Responsibilities

Who does what in an emergency?

Once a community has identified the risks it may face, the next step is to understand how emergency response organisations are structured and how they operate.

This helps clarify where a community group may be able to assist and how its efforts can best support the wider response during an incident.

Across the UK, emergency planning arrangements are set out under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The Act groups responding organisations into responder categories. Each category has defined responsibilities during an emergency, whether leading the response or supporting other organisations involved.

Understanding how these different roles fit together helps communities plan how they might contribute effectively and safely when needed.

Types of Responder

Emergency Responder organisations are generally grouped into three categories:

  • Category 1 Responders are organisations responsible for leading the response to an emergency
  • Category 2 Responders are organisations that support the Category 1 Responders
  • Category Zero Responders are voluntary organisations, community groups and the armed forces

Highland Emergency Response

From the top down

Regional Resilience Partnerships

Scotland has 3 Regional Resilience Partnerships – RRPs

These are:

  • North of Scotland RRP
  • East of Scotland RRP
  • West of Scotland RRP

The Highland and Islands are part of the North of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership.

Local Resilience Partnerships

Local Resilience Partnerships

Under the North of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership are 3 Local Resilience Partnerships – LRPs
These are:

  • Highlands and Islands LRP
  • Grampian LRP
  • Tayside LRP

The Highlands and Islands Local Resilience Partnership area has been divided into 5 Emergency Liaison Groups – ELGs for the Highlands and 3 Emergency Planning Groups for the Islands

Emergency Liaison Groups | Emergency Planning Groups

The 5 Emergency Liaison Groups operating in Highland 

ensure that the right people are in the right place at the right time to respond to emergencies.
The Highlands and Islands cover a vast area.

These are:

  • Caithness and Sutherland ELG
  • Ross and Cromarty ELG
  • Skye and Lochaber ELG
  • Inverness ELG
  • Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey ELG

 

The 3 Emergency Planning Groups for the Islands are:

  • Shetland Emergency Planning Forum
  • Orkney Local Emergency Coordinating Group
  • Western Isles Emergency Planning and Coordinating Group

All of these feed up to the Highlands and Islands Local Resilience Partnership and down into the Care for People Teams in their respective areas.

Communities

Locally where the emergency is 

This is where everything starts, people already in the area generally act first.
As the situation develops, the appropriate responders may be deployed, depending on the type emergency, these may include:

  • emergency services
  • council
  • NHS
  • utilities providers
  • transport operators

In some situations, such as severe weather or widespread disruption, help may take time to arrive.
This is where community resilience plans can make a real difference.

Highlands and Islands LRP Planning Structure

Highlands and Islands Local Resilience Planning Partnership Structure

Category 1 responders

Depending on the nature of the incident, one organisation will take the lead in co-ordinating the response while working closely with the others.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Police Scotland
Transport Police
Scottish Ambulance Service
Highland Council
SEPA
Health Board
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Integration Joint Boards

 

Category 2 responders

These are often organisation responsible for infrastructure and essential services that communities depend on in everyday life.

Scottish Water
SSEN
Scottish Gas
Tele-communications Providers
Harbour authorities
BEAR Scotland
Railway operators
Airport operators
Public Health Scotland
NHS National Services Scotland
Met Office

 

 

Zero CATEGORY RESPONDERS

These individuals and groups often bring specialist skills, equipment or local knowledge that can make a real difference during an incident.

Community Volunteers
Third Sector Organisations
Mountain Rescue Teams
Search and Rescue
Coastguard
Military
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
Commercial organisations