UK Disasters and Emergency Service Communications

1. UK Disasters and Emergency Service Communications Ronald Hewlett UK Home Office e-mail ronald.hewlett@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

2. This presentation covers • Role of the UK Home Office as regards the Emergency Services • Gives brief details of three UK disasters • Highlights the main recommendations affecting Emergency Service communications • Lists some of the lessons learnt End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

3. Role of Home Office • Government Department responsible for: • Police in England and Wales • Fire Brigades in England and Wales up to Summer 2001 • Emergency planning up to Summer 2001 • Airwave project - TETRA trunked radio system for Police and other associated users • NOT responsible for Ambulance Service or for British Transport Police End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

4. Disasters that have affected Police/Fire Communications • Kings Cross Underground Fire • Clapham Junction Railway Accident • Hillsborough Football Stadium End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

5. Kings Cross Underground • Fire in escalator thought to be caused by a smoker not extinguishing a match • 31 people died and many were injured • Recommendations on communications • British Transport Police be able to communicate with London Fire Brigade • Fire ground communications below ground to be improved End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

6. Clapham Junction • Two trains collided in South London, shortly followed by another travelling in the opposite direction • 35 people died and nearly 500 injured • Recommendation on communications • Emergency Services provide radio communications at site to facilitate liaison between control unit and experts End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

7. Hillsborough Stadium • 95 people died and over 400 injured just after the start of a football game • Main cause was severe overcrowding in part of the stadium • A number of recommendations were made regarding the use of radios, method of operation and providing sufficient operators to handle the traffic End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

8. Lessons Learnt (1) • Good communications between all involved organisations at scene and elsewhere is vital • Senior people at the scene need to communicate on a dedicated radio channel • Sufficient operators needed to handle the traffic • Disasters affect a wide area around the scene End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

9. Lessons Learnt (2) • Detailed disaster plans need to be developed and tested regularly using different scenarios • Separate dedicated communications nets for individual tasks/organisations with ability to link as required • Arrangements needed for rapid priority access to public mobile phone networks End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

10. Standardisation • Primary requirement is linking between different communications systems • ETSI taking this into account in the development of the TETRA system • Lots more work to do on this topic, both from a technical and operational viewpoint End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

11. Separate handout • This gives more details of each disaster and the recommendations made on communications • Details of publications consulted to prepare this presentation • Suggested sources of advice and information End Emergency Telecommunications Workshop

12. Any Questions? Title Contents Role of HO Disasters Kings X Clapham Hillsborough Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Standardisation Handout Emergency Telecommunications Workshop