MENTOR - EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

When disaster strikes it pays to have emergency plans in place and staff ready to respond, Sally O'Reilly writes ...

Emergencies - from extreme weather to terrorist threats - can make senior roles in local government very challenging. Under the Civil Contingencies Act, councils have a legal obligation to be involved in the planning and preparation for disasters and to have a rapid response framework in place.

The Department for Communities & Local Government has a regional co-ordination unit that provides a centre of operations that works with government bodies to make sure the needs of local communities are met when major accidents or disasters occur. But councils also need to have effective systems in place. No one can predict crises like the massive disruption caused by recent flooding in areas like Sheffield and Hull. Effective crisis management is an intrinsic part of good management. Ensuring your workforce is resilient and can cope with any emergency should be a priority.

The experience of North Cornwall DC shows the importance of forward planning. In 2004, the council went into disaster-recovery mode after millions of gallons of flood water poured through the coastal village of Boscastle, devastating many buildings and washing cars into the sea. Military helicopters winched about 100 people to safety and more than 50 properties were flooded. The council was praised for its prompt action in responding. The council's successful operation was possible because of the attitude of its staff. "We have emergency plans in place, but this has to be underpinned by people," says assistant chief executive Paul Marston.

This translates into a willingness to think on your feet and to work across responsibilities, he says. "One mistake we made was we didn't account for the fact mobile phones wouldn't work," he says. Boscastle is at the bottom of a steep valley. Without phones, anyone in the flooded area who wanted to order equipment had to take a 20-minute walk up to the top of the valley, where the emergency operation centre was set up. Staff were prepared because the council's management style encouraged them to work outside their remit. "Everyone took on generic management responsibilities," says Mr Marston. "No one said 'I am an ICT manager, what's it got to do with me?'" Good relations with the emergency services were also essential and there was a high level of trust on both sides. But Mr Marston believes the council should have adopted some of the practices of the police and fire brigade. "The emergency services stuck rigidly to their work patterns, working shifts and taking rests, whereas after four days we had staff members who had taken no time off at all," he says. "One of those was our chief executive, David Smith, who is now retired. We had to force him to go home and rest."

If another disaster strikes, the council will operate a strict shift system. No one is indispensable, and no one can maintain mental clarity when they are exhausted. Keeping the public informed is another crucial aspect of crisis management. Mr Smith held briefings to update the public in Boscastle village hall twice a day for almost two weeks. The message is, when dealing with the unknown, meticulous planning can only take you so far.

Anyone working in senior management has to expect the unexpected, and help their staff to do the same.