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WATER POLITICSCLIMATE, SECURITY, HEALTH, PEACE
CRISISRESPONSE VO L : 1 1 | I S S U E : 2 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 W W W . C R I S I S - RE S P O N S E . CO M J O U R N A L
PLUS: Terrorist attacks in Ankara and Paris; Chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq; Fire Services and social engagement; Disaster risk
reduction and resilience; Critical infrastructure protection; Research & Development, a round-up of cutting-edge technologies
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Editor in ChiefEmily [email protected]
Chief Scientific EditorIan Portelli, PhD, [email protected]
Urban Resilience EditorAndy [email protected]
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Published by Crisis Response Journal LtdPO Box 6269, Thatcham, RG19 9JX, UKTel: +44 (0) 208 1661690; [email protected] www.crisis-response.com COPYRIGHT Crisis Response Journal Ltd 2015 Articles published in Crisis Response Journal may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the Editor in ChiefPrinted in England by Buxton PressISSN 1745-8633
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December 2015 | vol:11 | issue:2
contentsNews ����������������������������������������������������������������4Comment ���������������������������������������������������������8We hope total infrastructure breakdown won’t happen in Europe but, nevertheless, we must be prepared for such an eventuality, warns Prince Michael of Liechtenstein
Incident analysisDisasters at the Hajj ��������������������������������������10More than 1,000 people were killed in two unrelated incidents at this year’s Hajj, reports Tony Moore, who investigates what happened
Rally bombings in Ankara ������������������������������14Tony Moore describes how suicide bombers killed 102 people at a peace rally in Turkey
Paris attacks: A chronology ���������������������������16Christophe Libeau outlines the events that occurred in Paris on November 13, 2015, describing emergency services’ activities
Paris attacks: Resource management �����������18Christophe Libeau describes how the Paris Fire Brigade manages its manpower and resources during times of extreme emergency
Paris attacks: On the frontline ������������������������20Incident Commander Michel Rimélé gives a personal account of response operations during the terrorist attacks in Paris
FeaturesToday’s CBRN landscape �������������������������������22The CBRN threat – or at least the perception of it –has never been more in the spotlight, says Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, but the international community can prepare itself and be more resilient
Command decision dilemmas ������������������������24Dr Dave Sloggett looks at the issues that arise in command decision-making at dynamic events, such as terrorist attacks
A continued threat ������������������������������������������26The nature of the terrorist threat is evolving – response and planning must adapt too, says Roger Gomm
Senior management engagement ������������������28The reluctance of senior business leaders to engage in crisis preparedness must be addressed, according to Dominic Cockram
Manchester: United ����������������������������������������30County Fire Officer Peter O’Reilly describes how GMFRS is striving to position the fire service as a health asset
Social safety not social unrest �����������������������32A Swedish rescue service’s engagement with local communities after civil unrest has paid off, write Ulf Nilsson and Attila Jensen
Balancing civil security and defence �������������34Todd M Rosenblum’s insight into treading a tightrope between policy, perception, reality and saving lives, based on his experience at the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense
Civil-military: Working together ���������������������38Rebecca Sutton presents some perceptions of civil-military relations and humanitarian assistance in West Africa, garnered from an innovative course held recently
Developing resilience ������������������������������������40Are we putting enough into preparedness and capacity building before a disaster? John Holland investigates
Community engagement p32Terrorist attacks in Paris p16
MI | DICOM | F Pellier Räddningstjänsten Syd
3 join the CRJ LinkedIn group follow us on twitter @editorialcrj Crisis Response Journal 11:2 | December 2015 3 join the CRJ LinkedIn group follow us on twitter @editorialcrj
CRISISRESPONSEcontents Cover story: Water politics
Cover image: Jorgen McLeman
Disaster diplomacy ����������������������������������������42We must learn to use disaster diplomacy better, because it is a great tool for more effective disaster risk management, says Dr Albrecht Beck
Getting to the scene safely �����������������������������44The benefits of Emergency Vehicle Preemption systems are detailed by Anthony Hildebrand
Global road safety crisis ��������������������������������46Road risk is a global problem of ‘epidemic’ proportions, with crashes killing more people than malaria, explains Emma MacLennan
Will Smart Cities dream of resilience? ����������48Smart Cities are being addressed as a series of silos, making them vulnerable, according to David Prior
Networking for protection ������������������������������51Simona Cavallini, Julia Friedl and Margherita Volpe introduce a new sustainable networking meeting point for Critical Infrastructure Protection in Europe
Keeping the power on ������������������������������������52Tony Kingham argues that societies should be investing in permanent, multi-faceted solutions to protect critical infrastructure
WaterWater for peace and resilience ����������������������54Adapting the UNDAC system ��������������������������58Floods in Sierra Leone �����������������������������������62French Riviera Floods ������������������������������������64Reducing motorist deaths ������������������������������66California drought update ������������������������������68From policy to emergency response ��������������70Reducing coastal risk ������������������������������������74
TechnologyResearch & Development ������������������������������76Dr Ian Portelli and Megan Mantaro introduce a new regular section, prompted by the popularity of CRJ’s online R&D blogs, and look at a new location referencing system in more detail
Drones in the emergency services �����������������78UAVS are one of the most talked about technologies of the last 12 months: Andrew Griffiths presents some practical considerations for first responders who might be considering investing in this technology
Ham radio in Belgium ������������������������������������80Emily Hough looks at how amateur radio operators in one province of Belgium are working with authorities to provide emergency communications in the event of a major blackout
Monitoring critical buildings ��������������������������83Evangelos Sdongos and Dr Angelos Amditis describe a system that provides near real-time damage assessment of buildings’ condition and damage after a disaster such as an earthquake or terrorist attack
In DepthAdvanced situational awareness �������������������86Legal liability in nuclear accidents ����������������90Effective decision-making records �����������������92
RegularsEvents ������������������������������������������������������������94Looking back ��������������������������������������������������96Europe������������������������������������������������������������97Frontline ���������������������������������������������������������98Emily Hough speaks to Henri Ladyi, who demobilises rebel militias, especially child soldiers, in DR Congo
The final push for a climate deal at COP21 was ongoing
as CRJ went to press. Meanwhile, rainfall of near biblical intensity had lashed many areas, including Sierra Leone, India, the UK and France.
The theme of this issue is water, including flooding, of course. Time and time again, our expensive defences built to protect communities and infrastructure seem to fail, our models and predictions become overwhelmed by ever more extreme climate events. As Patrick Lagadec has often stated: Are we fighting the last war?
And this is a controversial question, but one that needs to be asked: When do areas become too dangerous for human habitation? Should relocation – as a strategy of last resort – be discussed more widely? Last year, the San Remo consultation, organised by UNHCR, examined the issue of planned relocation owing to sudden onset disasters, acute environmental degradation and longer term effects of climate change. It found that those working on climate change adaptation frameworks are often unfamiliar with the experiences of resettling communities, whether as part of dam projects or resettling refugees in other countries. “The silos which characterise work on this issue are immense,” it said, which is worrying, given the virtually unimaginable long-term, generational, financial and human costs relocating vulnerable or untenable communities would entail.
It would take a brave – or possibly politically suicidal – government to tell large numbers of its citizens that it can no longer shield them from extreme climate events and that relocation is the least unattractive option.
In a draft document ahead of COP21, the UN proposed a climate change displacement co-ordination facility, to provide organised migration and planned relocation, as well as compensation to people fleeing rising sea levels, extreme weather and ruined agriculture. The reference was dropped from the draft.
But it is clear, though decidely unpalatable, that relocation will have to be considered in some areas and the duty of all those involved in emergency preparedness, mitigation and response is to familiarise themselves with existing experience and consequences, and consider how this could affect them, their roles and communities.
Emily Hough
Mathijs van Ledden Peace Direct
Coastal protection p74 Demobilising child soldiers p98
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Breaking news about flood disasters can provoke pessimism. Will we ever manage to reduce the vulnerability of communities along our rivers and
coastlines? How many more people will die and how much more devastation will be inflicted in yet another flood disaster?
Unfortunately, many areas around the world are highly vulnerable and it will indeed be simply a matter of time if nothing is done. However, examples exist that encourage a more optimistic outlook and show how coastal flood disasters have prompted successful intervention to reduce the risk. This article highlights two key lessons based on recent projects.
The first lesson is that investment in flood prevention and preparation pays off. One of the most well known coastal disasters of recent history is Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. On August 29, 2005, this hurricane overwhelmed the levee system
around New Orleans and flooded the city through numerous breaches, with substantial consequences. More than 800 people lost their lives and damage estimated at $125 (€117) billion made it the costliest hurricane in US history. The impact was a wake-up call to coastal communities across the world.
After Hurricane Katrina, an investment programme was implemented to restore and upgrade the so-called Hurricane Storm and Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS). About $14 (€13) billion has been invested in new levees, pump stations and storm surge barriers to reduce flood risk and protect the city against storm surge and waves with an exceedance frequency of one per cent in any given year. The investment might sound astronomical, but not in view of the city’s risk. From an economic viewpoint, it would even make sense to invest in a higher protection level for New Orleans.
The need for a solid risk reduction system around the city was demonstrated during Hurricane Isaac in 2012, a few years after the new levee system around New Orleans had been completed. The damage would have been in the order of $5-10 (€3-6)billion if the pre-Katrina system had been in place. In other words, investment following Hurricane Katrina has already largely been paid off within a few years of completion. It is beyond doubt that the damage prevented during the 50-year lifetime of the new levee system will significantly exceed the investment costs.
The New Orleans example clearly shows the payoff from investing in a good risk reduction system. This lesson is just
Reducing coastal riskThe absence of a flood disaster should be breaking news, says Mathijs van Ledden, who examines two key lessons in reducing the risk of coastal flood disasters, based upon recent projects in which he has been involved
Lesson 1: Investment in flood prevention pays off – the New Orleans post-Katrina system cost about $14 billion and prevented damages estimated at $10 billion by Hurricane Isaac
Mathijs van Ledden
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as relevant, although less striking, in other areas of the world. For example exactly the same reasoning prompted the Dutch to invest a significant amount of money and effort in coastal protection following the major floods of 1953. The potential economic damage and number of casualties arising from a large-scale coastal flood incident could disrupt the entire Dutch economy, justifying the significant investment in upgrading and maintaining the coastal flood protection system in the country.
The above does not directly imply that all coastal communities should invest in hard flood protection structures as in New Orleans or the Netherlands. Other soft flood protection structures or non-structural solutions can be very effective for certain coastal communities. A good example is the improvement in emergency preparedness taken in India after the cyclone that hit Odisha in 1999, killing more than 10,000 people. During Cyclone Phailin in 2013, a record 900,000 people were evacuated, but without major human loss.
The second lesson is to look for win-win opportunities with the community. Whether a hard or soft solution is considered, a generic challenge for coastal communities is to gather sufficient funding for coastal risk reduction.
This is particularly true in countries with limited resources. Take Bangladesh for example. This is one of the world’s poorest nations and one of the most susceptible to climate change. An increase in rainfall, rising sea levels and tropical storms are forecast to bring serious consequences for human health, agriculture, drinking water and food security in the coming decades. To make matters worse, severe coastal erosion along parts of the country’s coastline means some low-lying coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to flooding.
One way to deal with this challenge of funding is to find opportunities to combine flood protection with other money-generating functions. For this purpose, the Dutch Partners for Water programme has funded a pilot project in southeast Bangladesh using oyster reefs. The pilot project has used methods based on the ‘Building with Nature’, concept where coastal erosion is remedied through the use of naturally occurring resources. Parallel to this, the pilot focused on the potential of oyster reefs as a sustainable aquatic food source for local consumption and trade.
A reef has been built along the coast of Kutubdia Island. In time, this structure is expected to become covered with oysters, forming a natural reef. First monitoring results supported the anticipated effect of the reef on the shoreline. Local people have embraced the pilot scheme through early involvement and co-operation and it is expected that in a few years’ time, oysters can be harvested from the natural reef.
Sufficient funding for coastal protection schemes is also not a given in developed countries. A careful search for win-win opportunities in these countries is also crucial to get projects implemented. A good example of such a project is the Littlehaven Promenade and Sea Wall in the United Kingdom. Littlehaven beach lies off the small coastal town of South Shields, South Tyneside, in the north east of England. The beach was backed by a sea wall that was coming to the end of its serviceable life, with increasing rates of structural damage and reduction in its effectiveness leading to frequent flooding and closure of the car park and amenities located directly behind. The chosen approach was to realign the sea wall, with a focus on sustainable sea defence and contemporary design.
The new scheme consists of a new, realigned 500-metre sea
wall, a more spacious car park, new footpaths, ramps, steps and a restaurant surrounded by trees, shrubs and grassland. The work of local artists is also displayed around the site, reflecting the maritime nature of this setting with sea shanties and poems. In addition to its exclusive design, which defines the beautiful stretch of Littlehaven coastline, the project is unique in its sustainability.
As well as incorporating the sand dunes into the flood defence system, all materials from the demolition and excavation of the existing area were reused behind the new wall to form part of a landscaped area.
Regenerating assetsSuch is the success of the Littlehaven Promenade and Sea Wall that it has won six prestigious awards, including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ (RICS) North East Renaissance Award 2014 for Best Infrastructure Project and the ICE North East Robert Stephenson Award for Project of the Year over £4m. The judges of the ICE award said it was: “An excellent example of partnership collaboration to achieve an end goal, which not only fully complies with the national strategy for flood and coastal defence, but importantly has regenerated a valuable asset which had in recent years become underused.”
This article highlights two important lessons from coastal flood protection projects. First, investing in hard and soft structural or non-structural solutions for coastal protection does pay off. Second, looking for win-win opportunities in collaboration with the coastal community to generate direct or indirect revenues from improved flood protection is another important lesson.
Hopefully, these examples of successful coastal interventions inspire other coastal communities and governments to undertake the work necessary to be better prepared and to reduce the impact of coastal flood events.
Lesson 2: Win-win opportunities are most successful. In Bangladesh, coastal erosion remediation is piloted using oyster reef beds that will provide the local community with oysters for food and trade
Mathijs van Ledden
AuthorMathijs van Ledden, PhD, is Director Flood Risk
Reduction with Royal HaskoningDHV, specialising in the fields of hydraulic and morphological challenges in deltas around the world. He was located permanently in New Orleans between 2006 and 2010, and was project manager at the New Orleans District, assisting the US Army Corps of Engineers. Van Ledden is involved as senior coastal and river expert in projects in the Netherlands and abroad. He also has a part time position at Delft University of Technology and is member of the United Nation Disaster Assessment and Co-ordination (UNDAC) system
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