This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Prepared for any emergency
01/06/2006
A review of Scotland's ability to deal with simultaneous major emergencies is now under way.
It will be conducted by a team of Justice Department officials, along with HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services, and is intended to inform the continued development of effective emergency services.
It will examine:
- Preparedness, across all services, to deal with simultaneous major emergencies, ranging from terrorist attacks to extreme weather events
- The adequacy of communications within and between the emergency services
- The potential for greater collaboration between emergency services and other local responders, such as health boards and local authorities
Views will be actively sought from fire officers, the Scottish Police Service, the Scottish Ambulance Service and local authorities, among others.
The review team will tour Scotland organising meetings with all relevant parties. Ministers will then take decisions on the way forward in the summer of 2007.
To stimulate discussion, two documents have been published today:
- a report on the preparedness of the Fire and Rescue Services to deal with simultaneous terrorist attacks
- an analysis of responses to the 2004 consultation on the future of fire control rooms
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"Preparing for the unexpected and the unpredictable has rightly become mainstream issues for government and a range of other public services.
"Scotland, along with the rest of the UK, faces a range of potential risks. These range from extreme weather events to pandemic flu. In addition the London bombings of July 2005 were a terrible reminder of the threat of terrorism.
"Nobody can doubt the fantastic, brave and committed frontline staff who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. But we need to ensure that they are backed by excellent equipment, procedures and organisation. We need to be sure we are supporting them not hindering them with bureaucratic hurdles.
"Already we have delivered real improvements in this vital area - both in terms of legislation and resources. Legislative developments include the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which put agencies' duty to work together on a statutory footing, and was coupled with strategic guidance for the most significant modernisation of fire and rescue services since World War II.
"Meanwhile we have provided record levels of investment in the fire and rescue services, and following September 11th we have enhanced the service's capability and resilience by providing £11m for specialist vehicles and equipment. Earlier this year I confirmed our commitment to provide a new, state-of-the-art digital communications system for the fire service. We are continuing to strengthen Scotlands police forces - with record number of police officers - up nearly 1,500 since 1999 - backed by record levels of resources.
"We have driven forward change, and now it is time to take stock. That is why I have asked a team of officials to gather the views of all service co-ordinators and consider whether any gaps remain in our emergency planning. This intelligence will provide robust evidence on which to base our next steps.
"While there is no specific threat to Scotland, it is our duty to prepare as well as we can to protect the public in the face of any emergency - natural or man-made - that might arise. This will take some time - but its worth it to get it right. I look forward to seeing the results of this work in due course to help us make further improvements and deliver a safer, stronger Scotland."