Past Events

Improving Extreme Weather Preparedness and Resilience: Emergency Planning Through a 'Whole-of-Society' Approach

Date:     Thursday 2nd February 2023

Time:     10:00am - 2:50pm

Venue:  ONLINE Live Conference


  • Event Abstract
  • Programme
  • Key Speakers
  • Who Should Attend?
  • Marketing Opportunities

In April 2022, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change outlined in stark terms the dire consequences of our current climate reality, which will see a greater frequency of extreme weather and ‘one-a-century’ sea level events becoming annual by 2050. The impact of the climate crisis has already caused a significant increase in extreme weather events in recent years, bringing substantial challenges for national and local services across the country. This year alone saw multiple extreme weather events, including several named winter storms, record-high temperatures, flooding and droughts. These events have highlighted the critical role that effective resilience structures, partnership relationships and the coordination between agencies play in preparing for increasingly dangerous and life-threatening weather events.

To address this growing challenge, in March 2021 the Government published the Integrated Review, signalling its commitment to improving our ability to anticipate, prepare to, respond to and recover from risks, including extreme weather. To deliver on this the Government published its long-awaited National Resilience Strategy in December, setting out the national vision for improving the UK’s resilience and preparedness.

This timely Policy Foresight online live conference offers a valuable opportunity for key partners from local authorities, emergency planning/civil contingencies, the police, health, fire and rescue services, private and third sectors and other key statutory agencies to examine how a 'whole-of-society' approach will be central to delivering effective multi-agency resilience structures that are fit-for-purpose. The webinar will explore the potential impact that the newly published UK Government Resilience Framework will have on extreme weather preparedness nationally. This online conference provides an ideal platform to learn from innovative best practice and share ideas with fellow participants on how to identify gaps in existing measures, improve communication and information sharing and work to deliver more effective responses to the increasingly dangerous weather events that we will face.

Why Attend?

  • Live webinar featuring presentations and panel discussions with a wide range of policymakers, experts from across the emergency planning, resilience, civil contingencies and national and local government
  • Interactive Question Time sessions with opportunities to engage with all speakers
  • Receive an update on the UK Government Resilience Framework and its implications for extreme weather preparedness
  • Examine the role that a 'whole-of-society' approach can play in improving resilience frameworks
  • Explore the lessons learned from the multiple extreme weather events in 2022 – from extreme heat to named storms and flooding incidents
  • Acquire best practice on the importance of effective communication structures in delivering effective responses
  • Share ideas with fellow participants from local authorities, resilience forums, emergency planning / civil contingencies, the police, fire and rescue services, health, the private and third sectors
  • On Demand – Exclusive access to speaker presentations and post-event resources

  • Resource - The UK Government Resilience Framework

    Guidance - 14th July 2022: Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Fund

    News - 10th January 2023: New Approach to Sustainable Drainage Set to Reduce Flood Risk and Clean Up Rivers 

    9:30am

    Delegate Online Login


    10:00am

    Introduction by Conference Organiser


    10:05am

    Chair's Welcome and Opening Remarks


    10:10am

    Keynote Session:

    Building Long-Term Resilience for Extreme Weather – The National Picture

  • Examining the new UK Government Resilience Strategy
  • Exploring the role of the new Public Emergency Alert System in communicating with the public
  • Coordinating a programme of preparedness at a national and local level
  • Exploring the National Picture – Understanding the effect of the climate change crisis and its impact on the frequency and severity of extreme weather events

  • 10:30am

    Keynote Session: Questions and Discussion


    10:50pm

    Comfort Break


    10:55am

    Panel Session One:

    Improving Prevention and Preparation for Extreme Weather Events

  • Strengthening operative local resilience strategies that prevent, prepare for, mitigate and recover from extreme weather events
  • Enhancing local and national flood and extreme weather forecasting and warning services
  • Meeting the challenge – Ensuring systems are robust enough to manage more frequent, severe and concurrent emergencies
  • Utilising effective and accessible communication strategies to inform and empower the public to improve public safety and reduce the impact on homes and businesses

  • 11:45am

    Panel Session One: Questions and Discussion


    12:05pm

    Comfort Break


    12:25pm

    Panel Session Two:

    Getting it Right – Enhancing Future Responses

  • Examining key joint-working principles to create a successful response to extreme weather events: co-locate, communicate, co-ordinate, jointly understand risk, shared situational awareness
  • Improving communication protocols – ensuring all key agencies and local partners remain ‘in the loop’ of the overall strategic response especially in challenging remote and urban settings
  • Driving a coordinated response – Exploring and improving the role of Local Resilience Forums (LRFs)
  • Ensuring vital fail-safe technologies and systems are in place in during and in the aftermath of extreme weather emergencies

  • 1:10pm

    Panel Session Two: Questions and Discussion


    1:30pm

    Comfort Break


    1:40pm

    Panel Session Three:

    Adopting the ‘Whole-of-Society’ Approach to Resilience

  • Delivering collective responsibility through ‘whole of society’ approach – Involving the voluntary and community sector (VCS), the community, and local business
  • Improving data-sharing between local resilience forums, local authorities, police, fire and rescue and health and other key partners
  • Strengthening joined-up working – Building on existing community structures and establishing new partnerships to develop effective ‘whole-of-society’ frameworks
  • Ensuring business and service continuity during an extreme weather incident

  • 2:30pm

    Panel Session Three: Questions and Discussion


    2:45pm

    Final Questions and Chair's Summary & Closing Comments


    2:50pm

    End of Online Conference

    *Please note the programme and timings are subject to slight alteration without notice

    Department for Levelling Up

    Jo Gillespie (Keynote Address), Deputy Director for Resilience and Policy, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities


    Environment Agency

    Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management, Environment Agency


    EPC

    Deborah Higgins (Chair & Moderator), Head, Emergency Planning College


    NIC
    Oxford University

    Professor Jim Hall, Lead Commissioner for Drought and Resilience, National Infrastructure Commission; Professor of Climate and Environmental Risks, University of Oxford


    UCL
    ICPEM

    Professor David Alexander, Professor of Emergency Planning and Management, Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London; Vice President, Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management


    VCSEP

    Robyn Knox MBE, Director, VCS Emergencies Partnership


    JESIP

    Lizzie Jones, JOL Coordinator, JESIP (Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles)


    Avon and Somerset Police

    Simon Bale MBE, Contingency Planning Officer, Avon and Somerset Police


    Cumbria Resilience
    Cumbria CVS

    Carolyn Otley MBE, Community Resilience Coordinator, Cumbria Local Resilience Forum; Member, Cumbria CVS


    LCC

    Steve Eason-Harris, Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Officer, Lincolnshire County Council


    • Representatives from Police, Fire & Rescue and Ambulance Services
    • Emergency Planning & Management Teams
    • EPRR Officers
    • First & Second Line Civil Contingency Leads
    • Flooding Leads
    • Heads and Members of Local Resilience Forums (LFRs)
    • Local Authority Officers & Councillors
    • Chief Fire Officers
    • Police & Crime Commissioners
    • Chief Constables, Asst Chief Constables & Deputies
    • Detective Inspectors & Detective Sergeants
    • Community Safety Managers
    • Community Engagement Managers
    • Community Safety Coordinators
    • Emergency Care Leads
    • Ambulance Services
    • NHS Organisations
    • Primary Care Trusts
    • Public Health Directors
    • Health Service Professionals
    • Head of Commissioning and Procurement
    • IT & Shared Services Teams
    • Critical Communication Network Providers
    • Risk Management Professionals
    • Business Continuity Teams
    • Resources & Estate Management Teams
    • Private Sector Organisations
    • Voluntary & Community Organisations
    • Academics & Researchers

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