Emergency Planning for Floods – Devon’s approach

Richard Horne

Emergency Planning Manager

Devon County Council

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

HULL

SHEFFIELD

DONCASTER

BERKSHIRE

SUMMER 2007

Gloucestershire

Sheffield

HullHull

BerkshireBerkshire

Pitt Review

Pitt Review

• Risk Management

• Flood Prevention

• Warning and Informing

• Rescue and emergency care

• Recovery

Some results …….

• Flood and Water Bill – consultative document

• National Flood Emergency Framework– National Flood Forecasting Centre– Changing the flood warnings– Guidance for emergency planners– Clarifying the role of Government departments

Our local experience ….

East Devon Floods 2008

• Severe storm over the Otter valley, centred on the town of Ottery St Mary

• 5 – 8” of rain in 24 hours, with a severe hail storm!

• No advanced warnings of the severity!• Fragmented response• Over 300 properties inundated, across 20+ small

communities• Many people still out of their houses – 6 months

later

Otter St MaryOtter St Mary

Aftermath• Flood Seminar

• Multi-agency de-brief

• Recovery Group – led by East Devon District Council

• Incident not on the scale of Gloucestershire – but first hand experience of what it means

• Heightened local awareness of requirement for flood prevention and emergency planning

Flood Emergency Planning

• Work with our local resilience forum (LRF) – legislation has laid down that emergency planners meet to discuss and agree local arrangements

LRF• Chair – Devon & Cornwall Police• Covers the south west peninsular of England,

including Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly

• Representatives from emergency services, local authorities, government agencies

• Responsible for guiding and directing local emergency planning work, including risk assessment

• Work programme undertaken by a number of sub-groups

Flooding – risk assessment

• Fluvial - VERY HIGH

• Coastal / Tidal - VERY HIGH

• Rapid inundation - VERY HIGH

• Surface Water - MEDIUM

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

LRF STRATEGIC PLAN

COUNTY PLANDevon

COUNTY PLANCornwall

COMMUNITYEMERGENCY

PLANS

COMMUNITYEMERGENCY

PLANS

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

LRF STRATEGIC PLAN

COUNTY PLAN COUNTY PLAN

COMMUNITYPLANS

COMMUNITYPLANS

•Introduction•Aim & Objectives•Ownership and Audience•Risk of Flooding and Risk Assessment•Related and Inter-dependent Plans•Command and Control •Plan Activation – Trigger Thresholds and response

levels•Actions, Roles & Responsibilities•Vulnerable People•Key Infrastructure•Recovery•Training and Exercising

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

LRF STRATEGIC PLAN

COUNTY PLAN COUNTY PLAN

COMMUNITYPLANS

COMMUNITYPLANS

•Introduction•Aim & Objectives•Ownership and Audience•Risk of Flooding and Risk Assessment•Related and Interdependent Plans•Command and Control •Communication Plan•Plan Activation – Trigger Thresholds and response levels•Vulnerable People•Key Infrastructure•Recovery

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

LRF STRATEGIC PLAN

COUNTY PLANDevon

COUNTY PLANCornwall

COMMUNITYPLANS

COMMUNITYPLANS

•Community Flood Risk Summary•Description and known issues•Flooding history•Flood defences / alleviation measures•Warning and Informing•Communications, including local radio•Evacuation protocols•Rest Centre locations•Key public service points•Vulnerable people and settings•Command and control locations•Traffic management plan•Community links•Validation arrangements

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

LRF STRATEGIC PLAN

COUNTY PLANDevon

COUNTY PLANCornwall

COMMUNITYPLANS

COMMUNITYPLANS

•Introduction•Aim & Objectives•Ownership and Audience•Risk Assessment – general risks•Related and Interdependent Plans•Emergency committee construct•Plan Activation – Trigger Thresholds and response

levels•Actions, Roles & Responsibilities•Vulnerable People•Key Infrastructure

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

HIGH RISKCOMMUNITY

PLANS

LRF STRATEGIC PLAN

COUNTY PLANDevon

COUNTY PLANCornwall

COMMUNITYEMERGENCY

PLANS

COMMUNITYEMERGENCY

PLANS

Multi-agency flood plan(for a high risk community)

• Local plan• Directs emergency response• For use at command posts

– Silver– Bronze

• Includes local details:– Command locations– Emergency rest centres– Traffic management plan– Vulnerable people and settings– Critical local assets, eg utilities

NEXT TIME WE WILL BE BETTER PREPARED!!