What we know
What information do we have about the Eastern Board area?
What is the result of this on our health locally?
Policies
What is happening in the Eastern Board area?

The aim of planning for emergencies affecting public health and Health and Personal Social Services is to ensure that we are prepared to respond to major incidents that are outside the normal experience and of such a scale that special arrangements are necessary.

Major incidents occur rarely but can present without warning and in unpredictable ways. There are many possible causes, for example:

	Accidents such as transport crashes, industrial incidents or fires
	Natural causes such as flooding
	Epidemics of infectious diseases
	Deliberate terrorist activity with a recent emphasis on the possibility of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) threats

Given the wide range of possible causes, emergency planning focuses initially on ensuring general responses can be rapidly put in place regardless of the cause. For some specific risks, individual plans are also developed such as for radiological or chemical incidents or managing major outbreaks.

The research base for emergency planning consists mainly of experience gained through the management of specific incidents. The Home Office-supported Emergency Planning College in Yorkshire holds a comprehensive body of recorded experience. Evidence to support planning for specific disease incidents comes from a variety of sources such as the UK Health Protection Agency.

Experience from previous incidents shows that an essential feature of comprehensive emergency planning is the need for different agencies to work effectively together. Thus, partnerships between police, fire and ambulance services, district councils, the DHSSPS and Health and Social Boards and Trusts are often needed.

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Known risks are regularly assessed and recognised risk situations (such as the possibility of an airport incident) have plans in place. Within the Health and Personal Social Services, all Trusts have major incident plans. Services such as the Ambulance, Fire and Water Services have plans to manage major incidents impacting on the provision of their services. PSNI have recently launced an initiative to bring together all relevant agencies in the Belfast area to ensure effective coordination is in place. In Public Health, plans to manage major outbreaks have been developed.

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In recent years major incident and outbreak plans have been activated in response to specific issues on several occasions including

	The Omagh bomb explosion which resulted in both immediate death and injury but also long term psychological effects for some of those involved
	In the Eastern Board area three large outbreaks of Cryptosporidiosis causing gastrointestinal illness and linked to water supplies
	Responding to white powder incidents
	Preparation for the Millennium to reduce the risk of major service failures due to computer problems and to ensure that services could be maintained if these occurred
	Responding to specific local flooding

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