FRS role in flooding rescue and response
Publicity Line
CFOA strongly support the position, endorsed by Sir Michael Pitt in his recent report on the flooding events of 2007, that the Government should urgently put in place a fully funded national capability for flood rescue, with Fire and Rescue Authorities playing a leading role, underpinned, as necessary, by a statutory duty.
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Scotland 
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Northern Ireland
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Sir Michael noted: “A lack of clarity about who was responsible for carrying out and coordinating flood rescue placed both the public and responders at unnecessary risk. Timeliness and the effectiveness of the response were diminished since there were no common systems of work or understanding of command, control and risk.”
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CFOA believes that the way forward in delivering an efficient, resilient and cost effective national response to major flooding events should be based on a clear statement of duties.
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These duties should not only be for FRAs but also for CLG and other key Departments, and should be the basis of delivering agreed levels of service provision and standards of competence within a robust framework of command and coordination.
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CFOA believes that a statutory duty is the best means to achieve these outcomes. Whilst it is conceivable that non-statutory approaches might work, such approaches do not provide the certainty the public expect and the Review believes is needed.
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Sir Michael’s report calls for and anticipates urgent action. Accordingly, CFOA believes that the debate should now move on to the consideration of the how that national capability can be achieved and how best to frame a duty to ensure that the most effective and well coordinated response can be achieved.
