Council and democracy

Hertfordshire Resilience Conference 2008

The 2008 conference took place on Thursday 6 March 2008 at the Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre in Hertfordshire.

Speakers who have played a direct role in the recent response to events of national and international significance were present to give their experience and learning.

Interstate Highway 35 bridge collapse
James Clack, Fire Chief Minneapolis Fire Department, portrayed the events of the bridge collapse and the challenges of the search and rescue response.

Summer floods of 2007
Representatives as follows shared their different experiences:

Peter Bungard, Chief Executive Gloucestershire County Council, presented on the issues surrounding the provision of safe drinking water to flooded communities.

Mark Smitherman, Chief Fire Officer South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service, shared their efforts to prevent the collapse of the Ulley dam.

Ian Smith, Director of Asset Management at Rotherham Metropolitan Borough, presented their activity to provide shelter and support to residents in the short, medium and longer term.

David O’Neill, Deputy Chief Executive Hull & East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, addressed the challenges that they faced as an organisation in ensuring business continuity during the floods.

Dean Latus, Humberside Police, offered learning from their experience of managing a business continuity invocation while commanding the multi-agency response to flooding.

Greyrigg Derailment

Martyn Ripley, Area Commander, and Graham Fair, Civil Contingencies Manager, British Transport Police, presented on the command and control structure for the emergency response and the operation difficulties presented by the remote location of this incident.


Hertfordshire Resilience - "Learning by example"