Emergency planning in a new age of uncertainty: Building the nation's resilience to flooding

This symposium provides an invaluable platform for local authorities, emergency planning stakeholders and emergency services to discuss how the latest measures can be implemented effectively. The symposium will explore how to improve not only local resilience to flooding, but also how to develop a more robust general contingency and emergency planning framework that will enable communities to respond swiftly with strong leadership, communication and collaboration.

Delegates will:

• Examine the Government’s latest policy initiatives and explore strategies for UK resilience against natural hazards and improving flood defences across the country
• Discuss key solutions to deliver excellence in emergency situations and respond to disasters effectively
• Consider how the Government and industry can work together to address the availability and affordability of flood insurance
• Share best practice and gain valuable insights into emergency preparedness at the local level.

Panel session one: Flood Management and Emergency Planning – Prevention, Protection and Preparedness

• Preparedness and Responsiveness – Flooding as the Number One Risk to the UK from Climate Change, Assessing the Risks and Developing Plans for an Effective Recovery Phase
• Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Essential Services – Improving Overall Emergency Response Capability to Take Action Against Floods
• Prevention, Protection and Preparedness – Ensuring Appropriate Measures are Taken to Minimise the Risk of Flooding Where New Development is Necessary
• The Future of Flood Insurance – Addressing the Availability and Affordability of Insurance for Those Living in the Most Flood-Prone Areas
• Impact of Exercise Watermark – Testing the Nation’s Flood Resilience, Lessons Learned from an Unexpected Emergency and Recommendations from the Environment Agency

Panel session two: Building Local Resilience – Working in Partnership to Safeguard Communities Against Flooding

• Safeguarding the UK Against Flooding – Increasing Public and Personal Safety through Improved Multi-Agency Coordination, Using Social Media to Assist Efforts
• Supporting the Community – Effectively Warning and Communicating Flood Hazards to the Public, Providing Assistance Through Evacuation to Community Assistant Centres
• Working with the Utilities Sector to Plan and Prepare Effectively for Disasters, Protecting Essential Transport Infrastructure from Flooding
• The Role of Local Resilience Forums and Emergency Services as First Points of Contact in a Crisis, Responding to Disasters and Ensuring Community Resilience
• Providing Case Studies of Good Practice to Enable Communities to Implement Successful Resilience Strategies