Resilient Nation

By Charlie Edwards.

Introduction

Authorities should adapt their emergency plans to include ordinary citizens: people and communities should be recognized as the first line of defence against threats like flooding, terrorist attacks or pandemics. Physical and virtual social networks, not state apparatus, will be the most useful tools in future disasters.

This document ‘Resilient Nation’ explores the above and explains the thinking behind the headline.

Resilience is an everyday activity and people have to be aware of the part they play in protecting their community and the country. In the UK, all the ingredients for building a resilient nation are there but it’s how and when we put them together that will make the difference between being ready and resilient or vulnerable.

Recommendations from Resilient Nation include:

- Local councils, emergency planning officers and the emergency services should use social media like Twitter as part of their engagement strategies.
- Community resilience should become part of the PHSE curriculum.
Individual resilience should be encouraged by creating goals such a resilience badge for Girl Guides and Scouts.
- Government should establish an annual ‘preparedness week’ where local communities can learn to develop their emergency response strategy.
- Local authorities and the emergency services should develop live exercises and training for the public.

Resilient Nation is the result of ten months work and over 50 interviews in ten different locations across the UK. It includes case studies from flooding in Walcott, Norfolk; the 1987 fire in King’s Cross, London; the 2004 Asian tsunami; the UK’s Foot and Mouth crisis; the Los Angeles Fire Department and the 2008 Hurricane Gustav.

Author: Charlie Edwards is Head of the Security Programme at Demos.

Read the complete document (PDF)

•Date: 9th July 2009• Region:UK/World •Type: Article •Topic: Public sector
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