Some time ago the Government and
emergency planners recognised that legislation which enabled the
country to respond to emergencies was outdated. The
Government began a period of consultation, during which time
the Foot and Mouth epidemic, flooding and the fuel protest
occurred. All of these only served to highlight the lack of
planning and preparation available to deal with such
disruptions.
The terrible events of 11 September 2003 gave even more impetus to
pushing through the change.
In 2004, the Civil Contingencies Act came into force. For the
first time since the days of the Cold War, a radical change in
emergency planning was on the cards, placing legal duties on all
the organisations responsible for responding to emergencies, and
those who support the responders, to plan, respond and share
information.
Under the act, local authorities are now Category One
responders, alongside the emergency services. We have a
legal duty to plan and respond:
- in support of the emergency services and
- in support of the community they serve.
Useful links
Civil Contingencies Act 2004
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Response and Recovery