Author Description

This practical guide to the preparation and testing of emergency plans covers the requirements for the preparation and testing of emergency plans under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, explaining each stage of the different excercises that can be performed. Intended for emergency planningmanagers in the police, emergency services, primary care trusts, local authorities and other large public, private or voluntary organizations, this book illustrates how having comprehensive and robust plans can mean the difference between organizational survival and failure. The book covers how theemergency response is managed by each of the main agencies involved, allowing readers to gain a greater understanding of what to expect from the statutory agencies so that they can be better integrated into an exercise.The book describes the processes involved in building an effective plan, with each component part explained and based upon a generic police model applicable to all organizations. The dilemmas in choosing the right plan are addressed and the author offers solutions to each issue, covering the keyinformation needed in all plans. The various types of exercises are examined, accompanied with checklists and outlines of each exercise's objective. The author explains the different roles which are assigned to the individuals involved in emergency planning and takes the reader through the day ofthe exercise itself, detailing the processes, performance requirements, places to visit and briefings that need to take place. The book's coverage also takes account of the latest innovations in computer graphics and how they are utilized in the emergency planning process. All the tasks, procedures,briefings and coordination with emergency response teams are outlined and explained, supplemented with practical features including checklists, boxed scenarios, models, examples and summaries which ensure the book is a practical and accessible reference tool.There is little doubt that contingency planning is key to risk management and in many areas it is a legal requirement under statutory regulation, with organizations required to prepare plans in order to satisfy regulators that their activities are safe and that they are able to respond efficientlyand effectively to an emergency. This invaluable guide clearly elucidates the processes involved and proves that the necessity of being fully prepared need not be arduous, expensive nor time consuming if plans have been tested and the individuals tasked with carrying out the plans are properlytrained, by explaining both how and why the relevant steps are in place.A must-have have guide for Emergency Planning Officers across all the emergency services.