Managing terrorism: December saw a well attended seminar organized by the IFE in conjunction with West Sussex Fire Brigade address the issues surrounding the current terrorist threat - Seminar Report

The seminar, chaired by DCFO Cliff Sear, took an eclectic approach to managing terrorism, with presentations examining September 11, increased aircraft security, the New Dimension Group and a case study of security surrounding the Commonwealth Games.

HMI Simon Webb, New Dimension USAR Group Manager, outlined the group's achievements to date in preparing for the worst. He introduced the topic by identifying the `new dimension' as the willingness on the part of the terrorist to die. This new dimension has led to an increased focus on preparing for nuclear terrorism, although Mr Webb stressed that even a conventional bomb involves contamination.

One of the key elements was collaboration, as many projected scenarios would require a response from more than one brigade. He stated that co-ordination was one of the main roles of the New Dimension Group in the planning stages.

The decision to provide for mass decontamination was borne from a gap analysis. The ethos of mass decontamination was described by Mr Webb as a way to ensure "the greatest good for the greatest number." Referring to the Bhopal disaster where there were 170,000 casualties he described mass decontamination as a way to reduce, not re move casualty numbers. The Fire Service target for decontamination is 20,000 casualties over an eight-hour period per region.

The procurement specification for mass decontamination equipment has been finalised and following testing of gastight suits 4,000 are to be bought--doubling the UK's current kit numbers.

On the subject of responding to contaminated incident sites, Mr Webb posed a question to the delegates: "How to do USAR work in hazchem suits?" Mr Webb reassured delegates that the Fire Service was well represented in the New Dimension Group and that it has a voice in almost every area of planning for a response to a terrorist incident. He advised that the Defence Select Committee report Defence and Security in the UK was due to be published early this year, while the Civil Contingencies Bill is currently making its way through Parliament.

The New Dimension Group, which has ordered the UK's preparedness along similar lines to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the US, will address areas such as mutual aid, communications and personnel and training as part of its ongoing work, Mr Webb related. He also revealed that a memorandum of understanding on mutual aid was close to being signed by all emergency agencies across the UK.

Further work on USAR is imminent, with Mr Webb recommending that the Fire Service College take up the mantle in USAR training, perhaps with the building of an installation similar to Disaster City in Texas. A full-scale, urban disaster simulation facility, Disaster City features the most comprehensive emergency response training aids in the US.

The 52-acre, $30 million facility is designed for emergency response training in all aspects of firefighting, HAZMAT, EMS, USAR, weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and law enforcement tactical operations.

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