Supplementary memorandum submitted from
CACFOA (28 May 2001)
COPY OF BID FOR FURTHER RESOURCES TO MEET
NEW THREATS FROM TERRORISM
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 Following the attack on the World Trade
Centre (WTC), in New York on 11 September 2001, the DTLR Minister
with responsibilty for fire requested HM Chief Inspector of Fire
Services to examine as a matter of urgency the fire services'
ability to respond to major incidents.
1.2 The Fire Service will be expected to
provide the primary emergency containment response in the aftermath
of any attack, the loss of life amongst the fire crews in New
York is testament to this. It is therefore imperative that sufficient
planning, equipment, operational procedures and training are established
to enable the Fire Service to respond to any such incident.
1.3 The New Dimensions Group was subsequently
established to evaluate Fire Service capabilities and to make
recommendations to ensure that the fire service is sufficiently
trained and equipped to deal with major chemical, nuclear, biological
and conventional terrorist incidents on a national scale.
2. BID
2.1 The New Dimensions Group has identified
the sum of £217 millions, in addition to the £53 millions
already earmarked by the DTLR for decontamination, as that required
to bring the Fire Services' capabilities to a level where it can
discharge its responsibilities to public expectations.
2.2 The Group identified the following areas
that require expenditure for immediate enhancement:
— Protection and Safety of the Public;
— Search and Rescue Facilities;
— Planning and Training;
— Protection and Safety of Fire Fighters;
— National Co-ordination;
— The London Fire Brigade.
3. AREAS OF
EXPENDITURE
3.1 Protection and Safety of the Public.
The Fire Service is to be respnsible for the provision of mass-decontamination
under New Dimension planning. The provision of the necessary equipment,
the trained resources and operational delivery following a CBRN
attack, is to be based upon regionally located resources.
3.2 Search and Rescue Facilities. Much of
the equipment necessary to support this capability will be specialist
in nature, specifically provided under a mutual aid arrangement.
This equipment is required to ensure an effective response that
will save lives, property, increase the number of successful rescues
and reduce the level of injury to both the public and firefighters.
3.3 Planning and Training. New dimension
requires planning for a strategic, generic and flexible response
to cover the wide variety of possible attacks and potential targets.
It is necessary for the response to be consistent at national
and regional levels with a high level of co-ordination between
brigades.
3.4 Protection of firefighters. Firefighters
are exposd to a greater risk of CBRN contamination when carrying
out life saving operations. It is therefore essential that their
personal protective equipment be enhanced.
3.5 National Co-ordination. The new threat
will require a nationally co-ordinated planning and operational
response. There is therefore a requirement for an additional strategic
level communications system that allows the Fire Service to interoperate
effectively between brigades, other emergency services and agencies
in addition to multiple incident sites and co-ordination centres.
3.6 The London Fire Brigade. While most
of the needs of London are encompassed within the above provision,
the risk to London is far greater in its magnitude, as is the
potential effect, and requires additional consideration. In additon
to making the mutual aid planning for the Southeast London-centric,
as the seat of national planning and unified service response,
London requires additional and specific arrangements for fallback
facilities.
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