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The Evolution of Major Emergency Management in the

Cork Region

John Ryan B.E. C.Eng. M.I.E.IChief Fire Officer

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OVERVIEW

• Cork Region- Information• From Major Accident Planning to Major Emergency

Planning – Key Incidents and Developments in the Cork Region

• Evolution of the Cork Joint Emergency Planning Group• Major Emergency Structure Cork Region• Major Emergency Management

– CJMEP Planning & Preparedness Developments

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Cork Region Information

• Population Cork City & County 447,829 (2002 census)• Cork City Suburbs and Environs 186,239 (2002 census)• Land Area 7,454 square kilometres• 1,100 km of coastline• Transport Infrastructure, Large Port, Airport, • Key Industrial Pharmaceutical region• 14 Upper Tier Seveso Sites. • Developing Metropolitan Urban area adjacent to Cork

City--- CASP

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Major Accident Planning in The Cork Region

• Southern Health Board Major Accident Plan 1974• Procedures for declaring a Major Accident – High

Numbers of Casualties > 20 Casualties• Detailed Co Ordination procedures for the different

emergency services• Fire Service, Garda Siochana, Ambulance Service• Focus on casualty rescue and transfer to hospital• Major Accidents Cork Area• 1978 Glounthane- Bus Crash- 5 Fatalities- 27 Injured• 1979 Bantry- Oil Tanker Explosion- 50 Fatalities• 1980 Buttevant Train Crash- 18 Fatalities- 62 Injured

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BUTTEVANT RAIL ACCIDENTResponse

• 1/08/1980 12.45 Accident Occurs• 80 Casualties• 18 Fatalities • 14.30 All seriously injured casualties • Large number of Ambulances• Helicopter• Fire Service• Voluntary Agencies• Mortuary• 1981 Department of Health Guidelines

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Major Emergency Plans• May 1981 ‘Circular Planning for Major Emergencies’

Dept of the Environment (DOE)• Local Authorities to prepare emergency plans in

accordance with DOE guidelines• Emergency Plans were to cover wide range of events

including environmental issues, severe weather, may or may not involve casualties

• 1984 ‘Emergency Planning: Framework for Co-ordinated response to a Major Emergency’

• Events in Cork Region• 1985 Air India Crash, South West Coast, 329 Fatalities• 1986 Kowloon Bridge, Baltimore, Cork Pollution

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Emergency Planning Coordinated Response

• Combined Major Emergency Plan Health Board Garda Siochana and Local Authority

• Co-Coordinating Group-CEOS/Nominees Functions– Monitoring &Liaison Between Agencies– Mobilisation of Additional Resources – Policy and Direction, Information

• Site --Each Agency Controller of Operations• Cork- Seveso Sites - Multi Agency Meetings• Number of Plans-- Confusion-- Not Effective• Inter Authority emergency planning group • Cork Joint Emergency Planning Group

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Major Emergency Plan Cork Region

• Goal to develop a single general all hazard plan for major emergencies in the Cork area

• Exercise Hotspot 1990 • Improved Awareness-Emergency planning functions.• Demonstrated the need for Inter Agency understanding

co-ordination and mutual familiarity.• Inventory of Resources and capabilities of Agencies.• Need for a coordinated approach.• Role and potential of the Support Agencies.• Clarified the role and necessity of the CJEPG in the Cork

Region

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Hicksons Ringaskiddy 1993• Serious Fire in Chemical Plant• 09.00 Fire appeared to be under control • Damage to internal water pipes---fire water supply

problems • 09.15 Hours escalation of Fire• Chemicals in Tank Farm potential Threat• Fire under control 13.30• Fire water retention facilities – Contaminated Runoff• Major Emergency Plan Activated.• Seminar Industry & CJEPG– Pre Planning Information

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Cork Joint Major Emergency Plan1995

• Guidance • All Hazards Approach • General Functions• Personnel & Organisations Cork City Council, Cork County

Council, HSE, Garda Siochana• Define Major Emergency

– Community Health Threat– Number of Casualties– Damage to property or the environment– Disruption of Essential Service

• Convenor• Focus is on general principles rather than details

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Co-Ordinating

Group(G arda H .Q .)

Casualty CollectionPo int

S ite MedicalOfficer

Am bulanceLoading

Po int

F irst A id Po int

Site Am bulanceOfficer

AmbulanceMobileControl

R.V. Point

HoldingArea

SiteMediaCentre

Temporary Mortuary

Site GardaOfficer

GardaMobileControl

DangerArea

Site F ireOfficer

FireMobileControl

Site Control

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Co-Ordinating Group

(Garda H.Q.)

Hospitals HospitalMediaCentre

GardaCasualtyBureau

Medical Co-OrdinatingOfficer

MediaCentre

SiteControl

LocalAuthority

GardaSiochana

SouthernHealthBoard

Control CentresGarda

FireAm bulance

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Co-Ordinated Management of Major Incidents

Co-O rdinating G roup(Garda H.Q.)

Hospitals HospitalMediaCentre

GardaCasualtyBureau

Medical Co-OrdinatingOfficer

MediaCentre

C a su alty C o llec tionP o int

S ite M e d icalO fficer

A m bu lan ceL oading

Po int

F irs t A id Po int

S ite Am b ulan ceO ffic er

Am bulanceM obileControl

R.V . Po int

Hold ingArea

SiteM ediaCentre

T e m p orary M o rtuary

Site G a rdaO fficer

GardaMobileControl

DangerArea

S ite F ireO fficer

FireMobileControl

SiteControl

LocalAuthority

GardaSiochana

SouthernHealthBoard

Control CentresGarda

FireAm bulance

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Cork Co-ordinating Group

• Cork City and or County Manager(or Assistant Manager)

• Network Manager HSE (or Deputy)• Chief Superintendent Garda( or Deputy)

– City, North Cork, West Cork Divisions.• Meet with planning group at least annually or as

necessary.

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Cork Joint Emergency Planning Group(2006)

Full time Emergency Management Officer (2001)

Cork City and County Chief Fire Officers.2 Senior Executive Fire Officers Cork County Fire

Service.Chief Ambulance OfficerDirector Of Public Health Deputy Manager Mercy Hospital

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Emergency Management OfficerCork Kerry Region

• Contract Post Based in the HSE Funded by Agencies• Function • Full Time Support to the participating Authorities in the

exercise of their responsibilities in preparation and training for and response to Major Emergencies in Cork and Kerry

• Update and reissue the Cork and Kerry Emergency Plans

• Exercises and Seminars• Develop strategy and progress liaison with industry,

other agencies and the media.

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White Powder Incidents 2001

• Number of incidents• Development of Protocols• Mass Public Decontamination issues. • Methods of Decontamination• Location of Decontamination• Liaison and advice involvement of Public

Health department.

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Emergency Management

• RISK ASSESSMENT• MITIGATION• PREPAREDNESS• RESPONSE• RECOVERY

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Mitigation Societal Risks & Choices

• Natural• Technological Failures• Man made • Industrial• CBRN

Accept & RetainControl & ManageTransferEliminateSubstitute

RISK =HAZARD X VULNERABILITY

CAPACITY

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CJMEP Improving Capacity

• Optimise Resources– Develop Synergies-Collaboration• Develop Total System Response.• Develop and optimise skills knowledge and abilities• Database of resources and capabilities Local Authority• Capabilities of other agencies and the Voluntary sector • Put in place memoranda of understandings• Media Liaison Officers Group- Crisis Communications• Changes in key personnel---Contacts• Strategic Location of Resources• Acquire Technology– Simulation Training• Use of GIS systems - Information

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CJMEP Preparedness Continuous Process

• Multi Agency Exercising and Testing of Plan• Public Education- Information Booklet– Website• Multi Agency Training– MIMMS courses.• Preplanning for mass crowd events.• Liaison with essential services/ utilities.• Evacuation and Welfare-Multi Functional Centres• Strengthen and enhance Communications-quick and

secure access to information 24/7- Key Resource• Develop CJMEP interface plans for key installations.• Continually update develop and co ordinate emergency

preparedness.

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CJMEP PreparednessReduce unknowns

• Focus is on Realistic Hazards.• Regular Exercises –Seveso Legislation Requirement is a

Key Driver-- HSA• Multi Agency multi organisational Approach• Isolate the Range of Problems• Define Possible Solutions• Benefits of Preparedness

– Accurate Knowledge– Education and Familiarity– Evokes Appropriate Action– Enhances ability to deal with uncertainty

• Routine Emergencies Major Emergencies

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CJMEP Preparedness• Seveso II Directive –Specified Thresholds--Chemicals• 14 Top Tier COMAH Sites in the Cork Region, • Health and Safety Authority notifies the public bodies\

agencies who then prepare an external emergency plan.• This is based on information in the operators Safety Report.• Time Element• Consultation with the public. • Offsite plans in place for 8 Sites.• Review and testing process- Continuous- Multi Agency• Public Protection Shelter/Evacuation• Terminology is an issue.

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Public Safety Zone

Adopted by Cork Joint Emergency Planning Group

LowProbability

HighConsequenc

e

Varying degrees of

Injury

Hot ZoneWarm ZoneCold Zone

Public Information Cold Zone Casualty Handling Warm Zone Mitigation and Casualty Handling Hot Zone

Methodology:

Level of Concern – Acute Exposure Guideline Levels Footprint plot – downwind of release

MapInfo ALOHA

Hot, Warm & Cold Public Safety Zones

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Typical Gas Cloud Zones

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BLEVE Public Safety Zones

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Voluntary Organisations• Important to involve at Planning Stage• Set up and Maintain Liaison• Matrix of Capabilities • Insurance• Memorandum Of Understanding• Civil Defence Search Management• Capacity to respond• Level of training• Community Resilience

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Effective Response--Logistics

• Right Resources Right Place Right Time

• Network of Emergency Response Entities• Incident Priorities• Strategy and Tactics• Communications• Incident Management System• Control Co Ordination

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Sunbeam Fire Cork City ( 2003)

• Scale of Operation- Large Area on Fire• Accountability Number of people on site• Hazards: Gas Leak, Building Collapse,

Dangerous Structure• Situational Awareness• Interagency Working• Logistics• Welfare• Information

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Severe Weather Cork City• Severe Weather Plan• High winds December 24th 1997 Structural Damage• Evacuation, Casualties, Maintain Key Transport Routes• October 17th 16.48 2004 Flooding Cork City.• Public Warnings– Messages and Advice• Factors

– High Tide, – Low Barometric Pressure, – Wind Direction

• Flooding during Rush Hour--Affected Key Routes• Public Protection• Fire Service Civil Defence & Local Authority Response

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ISSUES CJMEP• Risk Assessment• Cross Agency Communications• Communications • Public Information• Terminology• Resource Management• New Technology• Training & Education• Changing Demographics• Community Preparedness

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Challenges• Proposed Framework on Major Emergency Management in

Ireland

• Emergency Services Total System Response

• Emergency Management– Mitigation– Preparedness– Response– Recovery

• Continuous Process

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Conclusion

• Evolution of Emergency Management– Major Accident Plan– Major Emergency Planning– Key events Cork Region– Structures

• Major Emergency Management Elements– Planning & Preparedness Efforts

• Continuous Process.