Tag: Scottish Resilience Partnership

Storm Arwen: Learning the Lessons

New processes in place one year on

Organisations across Scotland have put in place a series of measures to protect communities from the effects of severe weather ahead of winter.

It follows a review of the Storm Arwen response published in January 2022, which set out 15 recommendations for the Scottish Government and its partners.

A report published today updates on progress since then, with a range of improvements put in place ahead of winter. These include:

  • A full winter readiness exercise carried out by emergency responders across every area in Scotland by the end of November
  • A new online learning and training hub to help individuals, community groups and the voluntary sector to prepare, respond and recover from emergencies
  • The development of a new process to monitor and evaluate Scotland’s resilience system annually to identify and resolve issues quickly and effectively
  • Increased integration and engagement with the voluntary sector, and expansion of local directories of assets and capabilities to support resilience activity

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans, Keith Brown, said: “The Scottish Government committed to a full review of the circumstances of Storm Arwen, and this report demonstrates clearly the range of work that is underway to ensure that lessons are learned. 

“Our responder community, including our blue light services and our local authorities, will put these recommendations in place and we will support them to ensure our resilience arrangements continue to strengthen to protect communities.”

Chair of the Scottish Resilience Partnership Jim Savege said: “Responders have worked hard through the year, reviewing the risks we need to be prepared for, planning and exercising and making sure we are as prepared as we all can be for any future events and incidents we may have to respond to.

“More than ever, emergency services have considered wider risks that may be realised, and the growing reality of having to deal with concurrent risks and incidents.

“Significant additional work has been invested this year into working with voluntary organisations and communities to ensure their resilience and their ability to deal with incidents has been enhanced. Community and business resilience are the bedrock upon which emergency services work and respond.

“The SRP is grateful for all of the work that so many colleagues have invested in ensuring we are as prepared as we can be for the winter ahead.”

Strengthening Scotland’s resilience to severe weather

Lessons to be learned from Storm Arwen

A range of changes are to be put in place to strengthen national resilience and protect lives, homes and infrastructure from the impacts of future severe weather events.

A review of the preparations for and response to Storm Arwen sets out 15 recommendations for the Scottish Government and its partners, the Scottish Resilience Partnership, local resilience partnerships, utility companies, the voluntary sector and national responders.  

Key recommendations include improved processes for identifying and assisting those most at risk, and bringing the voluntary and community sector into the heart of local resilience planning and response arrangements.  This will involve maximising access to a suitable volunteer pool during future events of a similar nature.

The government will track progress against the recommendations and provide a further update this June. 

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Following the widespread disruption and devastation caused by Storm Arwen, I committed to a full review of the preparations and response to ensure that we take all the learning from this exceptional storm. 

“We already have strong and robust arrangements in place to manage and address weather-related resilience issues at national, regional and local levels, but I want to ensure that our arrangements continue to evolve and strengthen for the future, which is what this review will help deliver.

“The experience of Storm Arwen underlined the vital role of volunteers and community groups in ensuring the welfare of those around them. That is why we intend to bring the voluntary and community sector into the heart of local resilience planning to ensure they are fully integrated into arrangements for the future.

“In addition, we will improve processes to help us identify those people who are most at risk, in order to direct and provide help as quickly as possible.

“We recognise the urgent need to prepare for increased severe weather as a consequence of the climate emergency, and to ensure arrangements in relation to our energy supply are as robust as possible as we transition towards net zero.”

Chair of the Scottish Resilience Partnership Jim Savege said: “Storm Arwen was a particularly severe weather event that required a significant response from emergency responders, utility companies and communities over an extended period of time.

“I would want to recognise and thank all of those involved in the response for their efforts in helping ensure communities across affected areas were supported and helped where needed.

“As with every incident there is always learning and improvement to be had – the report sets out a range of areas where we can continue to strengthen our resilience as a country in preparation for any future events.”

A review into the response to Storm Arwen