Responding to a terrorist incident
Dealing with fatalities
Unexpected incidents involving a large number of fatalities are rare in the UK, whether they are a result of natural events, accidents or hostile acts.
Most incidents in the UK would be handled primarily at a local level by the emergency services and local authorities and service providers. An incident resulting in a large number of fatalities will require special arrangements at local, regional and national levels, depending on the scale and complexity of the incident.
It is the Government’s objective to ensure that local authorities and services have arrangements in place to deal with a large number of fatalities resulting from a major or catastrophic incident. The response to such incidents will involve identifying the dead, investigating the cause of death, and disposing of human remains in a safe and decent manner, whilst maintaining respect for the bereaved.
In January 2004, the Home Office established a section to lead on the cross-Government Mass Fatalities Workstream. This is part of the Cabinet Office Capabilities Programme. The Mass Fatalities Section works with stakeolders ( e.g local business continuity and emergency planners and emergency services) to assess what is required to respond effectively to an incident resulting in a large number of fatalities. Where necessary the Mass Fatalities Section has put in place capabilities to assist local authorities and services to manage the worse case scenarios.
Enhancing Capability through the Provision of Central Assistance
The Mass Fatalities Section commissioned a study of local capability in England and Wales to respond to incidents resulting in a large number of fatalities. In December 2004 the study reported a limited readiness to respond. This was mainly due to the scale of the capabilities needed to respond to such an incident, and that local plans needed to be developed on a multi agency basis. As a result, the Mass Fatalities Section have worked closely with stakeholders to develop a programme of central assistance. The Programme allows local authorities and services access to:
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Response Personnel – we have worked with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to establish a national Disaster Victim Identification Team (UK DVI). UK DVI is a police-led, virtual team of trained and experienced police and civilian forensic experts. Arrangements are in place to deploy UK DVI members to an incident that results in large scale fatalities. Their role would be to supplement but not replace, the local response. UK DVI is managed by ACPO and has capacity to deploy in the United Kingdom and abroad, at the request of the Foreign Office;
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Infrastructure – we have let a contract with KBR Ltd. for the provision of a National Emergency Mortuary Arrangements (NEMA). The contract delivers design, storage, deployment and construction in a range of configurations of temporary structures to serve as an emergency mortuary.
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Equipment – we have purchased general and radiographic equipment for use in an emergency mortuary. This includes the equipment necessary to convert an empty structure to a functioning mortuary. Stockpiles of general equipment contain sufficient consumables for the first 48 hours of a response-which enables time for the local response to determine and supply longer term requirements.
Whilst the programme of central assistance is now fully in place, its development is an ongoing process of continuous learning and improvement. We are seeking to build on existing and evolving knowledge of good practice, such as the lessons learned from responses to incidents such as the Indian Ocean tsunami, and the bombings on 7 July 2005.
Provision of Guidance
Guidance on Dealing with Fatalities in Emergencies (new window) (May 2004) is primarily aimed at local responders. It reaffirms and consolidates what local services should consider when planning how to respond in the event of an emergency. Advice is offered on all aspects of a mass fatalities response. A second edition of the guidance is expected in 2007.
The Regional Resilience Teams
We work closely with all nine teams who are based in regional Government Offices in England. They are responsible for developing and maintaining regional mass fatalities plans. This work is being mirrored by the Welsh Assembly Government. The purpose of these plans is to build on local emergency and business continuity plans. We also link up with the Northern Ireland Office and the Scottish Executive.
