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Council Role in an Emergency
North Hertfordshire District Council is committed to caring for the people it serves. We achieve this through the authorities ‘Vision and Strategic Objectives’. The role of the Council in a major incident will include:
- Support to the Emergency Services
- Co-ordination of response by Voluntary Agencies
- Supporting the Local Community
- Promoting recovery and return to normality
- Maintaining normal services
Staff Roles during a Major Incident
Where possible staff roles during a major incident will be an extension of their normal working role, action checklists have been provided for each emergency function to show what is required from each role. These check lists can be seen in the Major Incident Plan.
Emergency Co-ordination Centre
Should the need arise to establish an emergency co-ordination centre to co-ordinate the Council’s response, one of three designated co-ordination centres with dedicated communications will be established. The Council’s first choice will be Committee Room 3 in the Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth.
The main purpose of the co-ordination centre is to maintain an overview of the incident and to keep a log of requests for information, support and events throughout the Council’s response.
NHDC Response
The response will be led by a Corporate Director or nominated representative on behalf of the Chief Executive. Support within the centre is provided by communication links to our liaison officer at the scene, known as the Silver Tactical Liaison Officer and our liaison officer at Strategic (Gold) Command, known as the Gold Officer. The Strategic Command is normally situated at Police Headquarters. Also in the co-ordination centre will be Procurement Officers, Public Relations, Councillor and Staff support and special advisors chosen to suit the type of incident and could include special risk teams.
The Emergency Services will be involved with NHDC during a Major Incident but many other organisations will support the response, such as:
- WRVS
- RAYNET
- ST JOHN AMBULANCE AND THE RED CROSS
- CAB
- PARISH AND TOWN COUNCILS
- RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS
- DOCTORS SURGERIES
- VETERINARY SURGERIES
NHDC will co-ordinate the response of many of the above organisations.
In the event of a major incident the co-ordination centre manager will call out staff as necessary from the Major Incident Call-Out list after the initial level of response has been decided upon. Support staff may be called upon from a number of services to help with message taking, information distribution and general duties. Detailed information on specific roles for NHDC staff and their responsibilities during a major incident can be found in the NHDC Major Incident Plan. Specific roles and duties that may be involved in the response include:
- Tactical Silver Liaison Officer (SLO)
The Police will normally assume overall control of a major incident, though many other services and organisations will be involved. The NHDC Tactical Silver Liaison Officer sent to the Joint Tactical Command will act as a liaison between NHDC and the Police and other emergency services present at the Joint Tactical (Silver) Command. The command point will have liaison officers from the emergency services, County Council and any other principal agency involved in the incident. The SLO would maintain communication with the Council from the JTC, provide information to the co-ordination centre on the incident, forward any requests for support from the command point to NHDC and inform other services what support would be available from the Council.
- Reception Centre Manager
The main role for the Reception Centre Manager would be to provide, as required, emergency reception facilities to deal with casualties from the incident and locally all victims of the emergency and temporary accommodation for those made homeless by the incident.
- Provision of Reception Centres
The main role for a reception centre is to provide temporary accommodation for people made homeless due to an emergency. Other types of reception centres may need to be established such as media centres, friends and relations centres, rest centres etc. North Hertfordshire District Council will establish the centres supported if necessary by Hertfordshire County Council and voluntary organisations such as the WRVS, First Aid groups, CAB, religious organisations and RAYNET (if back up communications are required).
Information and the Media
North Hertfordshire District Council recognises the need for timely information in the event of a major incident for the public and the media. Any information must be accurate and provided in a sensitive and consistent manner, therefore all information in connection with a major incident will be co-ordinated through the Hertfordshire Constabulary Press Office. North Hertfordshire District Council will not release information during a major incident and all enquiries will be referred to the Police Press Office.
NHDC Councillor Role
Some Councillors will play a leading role during a major incident particularly if they are a Cabinet member, other Party Leader or Ward Councillor. It is important that elected Councillors are kept informed about the incident. This area of responsibility will fall to the co-ordination centre manager in liaison with the Council’s Public Relations Manager, who will need to maintain contact with appropriate Councillors.
Relevant information will be made available to Councillors, but it must be borne in mind that during a major incident it may take some time to ascertain all the facts. Councillors and staff will be asked not to speculate to the media about the incident, as the Hertfordshire Constabulary will provide all information.