when selecting for specific CIMAH sites, ensure the premises are
at a distance well beyond the estimated hazard range).
b.
Suitability to accommodate large numbers of people with adequate space
to convert to sleeping area. Communications
will be required to provide information on survivors/evacuees to the Casualty
Bureau (preferably by fax or email). In the longer term, to allow
survivors/evacuees to communicate with their friends and relatives.
c.
The duty EPO (or equivalent) will hold a list of key holders. Having
identified and set in motion the designation of a building – the
cost of using a particular type of accommodation may need to be checked -
the need for SSD involvement will be communicated to the Local Authority
Emergency Centre and onward to the SSD via the contact officer.
d.
Long-term accommodation will be provided by District Councils under the duties imposed on
them by Part III Sections 59 – 78 of the Housing Act, 1995.
Facilities Required
9.6.
Emergency
feeding facilities, with preference given to those premises that have a
cooking as well as a serving area.
Sufficient
additional internal area to provide room for:
a.
assembly point;
b.
documentation / registration area
c.
information and help point(s);
d.
quiet room;
e.
first aid post;
f.
older / vulnerable persons room;
g.
nursing mothers room;
h.
extra toilet areas;
i.
pets area
j.
media room
k.
car parking facilities
“Emergency
box”
It is recommended that this be provided for each of the designated
premises. This should contain instructions and guidance to set up and operate
the centre, together with basic items of equipment, e.g. signs, arm bands,
etc.” It may also be necessary to provide centrally located “emergency
bases” for use in undesignated buildings. If
undesignated premises need to be opened, those sheltering in such premises
should be relocated to prepared Emergency Rest Centres.
Emergency Rest Centre
Management
9.7.
The
overall management of Emergency Rest or Reception Centres, rests with the
Local Authority through its nominated officers. Support with the running of
the centre may be undertaken by the voluntary organisations. The Red Cross,
Salvation Army and the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service have long experience
of this role. The Police should provide:
a.
liaison with the Local Authority representative in charge;
b.
assistance with
the management of documentation / registration for Police purposes ( e.g.
Casualty Bureau );
c.
casualty information point staff ;
d.
control of
access to the centre;
e.
liaison with
the media
f.
control of damage, disorder or theft within the centre.”
At
Survivor Reception Centres and/or Friends and Relatives Reception Centres-
when the nature of the incident dictates that these be established - a strong
Police presence can be expected, (Friends and Families Reception Centres are
managed by the police). The
welfare needs of those accommodated therein will be dealt with in a similar
manner to those at the Rest Centre. The
Local Authority manager will comply with the operational needs of the Police
and work directly to the Police Officer in charge. It
cannot be assumed that the police will always have sufficient staff.
The management of
Emergency Rest Centres should be provided through the establishment of
a small management team led by the Rest Centre Manager.
a.
The Building
Manager (i.e. the person who usually manages the building)
The
Building Manager is responsible for the physical aspects of the use to which
the building is being put and for bringing to the team’s decision making, a
knowledge of the building and what it can provide.
b.
A Police
Officer:
usually
provides the Police with what is required.
This will be particularly important when the nature of the incident
involves extensive information gathering by the Police.
c.
The Social
Services ERC Manager will be
responsible for the welfare aspects of the operation of the centre.
d.
Contributions
from any other organisations present, as appropriate, e.g. the WRVS will often
have an important role to play; the Housing Department may be active; the EPO
may have a contribution to make, etc.).
Roles
9.8.
The Emergency Rest Centre Manager
The
Social Services ERC Manager should ideally be a person who has experience of
managing residential facilities or managing a diverse group of staff providing
direct care. ERC managers should have been trained to provide this function
and should have familiarised themselves with the designated buildings prior to
undertaking this role. However,
it is the case that a number of managers would be required at different
locations and over time, in a large incident, and it may become necessary to
use personnel who do not have this experience.
It is therefore, important that the nature of the role should be
specified in sufficient detail to enable these personnel to quickly identify
the key tasks and responsibilities associated with this role.
The
Emergency Rest Centre Administration Role
The
Social Services ERC Administration Officers should be trained to assist with
the task of registration. This includes referring information to the Police
Casualty Bureau. Registration information will also be available to the SSD
for later follow-up, if necessary. The
provision of telephones, fax and email facilities and appropriate registration
stationery will be particularly important, in order to allow the smooth flow
of information.
Officer
with responsibility for Emergency Transport
The transport arrangements for the ERC require careful co-ordination. This
will be undertaken in conjunction with the ERC Management Team. The Officer
responsible for co-ordinating transport will need to liaise with the Emergency
Centre Accommodation Officer who will be a member of the Housing Department.
Officer
with responsibility for Emergency Rest Centre Accommodation:
This Officer will be a
member of the Housing Department whose task it will be to arrange temporary
accommodation for displaced persons. Mobilisation of this function will be on
the basis of the Housing Department Emergency Plan.
Emergency
Rest Centre Staffing
The
management and staffing Emergency Rest Centres, in relation to their general
welfare needs, is the responsibility of Social Services.
Mobilisation of the Core Crisis Team will provide a pool of trained
Social Services staff, under a Team Leader, with an associated group of
volunteers, able to undertake the variety of role and tasks which may be
necessary. It may be that some of the practical aspects of the provision and
staffing of ERC ‘s should remain the direct responsibility of the EPO,
particularly the provision of staff, often through the WRVS, who may be needed
to provide assistance with registration and initial light catering.
A local decision is required on whether the running of Emergency Rest
Centres becomes a sole SSD responsibility
or whether some of the responsibility is shared.
Registration at
Emergency Rest Centres - Roles
9.9.
The Police Role
The
Police are responsible for the identification of casualties (see Section 2)
and evacuees. During a major
incident the Police will establish a Casualty Bureau, which provides a central
contact and information point for all records and data relating to casualties.
(A national form is now used based on the Police Casualty form). Which
organisation takes responsibility for the registration process is now a local
decision.
Local
Authority Role
Local
Authority staff and members of the voluntary organisations will play a vital
role in assisting the Police with the gathering of information and details.
There are likely to already be registration systems in place (if in
doubt Social Services should check with their EPO before developing anything
of their own). If systems are not already in place then an area wide system
agreed within a particular police force boundary, would be useful. This should
be developed jointly with other Social Services, emergency planning and the
police. All registration information obtained at the Reception centre or ERC
will be passed to the Casualty Bureau. Registration
ensures that:
·
survivors/evacuees receive the services which they require both at the
time and in the period following a major incident;
·
the Police Casualty Bureau is provided with information;
·
the Local Authority has a record of services provided to casualties.
Registration Process
9.10.
Key points:
It
is essential that all survivors / evacuees report initially to the ERC for
registration, even if they are intending to stay with friends or relatives.
·
Registration can be time consuming.
·
Completion of essential identifying personal details.
·
Comprehensive information can be obtained later.
It
is recommended that Local Authorities, in conjunction with the Police, should
adopt these or similar procedures for registration of survivors/evacuees at
Emergency Rest Centres. Relevant
voluntary organisations may be able to assist in the drawing up of such
procedures.
The
Police would prefer a single controlled access/exit point, so that it is
possible to be sure who is present and who has left at any given time.
It
is essential that a thorough follow up of those registered should occur in the
longer term, to ensure that those affected receive appropriate services.
Advantages
Experience
has shown that comprehensive Registration of all Casualties/Evacuees who pass
through an Emergency Rest Centre is the only satisfactory procedure.
This
should be adhered to even in small incidents, as smaller incidents may
escalate and it can be impossible to identify this at the outset
Following
the procedure during any incident provides an opportunity to test the
procedure.
A
registration system can not be guaranteed to be a complete record of all who
were involved, it is the most effective mechanism to ensure that the Casualty
Bureau receives comprehensive information to assist in determining who, IS and
IS NOT accounted for.
It enables the tracking of
the affected population, which may include multiple relocations and it enables
identification of individuals with special needs, so that they can be given
appropriate support during the emergency and subsequently.
Transport
9.11.
Responsibility:
For the mobilisation of transport to convey survivors / evacuees from the
scene to the safety of Emergency Rest Centre accommodation as a result of a
local decision between the Police, Local Authority.
Agreement
should be reached with those managing transport on:
a.
“the need, if
necessary, for buses en route to be off-loaded and diverted, should the
situation warrant it;
b.
an effective
driver and escorts call-out system (and
system of payments);
c.
ensuring
that the personal safety of drivers is one of the considerations when
assessing the need for evacuation, their licences must also be appropriate to
the size of vehicle driven.
d.
Agreement that
local authorities can contract out for transport and that transport can be
provided by other departments and voluntary organisations.
Officers
with Responsibility for Emergency Rest Centre Transport
Officers
with the above responsibility will be required at Emergency Rest Centres to
organise all the Transport requirements. This will be undertaken in
conjunction with the ERC Management Team.
Special
Needs
9.12.
Consideration
should be given to specialist transport for the older / vulnerable persons and
disabled people. Those services
that cater for wheelchair bound passengers must be utilised appropriately to
ensure that these needs are met. It is
important to ensure that regulations in relation to transporting wheelchair
users and other vulnerable individuals are complied with. Social Services
must in a position to call upon its specialist transport services and
mechanisms for rapid call-out will be required.
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A9 is in a separate JPEG graphics file: click here to go to
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Annex
B9
EMERGENCY REST CENTRE SERVICES
Circumstances
will dictate the need for and extend of each of the designated areas.
Vehicle parking – is
likely to be limited, especially hard-standing areas.
Coaches may be bringing people from some distance.
A large number of people may arrive by car.
Screening/Cleansing
Area – screening
is provided to reassure survivors/evacuees and is available, when required, to
all arrivals.
Toilets and Washbasins – should be available to all arrivals
before entering the main processing areas. Casualty Bureau form (example in
Annex F9). The second part is
filed alphabetically in the registration point file.
A third part of the documentation, recording essential details of the
person, is placed in a recording essential details of the person, is placed in
a small transparent envelope which is pinned to the person’s clothing, in
place of the previously issued badge. It
is, thus, possible to tell at a glance who has been registered and who has
not.
When the person
leaves the centre, they hand in their document and their destination is
recorded. If they go to another
centre, they are registered again by the same procedure. This enables the person to be tracked as they move through
the system and between accommodation.
Directing
Point – a
simple means of getting people under cover in the main building quickly and
identifying immediate needs for example first aid, replacement clothing,
blankets and reassurance for survivors/ evacuees must be available when
required, to all arrivals.
Secure
Room - for
baggage.
Isolation
Area - Adjacent
to, but separate from the first aid post. Which enables persons with
infectious disease to be isolated from the main areas whilst still receiving
appropriate services and refreshments.
First Aid Post - located
near an ambulance access point, on the ground floor.
Seriously injured persons would normally be sent to hospital but there
is no guarantee that those who are slightly injured may not arrive at the
Emergency Rest Centre. The
symptoms of delayed shock and accidents within the centre may need to be dealt
with. The level of treatment
required would be dependant on individual circumstances.
Clothing
Facilities– to provide arrivals with replacement or additional clothing.
Reception Hall – adjacent
to or part of the Directing Point. Acting
as a buffer area to the directing point, by allowing a large influx of
survivors/evacuee to quickly get under cover or allow appropriate attention to
be paid to special needs category persons, thus ensuring all arrivals are
documented as rapidly as possible. The
majority of evacuees will following registration, go straight to the
Refreshment and Support area.
Information Point – a
location where queries from the
general public who have not become casualties/evacuees or queries from the
media can be handled. Here is
where ALL FORMS for the Casualty Bureau are collated and queries from the CB
can be resolved.
Refreshment and Support Areas -
this
area is where people receive the
most important services – tea, sustenance and information.
A supervised Children’s Play Area allows parents to gather their
thoughts. An information and Advice Area enables a two-way flow
of information, especially on the current situation concerning the emergency.
ANNEX
C9
FACILITIES
REQUIRED IN AN EMERGENCY REST CENTRE
Suitable
access for vulnerable and disabled people
Several
large rooms
Large
hall at ground floor level
Large
outdoor area for toilets and refuse pits – use of refuse ‘skips’ should
be considered
Indoor
and/or outdoor cooking facilities
Decontamination
area, toilets and washing facilities
Laundry
Numerous
smaller rooms at ground floor level
Large
covered areas (hallways or outdoor areas)
Vehicle
access and considerable parking area (hard standing)
Good
communications including radios
Layout
capable of organising smooth, rapid processing
Safe
and adequate waste supply
Access
for wheelchairs and prams
Adequate
ventilation and temperature control
Ability
to implement public health measures if necessary e.g. isolation
Identification
of locally available staff
A
calm organised atmosphere with well-trained staff
Staff
rest and dining areas, well separated from other functional rooms
Equipment,
which might include:
Emergency
generator(s) and cooking or heating fuel supplies e.g. calor gas, coal
Ad
hoc water storage facilities e.g. swimming pool
Beds,
bedding
Books
and magazines (including minority
language and large print) and games, television and radio (relieve boredom)
Supplies
of soap, towels, disinfectant, clean rags
Public
address system
Food
stocks, cooking pots and dinnerware, including paper plates etc
Stationery
and forms, portable notice boards
Large
plan showing the Emergency Reception and/or Rest Centre’s functional areas
Emergency
lighting, including torches, candles and matches
Wheelchair
for vulnerable and disabled
people.
Baby
feeding equipment, cots and blankets
First
aid equipment
Equipment
to build outdoor toilets (portable toilets) toilet rolls
Fire
fighting equipment
Staff
armbands and means of identification
Plastic
sacks
Washing-up
liquid
Scissors
Signs
– Clothing – Rest Area – Refreshments – Reception – Toilets –
Information – (signs and other information should be in relevant minority
languages)
Registration
– First Aid – Fire Exit – Arrow direction signs
Extra
cards for signs together with felt tip pens
Cloakroom
tickets
Baggage
tags/labels
Pets
Corner –this
area should be separate (building
or enclosures) with individual compartments for each animal or each ‘family
group’ of animals (from any given household and used to sharing) if at all
possible.
Welfare
Assistance – enables
people to obtain emergency payments or other forms for DSS or Social Services
assistance, including counselling which may be required over a prolonged
period and for which the Social Services Department aims to provide a
specialist team.
Special Needs Category –older
and disabled people and those suffering from, mental distress or physically
ill, nursing home patients, single parents with children, children without
parents, people who speak little
or no English, pregnant women or
nursing mothers, those in need of medication, persons under the influence of
drink or drugs, physically aggressive or violent persons, those currently in
Local Authority care. Dietary needs should also be considered (vegetarian,
Halal, allergic reactions etc).
ANNEX
D9
STAFFING
OF THE CENTRE
Taken
from the London Borough’s document ‘Standard Operating Procedures for an
Emergency Rest Centre, by the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority –
Emergency Planning Division.
The staff
needed to operate the Centre are as follows.
(It may be possible to designate some specific staff but normally it
will be necessary to arrange staffing through Council Departments or Voluntary
organisations.
|
TASTER
|
Numbers
Required
|
Supplying
Organisations & Tel. No.
Name
and Telephone Number
|
|
Rest
Centre Manager Assistant
|
1
|
Local
Authority (LA)
|
|
Reception
Area Supervisor
Assistants
|
1
x
|
BRCS/WRVS/LA
BRCS/WRVS/LA
|
|
Registration
Area Supervisor
Registration
Clerks
|
1
x
|
WRVS/LA
WRVS/LA
|
|
Storeroom
Supervisor
|
1
|
LA
|
|
Environmental
Health Officer
|
1
|
LA
|
|
Information
Area Supervisor
Assistants
|
1
x
|
LA
LA
|
|
First
Aid Post Supervisor
|
½
|
BRCS/St.
JOHN/QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS
|
|
Nursery
Supervisor
|
1
|
Police
Checks
|
|
Accommodation
Area Supervisor
Assistants
|
1
x
|
LA/WRVS
LA/WRVS
|
|
Housing
Officer
|
1
|
HOUSING
DEPARTMENT
|
|
Dining
Area Supervisor
Assistants
|
1
x
|
LA/VOLUNTEERS
LA/VOLUNTEERS
|
|
Departures
Desk Clerk
|
1
|
LA
|
|
Volunteer
Services Officer
|
1
|
LA
|
|
Pets
Area Supervisor
|
1
|
RSPCA/VOLUNTEERS
|
|
Welfare
Officer
|
X
|
SAMARITANS/DSS/WRVS/LA/SAL’
ARMY
|
|
Communications
Officer
|
1
|
RAYNET
|
|
Car
Parking Supervisor
|
1
|
|
|
Security
Supervisor & Assistants
|
X
|
|
|
Messengers
|
X
|
|
X
= to be decided when centre capacity is determined.
ANNEX
E9
EXAMPLE OF A REGISTRATION
SYSTEM FROM NORTH WALES
It
is recommended that a system similar to that of the former Welsh County of
Clwyd’s Emergency Planning Unit should be put in place.
Local decisions will have to be taken in relation to overall
responsibility for its operation. The
Social Services Department will have a strong interest in its operation for
purposes of subsequent follow-up.
The
Emergency Planning Unit (EPU) devised a registration system, developed in
conjunction with the Women’s Royal Volunteers Service, based experience
gained in the North Wales Coastal Flooding, which works as follows:
1.
If the person is distressed or in need of rest/refreshment on
arrival at the centre, they are issued with a card explaining the need for
registration and a badge which they must pin to their clothing.
The badge has a unique registration number.
2.
When they are ready to do so, they return to the registration
point. Their details are entered
on a two-part carbonated registration form. One part is despatched to the Police Casualty Bureau or is
transferred onto the standard National Police Casualty Bureau form (example to
Annex B,). The second part is
filed alphabetically in the registration point file.
A third part of the documentation, recording essential details of the
person, is placed in a recording essential details of the person, is placed in
a small transparent envelope which is pinned to the person’s clothing, in
place of the previously issued badge. It
is, thus, possible to tell at a glance who has been registered and who has
not.
3.
When the person
leaves the centre, they hand in their document and their destination is
recorded. If they go to another
centre, they are registered again by the same procedure. This enables the person to be tracked as they move through
the system and between accommodation.
4.
This is a paper
system, which makes it readily portable, robust and usable in adverse
conditions. An electronic system
may be established concurrently, or the registration point files can be made
available to the Social Services Department for subsequent entry onto an
electronic system.
5.
Despite
the availability of much information from the registration system all queries
regarding casualties or their whereabouts should be redirected to the Police
Casualty Bureau.
