FAQs
Below are some common queries about major incidents, emergency planning and business continuity strategies. Click on the question to see the answer, or just scroll down the page.
General FAQs
- What is an emergency?
- What is emergency planning?
- How can I personally prepare for an emergency?
- What is the Civil Contingencies Act?
- What is the role of the emergency services in case of a major incident?
- What is a Category 1 responder?
- What is London Resilience?
FAQs for businesses
- What is a business continuity plan?
- How long will it take to create a business continuity plan?
- What will it cost to create a business continuity plan?
- Why should I use a business continuity plan?
- Why have you split the guides according to the number of people in each business?
- My business differs from most – will the guides still help me?
- Does a small company need a business continuity plan?
- How should a company communicate a business continuity plan to its employees?
- What systems should be in place to assist with a fast recovery programme?
- What other organisations give advice on crisis management/contingency plans?
- What are the essential items that should be contained in an emergency pack?
What is an emergency?
An emergency, as defined in Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, is defined as: An event or situation which threatens serious damage to human welfare in a place in the UK, the environment of a place in the UK, or war or terrorism which threatens serious damage to the security of the UK.
To get an idea of the different types of major incidents, visit: UK resilience’s page on emergencies.
What is emergency planning?
Emergency planning (EP) is the development and maintenance of agreed procedures to prevent, reduce, control, mitigate and take other actions in the event of an emergency.
How can I personally prepare for an emergency?
The government sent a booklet ‘Preparing for Emergencies – What you need to know’ to every home in the UK, in August 2004. The booklet contains practical advice on the steps you can take to help yourself and your family in the event of an emergency.
The Preparing for Emergencies website accompanies the booklet and provides online advice covering:
- Guidance on how to prepare for a variety of emergencies that could occur
- What to do in the event of an emergency
- What the government is doing to protect the country
What is the Civil Contingencies Act 2004?
The chief requirement of the Act in regard to emergency planning is to maintain plans to ensure that, if an emergency occurs or is likely to occur, your Local Authority is to deliver its functions so far as necessary or desirable for the purpose of preventing the emergency, reducing, controlling or mitigating its effects, or taking other actions in connections with it.
Three aspects of performing the functions in an emergency are identified as:
- Maintain plans for preventing the emergency.
- Maintain plans for reducing, controlling or mitigating its effects.
- Maintain plans for taking other action in connection with the emergency.
What is the role of the emergency services in case of a major incident?
Read about how the emergency services respond to an incident.
What is a Category 1 responder?
A person or body listed in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. These bodies are likely to be at the core of the response to most emergencies. As such, they are subject to the full range of civil protection duties under the act. Category 1 responders are:
- Local Authorities
- Police forces
- British Transport Police (BTP)
- Fire and rescue authorities
- Ambulance service
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Health Protection Agency (HPA)
- Port health authorities
- Environmental Agency (EA)
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
What is London Resilience?
The London Resilience Partnership has representatives from many of the capital’s key organisations. Hosted by the Government Office for London, the team works with London's three police services, the fire brigade, the ambulance service, health, local authorities, utility companies, voluntary organisations, the GLA and Transport for London as well as drawing upon the know-how of many other agencies.
We are building on the existing emergency plans, testing them to make sure that they work and learning how to improve them, to ensure London a remains a safe place in which to live, work and visit. The expertise of the Partnership, plus input from the business community is preparing London to cope with the consequences of major fire, major flood, power failure or a terrorist attack.
What is a business continuity plan?
A business continuity plan should be a set of instructions of what to do, and what not to do, during a crisis. It should be created by someone, or a group of people, who understands how the whole business is organised.
Business continuity is about thinking ahead and planning for a crisis that could affect your business and making sure that your organisation can survive. In short, it is about ensuring that a crisis does not become a long-term disaster. Read advice on making a business plan.
How long will it take to create a business continuity plan?
It should not take long to create your first plan but obviously this will depend on the complexity of your business. The smaller the size of your business, generally the less time it is likely to take.
What will it cost to create a business continuity plan?
The cost will be relatively little and at the end of the exercise you will have a plan to protect your business. The benefits of having a working continuity plan will outweigh any small expenditure if you are faced by an emergency situation.
Why should I use a business continuity plan?
- Experience shows that businesses are far more likely to survive a disaster if they have thought about it in advance, and planned accordingly.
- Banks, investors, insurers, customers and suppliers will take a company that has a business continuity plan much more seriously.
- Business continuity plans build employee confidence. Employees will appreciate the fact that the business is doing all it can to protect their safety and place of work.
Why have you split the guides according to the number of people in each business?
Although the basics of business recovery planning remain the same, they tend to become more complicated the larger the organisation.
My business differs from most – will the guides still help me?
Obviously some specialist businesses may have slightly different needs, so we recommend that you browse through the site to choose the best approach for you. Alternatively, if you already have a business continuity plan, you may find some extra tips, advice or links to other useful sites with more specific advice.
Does a small company need a business continuity plan?
Yes, even a sole trader is advised to have systems in place to be able to continue his/ her work in case of fraud, theft, sabotage, flooding, fire, IT and utility failures and terrorist attacks.
How should a company communicate a business continuity plan to its employees?
The plan should be communicated to all employees in an easy to understand, accessible format that emphasises the company's commitment to business continuity management. Staff should also be given the opportunity to feedback on elements of the plan, and these comments should be considered in any review.
What systems should be in place to assist with a fast recovery programme?
It is very important to focus on keeping back-ups and copies of documents off-site, as well as having a plan that focuses on your mission critical activities and caters for an alternative site to work from.
What other organisations give advice on crisis management/contingency plans?
You will find useful links to other sites on our useful contacts and links page.
What are the essential items that should be contained in an emergency pack?
Download information outlining everything you need in your emergency pack.
Got a question about business continuity or emergency planning? If so, email: enquiries-lrt@gol.gsi.gov.uk.