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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. This summary presents the main findings of a study commissioned by the Scottish Executive Justice Department on Scotland's preparedness in an emergency. The principal aim of this research project was to establish the requirements for a resilient Scotland, in the face of a changing risk landscape, which can dovetail into the general UK Capabilities Programme, with the subsequent aim being to produce a complete mapping of Scotland's capability to deal with a major emergency and to identify ways of improving this.
2. The research objectives for the project were to identify key elements of capability and how they can be enhanced add value to response and resilience capability test capability against a range of different simulated events critically assess and review key concepts identify the drivers of increasing expectations and demands for improved capability and prepare a strategic plan for future progress.
3. Important for an understanding of the field of study is the need to recognise and deal with difficult conceptual issues and policy concepts (and by extension management issues), such as the nature of risk, and the variability of capability across risk type, area and time of year. These issues have been raised and tested where possible in relation to discovering where the strengths and gaps lie in Scotland's capacity to manage risk, crisis, disasters and emergencies.
4. The research was carried out in 2 stages. Firstly, an analysis of capability data provided by the 8 Strategic Coordinating Groups ( SCGs), the Scottish Ambulance Service ( SAS) and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency ( MCA) was carried out to identify gaps in capability. This involved the analysis of findings from a previous questionnaire used by the Scottish Executive to evaluate capacity. Stage 2 of the research was designed to gather the missing data identified in stage one and further investigated aspects of 'resilience' capability in the areas of funding, exercise and training and approaches to future reporting. This involved the use of 'hypothetical' scenarios discussed by targeted focus groups. A matrix was developed to provide an overview of where the gaps and strengths in the various workstreams could be found. The matrix built upon the US Federal Emergency Management Agency's ( FEMA) framework for the assessment of capability- the Capability Assessment for Readiness ( CAR). This assessment was conducted at Strategic Coordinating Group ( SCG) level but involved local and Scottish agencies.
5. The main findings of this research are as follows:
- There is a high level of trust and capacity in planning and good working relationships within and between SCG areas.
- Business continuity processes are not fully understood by emergency planners, amongst others.
- There are no plans to test mass evacuation arrangements in any of the SCG areas and this needs to be addressed. There is also a need to test established plans across the whole of Scotland particularly testing the ability to deal with a 'multirisk' event.
- Long term recovery arrangements are under developed giving cause for concern for the authors.
- Mutual aid agreements are generally of an informal nature across most of the SCGs.
- Health care provision and mortuary facilities could be stretched beyond limits in a wide area emergency such as pandemic flu.
- Warning and informing the public could prove difficult if different languages are not catered for and communication facilities are not in place.
- Training and development of emergency managers should be continuous and funding for such activities needs to be addressed.
- The allocation of funds for delivering emergency management in local authorities needs some consideration by the Scottish Executive ( SE) in consultation with the relevant authorities.
- SCGs assume that the SE would play a substantial role in major emergencies and exactly what this role is needs to be determined following consultation with the relevant authorities.
6. The authors conclude that disaster management capability is not an absolute quality. It is not hard and fast and constant - rather it varies according to the type and scale of the event. Gaps can be highly specific to a particular location or time and the risks may not be obvious to a particular SCG area who are not used to dealing with it. In a dynamic environment plans need constant monitoring, testing and updating and we recommend that this is undertaken on a regular basis.
7. Following analysis of the stage one research, it is likely that capability in Scotland is higher than it appears from the responses provided by respondents. The data set provided for the first stage of research was incomplete, and they were collected over 20 months previously, before the introduction of the CCA 2004, and thus changes will have occurred.
8. Stage 2 of the research found that the status of emergency management in Scotland was one of professionalism, with a concern for the future and a commitment to do the job well. Arrangements for dealing with major emergencies are advanced, well embedded and well organised. We found that the introduction of the CCA 2004 had been broadly welcomed by emergency planners as a step in the right direction and that practitioners were ready to take on extra duties provided they had the resources to do so. A major strength was found to be the networks and levels of trust between practitioners, programme managers and agencies. A number of weaknesses were identified, the most important being in relation to the response to a wide area event across several SCG areas, or Scotland-wide. Roles and responsibilities need to be clarified in this situation and guidance is required with regards to warning and informing the public.
9. Following a training needs analysis a number of priorities have been identified for enhancing current resilience capability. This includes wide-scale emergency management training to maintain levels of knowledge and promotion of professional qualifications.
10. Finally research needs to be conducted into how the various levels of Scottish government administration (local, regional and national) interact with each other and with their corresponding levels of civil administration as well as with business and the community.
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