Local bodies fail to prepare for emergencies

Local Authorities in the UK are failing to advise businesses about emergency planning procedures under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, according to a survey of British insurance brokers.

An overwhelming 90% of British insurance brokers surveyed said that Local Authorities have not done enough to promote emergency planning to protect businesses. The survey was carried out at this year’s annual BIBA Conference by Crisis Survivor, and questioned over 200 insurance brokers.

The Civil Contingencies Act imposes a series of duties on local bodies in the UK, including Local Authorities, in relation to contingency planning. In particular, Local Authorities have a duty to assess emergency risk and plan and advise accordingly, warning members of the public in the event of an emergency.

The Act was implemented as a measure to update emergency planning arrangements following the fuel crisis, the severe flooding in the autumn and winter of 2000 and the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in 2001. The chief objective was to deliver a single, modern framework for civil protection in the UK to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Tony Gimple, managing director of Crisis Survivor, said: ‘The survey results are significant, with a staggering nine out of ten brokers believing that Local Authorities are not doing enough in terms of risk management. They are responsible for preparing businesses for unexpected emergencies and, by not alerting them to the difficulties they will face if they do not have an appropriate business continuity plan, I fear that they are failing them. We all need to work together to ensure that businesses are properly prepared to deal with unexpected emergencies, whether financial, physical, or a terrorist attack.’