Working Better Together Towards a Cleaner and Safer Environment

Working Better Together Protocol Series Protocol (no. 8) Fire and Rescue Service Issues Working Better Together Towards a Cleaner and Safer Environment This technical protocol is one of 9 protocols, introduced to support the joint Environment Agency and Local Government Association/Welsh Local Government Association memorandum of understanding 'Working Better Together 2003. 1

A Working Better Together protocol 1. In February 2003, the Local Government Association and the Environment Agency agreed and signed a joint agreement Working Better Together. This updated and replaced the first Working Better Together for England signed on 15th December 1999. Environment Agency Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association produced a separate Working Better Together in Wales dated September 2001. The 2003 version is a joint England and Wales document. 2 Local authorities and the Environment Agency have powers and duties that complement each other in protecting the environment and protecting and enhancing the quality of life for local communities. Working Better Together contains a commitment to work together to deliver environmental outcomes which are set down in Part 1 of the protocol. 3 A series of individual protocols set out how the Environment Agency and each local authority can work better together to deliver these outcomes. These protocols are locally flexible, so targets and methods of assessing progress can be re-written and agreed locally, within an agreed template. 4 The protocol series is: 1) Air Quality Management 2) Management of Flood Risk 3) Arrangements to Implement the Requirements of the IPPC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) Directive 4) Waste Strategy and Waste Management Planning 5) Land Contamination 6) Fly-tipping 7) Town and Country Planning (to be replaced in England in 2006 by Spatial Planning and Strategic Environmental Assessment) 8) Fire and Rescue Service Issues. 9) Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation 5 This protocol on the partnership between the Environment Agency in England and Wales and Fire and Rescue Services operating within these boundaries has three sections: Part 1: England and Wales Context Section 1 describes the aims of this Protocol, roles and responsibilities, shared environmental outcomes and the arrangements for joint working between the Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency Section 2 sets out the review arrangements for this protocol 2

Section 3 details the areas of mutual interest between the Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency in 5 separate annexes. These set out the principles, legislation and procedures that must be followed when dealing with these areas. Detailed technical guidance is not included as this is now contained in the Fire and Rescue Service Manual on Environmental Protection, hereafter called the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. Where such procedures do exist, this document includes a reference on where to find them in the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. Part 2: Local Agreement Template There is scope for local flexibility how individual Fire and Rescue Services and Environment Agency Regions will work together to implement this protocol agreement. It is envisaged that Fire and Rescue Services and the Environment Agency will enter into local agreements setting out how both parties intend to do so. A template for such agreements is included in Part 2 of this Protocol. Further guidance on the development of these agreements can be found in section 1.6 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual 3

PART 1: ENGLAND AND WALES CONTEXT SECTION 1 1.1 Purpose and Aims 1.1.1 The purpose of this protocol is to ensure effective co-operation between the Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency in dealing with emergency incidents that involve: 1.1.2 It aims to: the pollution or potential pollution of the environment the release of radioactive substances flooding the disposal of waste minimise the hazard to the environment from Fire and Rescue Service activities, including fire fighting, and from incidents involving environmentally harmful substances caused by a third party encourage liaison between the Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency, particularly at the planning stage to make sure they co-ordinate their response to incidents with the potential to pollute the environment promote liaison to improve the planning and co-ordination of responses to flooding incidents by the Environment Agency and the Fire and Rescue Service 1.1.3 The implementation of this protocol will help both parties carry out their roles and duties, namely: the Fire and Rescue Services responsibilities to extinguish fire, save life, protect communities and mitigate the impact of their own activities on the environment the Environment Agency s role in protecting and enhancing the environment the duty placed on both parties as Category 1 Responders by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the associated Regulations and Guidance, to work together in many areas; these include emergency planning, incident response and information sharing 1.2. Areas of Mutual Interest The primary areas of mutual interest, set out in the 5 Technical Annexes in this protocol are: 4

Emergency Planning and Integrated Risk Management Planning in England and Risk Reduction Planning in Wales Pollution Incident Management Training, Exercising and Pollution Prevention Information Exchange and Contact Arrangements Flood Incident Management 1.3 Reasons for updating the Protocol 1.3.1 This is the first revision of the protocol since it was signed by the Environment Agency and the Local Government Association in 1999. The revisions reflect the changing nature of the arena in which both organisations have to operate due to the implementation of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Fire and Rescue Service Act 2004 and the development of good practice. 1.3.2 With the revision of this Protocol we are introducing a series of shared environmental outcomes to be achieved by 2009. These are set out below. Area of Mutual Interest 1. Emergency Planning and Integrated Risk Management Plans/Risk Reductions Plans 2. Pollution Incident Management 3. Training Exercising and Pollution Prevention 4. Information Exchange 5. Flood Risk Management Target to be achieved Any Integrated Risk Management Plans/Risk Reduction Plans which have either a direct or indirect impact on the safety of the community through environmental protection (pollution control), flooding and controlled burn strategies will be developed in partnership with the Environment Agency. All Fire and Rescue Services will be equipped with Grab Packs and specialist Environmental Protection Equipment. All courses offered by the Fire Service College to be reviewed by the National Fire and Rescue Service Strategic Liaison Working Group and relevant environmental information incorporated into the course syllabus. Local Agreements signed between appropriate Environment Agency Regions and Fire and Rescue Services. Completion of a Flood Risk Management Annex to this protocol. Supported by appropriate procedures and guidance. 5

2. Working Arrangements 2.1 Co-operation and information sharing The Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency will aim to co-operate by using the resources and powers at their disposal in all areas where they have a mutual interest. They will work together to reduce the environmental impact of emergency incidents. To achieve this, the Fire and Rescue Service will: take all practical precautions to minimise the impact on the environment arising from their activities during an incident identify incidents where the environment might be at risk and take account of such risk when deciding on operational priorities and intervention strategies take all practical precautions to minimise any threat to the environment caused by a third party at incidents they attend through the emergency deployment of pollution control equipment share equipment, such as high volume pumps, during major flooding incidents subject to other priorities at the time notify the Environment Agency of any incident that threatens to, or has damaged the environment and/or where it has used pollution control materials supplied by the Environment Agency in accordance with agreed notification criteria The Environment Agency will: provide support, advice and training and, where appropriate, attend incidents when requested by the Fire and Rescue Service supply pollution control equipment and materials to the Fire and Rescue Service where resources permit provide adequate and timely warnings of flooding to the Fire and Rescue Service wherever possible provide information on flood risk so that the Fire and Rescue Service can make informed decisions on siting equipment and facilities Both parties will: liaise during incidents to ensure any actions taken, are wherever practicable, co-ordinated and complementary develop incident response plans for sites/areas where people and/or the environment are at risk if a pollution incident or flooding occurs promote the partnership through joint training and exercising initiatives and by liaising at a national, regional and local level produce local working arrangements to adopt and implement the principles of this protocol share relevant information free of charge 6

provide advice to each other on the requirements of relevant legislation explore opportunities for collaborative research in areas of mutual interest work with our Scottish and Northern Irish counterparts on the National Fire and Rescue Service Strategic Liaison and Operational Liaison Working Groups to identify and implement good environmental practice within the Fire and Rescue Service work with other parties, e.g. Highways Agency, Police, CHEMSAFE Liaison Group, Network Rail, local authorities to improve the co-ordinated response to pollution incidents and flooding 2.2 Mutual Assistance Both parties will be sympathetic to requests for equipment, advice or personnel to support their response to an environmental incident. 2.3 Training and Exercising Opportunities to train or exercise together will be actively sought and organised. 2.4 Strategic Planning Both parties will aim to recognise each other s concerns and priorities when developing strategic plans such as the Environment Agency s Corporate Plan and the Fire and Rescue Service Integrated Risk Management Plans in England or, in Wales, Risk Reduction Plans. 2.5 Finance At operational incidents both parties will undertake their statutory roles without charge to one another. In the case of pollution incidents, the Environment Agency will seek recovery of costs from the polluter. This would include costs for non statutory work undertaken by the Fire and Rescue Service on the Environment Agency s behalf. These costs will be reimbursed to the Fire and Rescue Service. Procedures have been drawn up for these situations, which can be found in section 4.3 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 2.6 Public Relations Both parties will make sure that where there is an area of mutual interest, clear lines of communication are agreed and messages conveyed to the public are consistent. 7

2.7 Implementation Members of the National Fire and Rescue Service Strategic Liaison Working Group, consisting of representatives of the Fire and Rescue Service, HM Fire Service Inspectorates and the UK Environment Agencies, will oversee the implementation of this protocol within the Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency. 8

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SECTION 3 Annex 1 Emergency Planning/Integrated Risk Management Plans (IRMPs) 1.1 Emergency Planning The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (the Act), defines an emergency as an event or situation which threatens serious damage to human welfare, to the environment or to security. The Act places formal duties on Category 1 responders including: assessing local risks and using this to inform emergency planning activities putting in place Business Continuity Management arrangements putting in place planning arrangements to exercise their functions to prevent and respond to emergencies sharing information and co-operating with other Category 1 responders undertaking joint training and exercising with other responder organisations The Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency will work closely together and with other Category 1 responders to ensure effective emergency planning and exercising at the Regional/Local Resilience forums and their sub-groups, particularly for contingency arrangements for flooding and environmental pollution incidents. 1.2 Integrated Risk Management Plans/Risk Reduction Plans/Local Plans Fire Authorities in England are required to produce Integrated Risk Management Plans and in Wales Risk Reduction Plans. The plans are designed to improve the safety of communities from risks which may include those posed to them from flooding, the contamination of public water supplies from a pollution incident and to use Fire and Rescue Service resources to their best potential. Fire Authorities should also consider the protection of the natural environment within these plans or produce a separate statement setting out how they will do so. The Environment Agency and Fire and Rescue Service will work together to identify sites and areas of risk and determine appropriate options and response measures. The following principles should be applied when doing so. 1.2.1 Flooding 10

The Environment Agency will provide the Fire and Rescue Service with information on flood risk in the form of a regularly updated flood map. As this does not take into account the effects of climate change and only refers to fluvial and coastal flooding, the Fire and Rescue Service should work with Regional Planning Bodies, Local Planning Authorities, regeneration agencies and developers in the preparation of Flood Risk Assessments. This will allow the Fire and Rescue Service to make informed decisions on where to site equipment and facilities and inform the development of Integrated Risk Management Plans/Risk Reduction Plans. 1.2.2 Pollution The Environment Agency will share its information with the Fire and Rescue Service on: environmentally sensitive areas such as water supply abstraction points (See section 2.2 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual) risk sites (See section 2.3 and 2.6 of the Fire & Rescue Service Manual) drainage information or site plans (See section 1.7 of the Fire & Rescue Service Manual The Fire and Rescue Service will bring to the attention of the Environment Agency any additional sites it has identified that pose a significant environmental risk. Where risk sites and locations are identified the development of an agreed incident response plan with the co-operation of the operator and other stakeholders is to be encouraged. Priority should be given to those sites posing the greatest risk to people and the environment. Further guidance on the development of these plans can be found in section 2.1 of the Fire & Rescue Service Manual and the Agency s Pollution Prevention Guidance note 21. These and other Environment Agency Pollution Prevention Guidelines are available at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ppg 1.3 Environment Agency Permitted Sites The Environment Agency is responsible for regulating and permitting sites under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations 2000 and sites still controlled under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Many of these sites pose a risk to people and the environment if there is a fire, spillage of environmentally-hazardous substances or flooding. To reduce this risk both parties will agree: a mechanism to allow the Fire and Rescue Service to comment on new Environment Agency permitting and compliance guidance 11

procedures that provide the Fire and Rescue Service with the opportunity to input into permit applications being processed by the Environment Agency Further guidance on this process will follow and will be included in the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 1.4 Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations The Environment Agency is the joint regulator with the Health and Safety Executive for sites falling under the requirements of the Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1999 and will consult the Fire and Rescue Service on matters relating to these sites following agreed guidance and procedures. 1.5 Petroleum Licences In those areas where the Fire and Rescue Service is responsible for issuing licences in relation to the safe keeping of petroleum spirit [Petroleum (Consolidation) Acts], they will incorporate into policies and procedures the guidance issued by the Health and Saftey Executive in their document HS (G) 41 or subsequent revisions, and the Environment Agency s Pollution Prevention Guidance note (PPG No 7). 12

Annex 2 Pollution Incident Management 2.1 Pollution Incidents and Incidents with Pollution Potential attended by the Fire and Rescue Service Environmental pollution can occur at fires, spillages or accidents that the Fire and Rescue Service attend, or as the result of urgent and necessary firefighting actions. 2.1.1 The Environment Agency s Role The Environment Agency s role at these incidents will be to co-ordinate and manage the environmental response. Its key priorities will be to: mitigate the impact on people, the environment and property from pollution where appropriate i.e.stop, contain, control, warn investigate the cause of the pollution, collect evidence and consider enforcement action seek remediation, clean up or restoration of the environment. To meet its objective, of minimising environmental damage at such incidents, the Environment Agency will need to work closely with the Fire and Rescue Service. The Environment Agency will: provide advice to the Incident Commander on pollution control strategies, including modification of Fire and Rescue Service actions, such as "contain" rather than "dilute" or, if appropriate, "controlled burn" provide information on the environmental sensitivity of an incident location to the Incident Commander or designated Hazardous Materials Environmental Protection Officer or equivalent regulate any waste management activities arising during the incident, providing advice to the Incident Commander as required liaise to make sure its actions are undertaken in co-operation, and co-ordinated, with Fire and Rescue Service activities Further details on the Environment Agency s role and response arrangements during an incident can be found in section 3.4 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 2.1.2 The Fire and Rescue Service Role 13

The Fire and Rescue Service will: take all practical precautions to minimise the effect on the environment of their activities. The Incident Commander will consider advice from the Environment Agency in the context of other specialist advice and legal and moral responsibilities identify where the environment might be at risk and be mindful of such risk when determining operational priorities and tactics take all practical precautions to minimise any threat to the environment resulting from third party activities through the emergency deployment of pollution control equipment where operational priorities and resources permit in situations where it is not possible to avoid water pollution because of higher operational priorities e.g. the need to protect people, take all reasonably practical steps to mitigate the effects of such pollution inform the Environment Agency where pollution has occurred or could occur as soon as reasonably practicable in accordance with agreed reporting criteria. See section 3.5 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual for guideline reporting criteria 2.2 Access to the Incident Site The role and numbers of Environment Agency staff at incidents will depend on the circumstances and scale of each incident. All communications with the Fire and Rescue Service will be co-ordinated through the Environment Agency's Site Controller, who will advise on environmental issues. On arrival, the Site Controller will make him/herself known to the Incident Commander. If the Site Controller or Incident Commander changes during the incident, the Fire and Rescue Service/Environment Agency will be told immediately. All Environment Agency officers responding to an incident will report to the Incident Command Point. They will be identified by a tabard bearing the Environment Agency initials and logo and will carry identity cards. They will only work within the incident ground with the permission of the Incident Commander. When working in the incident ground, the Environment Agency staff will at all times keep the Incident Commander informed of their proposed actions and movements. Further details on incident access are included in Section 3.4 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 2.3 Command and Control When a major environmental incident is declared and the Fire and Rescue Service convene strategic (Gold), tactical (Silver) and/or operational (Bronze) Co-ordination Centres, the Environment Agency will be invited to attend and be provided with suitable facilities. 14

The Environment Agency will supply liaison officers to the Co-ordination Centres to advise on environmental issues and provide the link to its incident response. 2.4 Pollution Control Strategies The principle of containment whenever practicable and safe to do so is the Environment Agency s preferred approach to managing incidents where polluting liquids or materials have been released or generated by on-site activities, including firefighting. Detailed guidance on containment techniques, including those for firewater, the use of pollution control equipment and other pollution control strategies including the use of a controlled burn is provided in section 3.6 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. Further guidance on firewater containment systems is also available in the Environment Agency s Pollution Prevention Guideline 18 and on the use of a controlled burn in its Pollution Prevention Guideline 28. These are available at www.environmentagency.gov.uk/ppg 2.5 Provision of Pollution Equipment The Environment Agency will consider providing pollution control equipment to the Fire and Rescue Service. Both parties have identified and agreed the equipment that can be supplied to ensure consistency. The emphasis is on first aid containment equipment and materials, rather than materials used for clean up. Details of the equipment available and the procedures for obtaining it are contained in section 3.1 and 3.5 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. Where equipment has been supplied to a Fire and Rescue Service, it will notify the Environment Agency of its use during an incident to enable the Environment Agency to re-charge the polluter. A procedure setting out when and how this should be done is in section 3.5 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 2.6 Decontamination Procedures Decontamination of Fire Service personnel and/or casualties to protect life and health must take precedence over all other considerations at the scene of an incident; but it is still important to take all reasonable practicable measures to protect the environment when such procedures are being used. The Fire and Rescue Service will inform the Environment Agency as soon as possible when decontamination procedures are being employed. The Environment Agency will then provide advice on how to minimise environmental pollution. Further guidance on decontamination, including procedures relating to CBRN type incidents and the decontamination of equipment are contained in section 3.1 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 2.7 Fire Fighting Foam 15

All fire fighting foams are polluting and some types are of particular concern. The Incident Commander should think carefully about the environmental impacts before using it, particularly at incidents in identified environmentally sensitive locations. The Fire and Rescue Service will also work with the Environment Agency to: identify more environmentally friendly foams types and methods of application which should be used wherever possible develop a better understanding of the potential environmental impacts of foam when used at operational incidents Section 3.7 of the Fire & Rescue Service Manual provides further guidance. Separate guidance exists on the use of foam for training; see section 3.2.1 of this protocol and section 3.7 of the Fire & Rescue Service Manual 2.8 Use of the Fire and Rescue Service as Contractors Emergency environmental protection measures at an incident attended by the Fire and Rescue Service would not normally attract a charge. If the Fire and Rescue Service is asked by the Environment Agency to undertake work over and above dealing with the emergency phase of an incident, or to attend an incident to perform an environmental protection function, it could make a special service charge as a contractor. More detail on using the Fire and Rescue Service as contractors, including an agreed charging structure, is provided in section 4.3 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 2.9 Waste Management Waste is likely to be generated at incidents where pollution control measures have been employed. This includes: the contained pollutant, soiled materials such as absorbents, damaged containers and contaminated equipment and clothing. This waste will need to be moved and disposed of. The Environment Agency regulates this activity and will provide advice and guidance to the responsible party. The Fire and Rescue Service will normally not have direct responsibility for disposing of waste generated at the incident it attends. Guidance on identifying those who will be responsible, together with details of protocols for when a responsible party cannot be identified and/or the emergency movement of hazardous waste is necessary, and/or the Fire and Rescue Service is the responsible party can be found in section 3.8 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 2.10 National Arrangement for Incidents Involving Radiation (NAIR) and the RADSAFE Responders Scheme 16

The Environment Agency's involvement in NAIR (run by the Health Protection Agency - Radiological Protection Division) and RADSAFE (run by a consortium of industries involved in the nuclear fuel cycle), is to assess the environmental impact of any release of radioactivity and advise the emergency services on actions to protect the environment. The Environment Agency will advise on the disposal of waste contaminated with radioactivity after consultation with water companies, where necessary. The Environment Agency will also pursue regulatory investigations in accordance with its statutory duties. If there is an incident involving radioactive materials, the Fire and Rescue Service will always notify the Environment Agency directly. In addition, when NAIR or RADSAFE responders are contacted by emergency services, the Environment Agency will be notified by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary - Force Communications Centre (Harwell) via the Environment Agency's North West Regional Communications Centre. 2.11 Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear incidents (CBRN) The Environment Agency's role is to support and advise as part of the multiagency response, through Liaison Officers at Strategic/Tactical Command Centres, including: assessing the environmental risk by helping to identify how materials might disperse and what might be at risk advising on the disposal and treatment of wastes advising on temporary storage sites for waste removed for forensic analysis identifying contractors and decontamination locations notifying interested parties regulating - issuing permits and taking enforcement action where needed Both parties will work together to improve/develop procedures for dealing with such incidents. Further details will be available in Department for Communities and Local Government, Environment Agency and/or other CBRN guidance.. Annex 3 Training, Exercising and Pollution Prevention 3.1 Training 17

The Environment Agency will offer training to Fire and Rescue Service staff locally and centrally at the Fire Service College at Moreton-in-Marsh. This training might include planning and running exercises. Fire and Rescue Service staff will also train Environment Agency staff on their role and priorities at an incident where resources permit. Both parties will make sure that any training programmes, resources and materials developed in support of their partnership will reflect the content of this protocol. Both parties will seek opportunities for joint exercising. Further guidance on training is in section 2.5 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 3.2 Training exercises at fire stations and other locations 3.2.1 Use of fire fighting foam Fire fighting foam, which is an essential part of fire fighter training, is extremely polluting if released into the aquatic environment. The Fire and Rescue Service will take steps to avoid pollution during training exercises. The Fire and Rescue Service Manual (section 3.7) explains how to do this. 3.2.2 End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Regulations 2005 The ELV Regulations are enforced by the Environment Agency. The regulations place restrictions on the use of scrap vehicles by the Fire and Rescue Service. Detailed guidance on options for sourcing, using and disposing of vehicles for training has been developed by both parties and is included in the Fire and Rescue Service Manual (section 2.5). 3.3 Pollution Prevention Apart from training, pollution can also result from other Fire and Rescue Service activities. These include cleaning vehicles and equipment, storing oil and other polluting liquids, refuelling vehicles and the temporary storage of controlled and hazardous wastes at Fire and Rescue Service premises. The Environment Agency has published a series of Pollution Prevention Guidelines and leaflets, which help to identify these risks and measures to reduce them. It will also, where possible, provide pollution prevention guidance to local Fire and Rescue Services to identify risks and remedial measures. Further guidance on this and details of all the Pollution Prevention Guidelines are in section 4.5 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. Advice on waste 18

storage at Fire Stations, which is discouraged, is given in section 3.8 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual. 19

Annex 4 Information Exchange and Contact Arrangements 4.1 Incident notification The Environment Agency has eight Regional Communications Centres (RCCs), which operate 24/7. All RCCs can be contacted in an emergency using the Environment Agency s 0800 807060 incident reporting hotline number. Each RCC also has a dedicated ex-directory number for the use of local emergency services. These numbers are listed in appendix 1 against the relevant Fire and Rescue Service address. Rapid notification of incidents which might affect the environment has been a valuable aspect of the partnership. The Fire and Rescue Service will build into their procedures a system for notifying the Environment Agency of incidents that have the potential to pollute the environment. A guide to these occasions is in section 3.5 of the Fire & Rescue Service Manual. If there is any doubt, the Environment Agency should always be contacted. The Environment Agency will offer advice and assistance, initially on the telephone. It will attend all incidents involving a potentially significant environmental impact, where safe to do so. It will also consider attendance at other incidents when requested to do so by the Fire and Rescue Service. Environment Agency staff will give an estimated time of arrival at the incident, if appropriate. 4.2 Local liaison Local liaison is essential in implementing this protocol. 4.2.1 Contact arrangements The Environment Agency should initially contact the Chief Fire Officer, who will provide a contact officer. The Fire and Rescue Service should contact the Environment Agency s Regional Fire and Rescue Service representative who co-ordinates its liaison arrangements within their Region. They will then supply contact details for an appropriate Environment Agency Area Fire and Rescue Service contact. If the Regional contact is unavailable, the local Environment Agency Environment Manager should be called using the general customer contact number (08708 506 506). Where one Fire and Rescue Service area is served by more than one Environment Agency Region, the Region forming the larger part of the area will act as the single contact point for the Fire and Rescue Service. This lead Region (see appendix 1) will pass on all necessary details to the other Region. Where this arrangement is not considered effective and the Fire and Rescue Service agree to more than one 20

contact point, local arrangements can be made. This should be considered the exception rather than the rule.. 4.2.2 Local Area/Regional liaison groups/ local working arrangements Once contact is established, Environment Agency Regional and/or Area contacts should meet individual Fire and Rescue Service contacts within their area of operation. Environment Agency lead Regional contacts should also arrange a Regional liaison meeting of their Fire and Rescue Services at least once a year. These meetings should develop and implement local working arrangements, which will set out how the National protocol will be implemented locally. Guidance on the drawing up of such agreements and a template can be found in section1.6 of the Fire and Rescue Service Manual and a copy of the template is included in Part 2 of this Protocol. Issues raised locally which require consideration by the national working groups should be directed either to the appropriate Regional Environment Agency Fire and Rescue Service contact or the Environment Agency Fire Service Technical Advisor and the Chief Fire Officers Association Strategic Working Group representative. 4.3 National liaison. The partnership between the Environment Agency and the Fire and Rescue Service is coordinated by the National Fire and Rescue Service Strategic Working Group, which meets each quarter. Details of the Terms of Reference of this Group are included in appendix 2. 4.4 Data 4.4.1 GIS Data As well as providing environmental information for incorporation into incident response plans, the Environment Agency can also provide the Fire and Rescue Service with a range of national data sets in digital format, for example flood zones, water abstraction points, groundwater vulnerability maps. Environment Agency representatives on Local Resilience forums will be able to advice on the data available and the procedures that should be followed to obtain it. 4.4.2 Radioactive Substances Act 1993 Anyone who uses radioactive material or disposes of radioactive waste must, with a few exceptions, be registered or authorised under the Radioactive 21

Substances Act 1993. The Environment Agency is responsible for issuing and enforcing such registrations and authorisations. For sealed radioactive sources, the Environment Agency will supply the Chief Fire Officer with copies of the 'front and back sheets' of each registration at the time of issue. This will include details of the user, the address of the premises where the source is held, and maximum source holdings in terms of numbers and radioactivities. Fire and Rescue Services should continue to obtain details of registrations for unsealed radioactive materials and authorisations for radioactive waste from the relevant local authority. 22

Annex 5 Flood risk management The Environment Agency and the Fire and Rescue Service are committed to developing joint working practices with other Category 1 responders under the Civil Contingencies Act to meet the needs of the public, and the duties set out in the Fire and Rescue Services Act. In future we will: develop procedures for joint use of New Dimensions High Volume Pumps share information on flood risk provide timely warnings of flooding to the Fire and Rescue Service where possible develop joint working practices to ensure the optimum use of shared skills and resources during a flooding incident where appropriate This Annex will regularly be reviewed and updated as progress is made on these topics, and others, which may arise. 23

Appendix 1 Environment Agency lead Regions and ex-directory numbers for use by emergency services Lead Region Fire and Rescue Service ANGLIAN RCC 01733 232094 Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service MIDLANDS RCC 0121 704 2689 Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service West Midlands Fire and Service NORTH EAST RCC 01132 312371 Cleveland Fire Brigade County Durham and Darlington Fire Service Humberside Fire and Rescue Service Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service 24

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service NORTH WEST RCC 01925 417653 Cheshire Fire Service Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service The Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service SOUTHERN RCC 0800 252676 Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Kent Fire and Rescue Service East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service SOUTH WEST RCC 01392 442011 Avon Fire and Rescue Service Cornwall County Fire Brigade The Devon Fire and Rescue Service Dorset Fire and Rescue Service Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters Wiltshire Fire Brigade, Brigade Headquarters THAMES RCC 01189 535353 Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service London Fire Brigade Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Surrey Fire and Rescue Service EA WALES RCC 01222 779168 Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service North Wales Fire and Rescue 25

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service 26

Appendix 2 National Fire and Rescue Service Strategic Liaison Working Group Mission Statement for the Initiative In partnership towards a safer and cleaner environment Terms of Reference The group will: 1. review and update the protocol between the LGA/WLGA and Environment Agency on Fire and Rescue Service Issues; this should include identifying staff and resources needed to undertake any work required. In Scotland this will apply to the MoU between the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. In Northern Ireland this will apply to the MoU beween the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) 2. promote liaison between the Environment Agencies and Fire and Rescue Service at all levels and recommend how better liaison will improve the effectiveness of the organisations involved 3. identify good practice within the UK; make recommendations for implementing and promoting identified areas including, where necessary, producing an implementation plan and/or joint research which should include reviewing working practices and points identified from incidents 4. determine future strategy options for the provision of provision of pollution control equipment for Fire and Rescue Service use and identify the costs of doing so. This should include considering alternative sources of funding and links with other initiatives such as CBRN, where the equipment may have mutual benefits 5. agree an acceptable method for recovering costs associated with the use and replacement of equipment provided by the Environment Agency, and the services provided by the Fire and Rescue Service 6. provide direction on Environment Agencies input into Fire and Rescue Service Training Programmes including courses at the National Fire Service College, Moreton-in-Marsh, Scottish Fire and Rescue College Gullane, other training course and training materials such as Fire and Rescue Service Manuals 27

7. provide direction to the National Fire and Rescue Service Operational Liaison Group 8. provide and, if necessary, seek clarification on the requirements and implications of relevant legislation 9. act as the review group for guidance materials Group membership: Environment Agency Chief Fire Officers Association Department for Communities and Local Government Scottish Environment Protection Agency Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Fire Services for Scotland Environment and Heritage Service Northern Ireland Fire Service The Fire Service College Meeting frequency The Group will meet every four months and more regularly if issues dictate. 28

PART 2 : LOCAL AGREEMENT TEMPLATE BETWEEN [THE XXX FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE] AND THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY 1. Aim and Purpose 1.1 This local protocol sets out how co-operation on fire and rescue matters between [XXXXXX], hereby called the Service and the Environment Agency, can implement the principles of shared working agreed and signed by the Local Government Association and the Environment Agency in the shared agreement Working Better Together 2003. 1.2 To achieve this outcome, the Service (xxxxx) and the Environment Agency agree to the following local interpretation of those levels of service set out in the Annexes of the Working Better Together on Fire and Rescue Services Protocol 2. Areas of Mutual Interest 2.1 Emergency Planning and Integrated Risk Management Plans/Risk Reduction Plans Insert text 2.2 Pollution Incident Management Insert text 2.3 Training, Exercising and Pollution Prevention Insert text 2.4 Information Exchange and Contact Arrangements Insert text 2.5 Flood Risk Management Insert text 3.0 Review Arrangements The Environment Agency and the Service [XXXXXX] will support this protocol agreement and work together to develop and implement it. Signed on behalf of the Environment Agency Title.. Date.. Signed on behalf of the Service [XXXXXX]. 29

Title... Date... 30