06/04/2006 - Emergency Planning Team on hand in a crisis.

Welwyn Hatfield Council’s Emergency Planning team are a small, dedicated group who plan and prepare for any major incidents or emergencies that might occur in, or directly affect the district.

The team is made up of four members: Nick Long, Tony Lyall, Richard Masters and Michel Saminaden.

The team was formed with the idea that in emergency situations there is a need to have people with a range of different and specific skills who can work together to manage the consequences of a major event.

Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 Welwyn Hatfield Council is designated a category one responder along with the emergency services and other agencies. Category one responders have a duty to assess local risks, put in place emergency plans, make information available to warn and inform the public, share information and cooperate with their emergency planning partners.

The Emergency Planning Team are part of a wider network called Hertfordshire Resilience, which brings together the council with the County Council, Emergency Services, Environment Agency, Primary Care Trust and Health Protection Agency. These services work together to a set of common objectives which include helping to prevent escalation of the disaster, safeguarding life, relieving suffering and restoring normality as soon as possible.

As well as dealing with the aftermath of a major incident the organisations work together to ensure that plans are in place to deal with an emergency. These are regularly tested and updated so the agencies can respond immediately and effectively to any threat.

The Emergency Planning Team are highly trained in managing any potential emergencies and have dealt with a number of major incidents in the district.  Following the Hatfield train crash in October 2000 the Emergency Planning Team set up and operated a reception centre for the “walking wounded”, provided equipment, helped to find accommodation for relatives of the deceased and injured and helped facilitate the clean-up operation. More recently the team have been debating how avian flu could affect the district, and the response that would be needed.

Welwyn Hatfield Council’s Chief Executive and Emergency Planning Team member Michel Saminaden said: "The Civil Contingencies Act has brought about a whole raft of new responsibilities for the council and made us front line responders to any emergency situation affecting the district. The only way we will be able to cope with any emergency situation is if we all work together and pool our resources, something we are already very good at doing."