| Pitt Review makes 15 urgent recommendations
The interim Pitt Review, authored by Sir Michael Pitt, makes 15 urgent recommendations to be implemented as soon as possible to reduce the impact of any flooding that might occur in the near future. These cover the areas of managing flood risk, groundwater monitoring, local and national planning and response, public information, and public preparedness. Additionally, the Review draws 72 interim conclusions, awaiting further information and evidence before being put forward in firm recommendations next summer. The 15 urgent recommendations are: 1 - The Review recommends that more frequent and systematic monitoring of groundwater levels at times of high risk should be undertaken by the Environment Agency, which should begin as soon as possible to predict and mitigate further serious ground water flooding from this winter onwards. 2 - The Review recommends that the Environment Agency, supported by local authorities and water companies, should urgently identify areas at highest risk from surface water flooding where known, inform Local Resilience Forums and take steps to identify remaining high risk areas over the coming months. 3 - The Review recommends that the Environment Agency should urgently develop and implement a clear policy on the use of temporary and demountable defences. 4 - The Review recommends that all Local Resilience Forums urgently review their current local arrangements for water rescue to consider whether they are adequate in light of the summer's events and their local community risk registers. 5 - The Review recommends that all Local Resilience Forums should undertake an urgent review of designated rest centres and other major facilities to ensure either that they have the necessary levels of resilience to enable them to be used in the response to flooding and other major emergencies, or that alternative arrangements are put in place. 6 - The Review recommends that the Cabinet Office, with other departments, should urgently consider the costs, benefits and feasibility of establishing arrangements for the urgent acquisition of supplies during a major emergency, including the use of call-off contracts or the creation of national or regional stockpiles of equipment and consumables. 7 - The Review recommends that Department of Health guidance clarifying the role and accountabilities of organisations involved in providing scientific and technical advice during a major incident should be implemented as soon as possible and understood by Gold Commanders. 8 - The Review recommends that the guidance currently under preparation by Cabinet Office to provide local responders with advice on the definition and identification of vulnerable people and on planning to support them in an emergency should be issued urgently. 9 - The review recommends that, in order to effectively fulfil its Lead Department role for flood risk management and emergency response, Defra needs to urgently develop and share a national flood emergency framework. 10 - The Review recommends that Category 1 responders should be urgently provided with a detailed assessment of critical infrastructure in their areas to enable them to assess its vulnerability to flooding. 11 - The Review recommends that the Environment Agency should work urgently with telecommunications companies, consulting the Information Commissioner as necessary to facilitate the roll-out of 'opt-out' telephone flood warning schemes to all homes and businesses liable to flooding, including homes with ex-directory numbers. 12 - The Review recommends that Local Resilience Forums urgently develop plans to enhance flood warnings through 'door-knocking' by local authorities based on an assessment of the post code areas likely to flood. 13 - The Review recommends that Local Resilience Forums urgently make arrangements to involve local media representatives in the local preparedness and response to support their public information role. 14 - The Review recommends that members of the public make up a flood kit - including key personal documents, insurance policy, emergency contact numbers (including local council, emergency services and Floodline - 0845 988 1188), torch, battery or wind-up radio, mobile phone, rubber gloves, wet wipes or antibacterial hand gel, first aid kit and blankets. 15 - The Review recommends that members of the public increase their personal state of readiness and resilience to floods by following the Environment Agency's practical advice, where appropriate. A three month consultation period on the Interim Report recommendations will commence in January. All the information gathered during this exercise will be analysed and fed into the drafting of recommendations for the Final Report, which will be published in summer 2008.
•Date: 17th Dec 2007• Region: UK •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
|
