Advisory Service
Disaster Action seeks to represent the perspective and interests of those who may be on the receiving end of a major emergency response, as lay advisers to those responsible for emergency planning and response. Members of Disaster Action advised on the setting up of the Humanitarian Assistance Centre following the July 2005 London bombings, and the Incident Support Centre following the 1 April 2009 North Sea helicopter crash. DA does not charge a fee for this service, in order to maintain our independence.
Organisations, statutory and voluntary services, government departments and agencies with which we work include:
- Aberdeen City Council
- Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)
- British Red Cross
- Cabinet Office
- Coroners' Officers Association
- Coroners' Society
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) humanitarian assistance unit
- Foreign and Commonwealth Consular Directorate
- Home Office mass fatalities unit
- London Resilience Forum
- Metropolitan Police Service
- National Health Service
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Westminster City Council
We offer our views and experience on a range of issues, including:
- police family liaison
- identification, recovery, viewing and release of bodies
- the inquest process
- death certification
- disaster trust funding
- practical and emotional support for survivors and bereaved
- support networks and family and survivor support groups
- compensation.
Disaster Action was a member of the steering group that devised the guidance on creation of humanitarian assistance centres, Humanitarian Assistance in Emergencies (ACPO/DCMS, October 2006). Disaster Action contributed to the British Red Cross European Union sponsored initiative, Working Together to Support Individuals in an Emergency or Disaster, and to the 2009 'Informed Prepared Together' project. We also worked Disaster Action also assisted in the development, dissemination and training for a handbook on meeting the needs of survivors and the bereaved for responders to terrorist attack across the EU (EU-sponsored work, led by the Belgian Red Cross).
Members of Disaster Action have been involved in the development of services for those with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This work has included sitting as a lay representative on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline Development Group that developed the guideline for treatment of PTSD on the NHS as well as contributing to the personal testimonies in the guideline. Disaster Action was also represented on the steering group for the NHS mental health response to the July 2005 London bombings.
We are not responsible for the decisions taken or policies devised by those whom we advise.
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