Responding to a terrorist incident
Assistance centres
Assistance Centres aim to deliver emotional and practical support to all of those affected, including bereaved families, friends, survivors, responding personnel, and affected communities, in the immediate aftermath of an incident.
An Assistance Centre should provide:
- A focal point for assistance to everyone affected by the incident
- A place where people can gain as much information as is currently available about missing family and friends
- A suitable place for the gathering of mass forensic samples
- Access to a range of facilities that allows everyone affected by the incident to make informed choices according to their needs
- A seemless multi agency approach that minimises duplication.
The range of emotional and practical support available at the Centre should include:
- Welfare and counselling (including health)
- Accommodation and transport advice
- Benefits advice
- Legal and insurance advice
- First aid
The building used should also have:
- Public transport links
- Sufficient rooms to meet required functions
- Private interview areas
- Telephone and internet facilities
- Refreshments
- Washrooms
- Childcare facilities
- Disabled access
The location of an Assistance Centre needs to be pre-identified and incorporated into emergency plans. The responsibility for finding suitable premises lies with the local authority, although it’s important that all agencies involved in its running are consulted.
To ensure a strategic approach it is recommended that the selection of sites, staffing and operational planning is carried out under the auspices of the Local Resilience Forum (LRF).
