Wait, I know this one. It’s that thing that they do at the gym. You know, resilience training
No, that’s resistance training. Although the two do have a certain amount in common. Resilience is about making sure that the country is prepared to handle disaster.
So it’s to do with terrorism
Yes, but only partly. According to the draft fire and rescue national framework 2006-08, which is out for consultation at the moment, it is “the ability to manage disruptive challenges, such as terrorist attacks, chemical, biological, or radiological incidents or major flooding that can lead to or result in a crisis”.
I don’t need to worry about that. I don’t work in the fire or rescue services
You don’t get out of it that easily — resilience is an all-hands-on-deck sort of thing. Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act means that a wide range of organisations, from local authorities to NHS bodies and utilities companies, have a duty to co-operate and share relevant information.
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Of course everyone works together in an emergency
The point of resilience is that everyone works together before there’s an emergency so that if one happens, everyone knows what to do. And it’s not simply a matter of local councils talking to the local emergency services about how the area’s schools would be evacuated — there’s a big element of regional cross-co-ordination as well.
I’m sure it’s nothing a couple of circulars can’t handle
Circulars? Think of secondments. The London Resilience Team, for example, is made up of people seconded from a range of organisations, including all the emergency services, transport providers and local councils. The idea is that as well as dealing with strategy and day-to-day business, all the secondees get to know each other, which will strengthen ties across the organisations even when they return to their regular jobs.
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Sounds very London-centric
Well that one is, but there are Regional Resilience Teams across England providing support for Regional Resilience Forums (which bring together local responders and representatives of central government). Similar systems are in place within Scotland and Wales and at a cross-border level, says www.ukresilience.info. There’s also a national Civil Resilience Directorate, which is the umbrella body that manages the resilience work done by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
That’s a lot of meetings.
Not if you’re well prepared.
www.odpm.gov.uk