Disaster preparedness

In this second part interview, Alex Woodman looks ahead to the challenges the system faces as risks evolve, from overlapping emergencies and regulatory change to strained resources and shares what needs to change to ensure communities are protected when it matters most.

Drawing on experience across policing, fire, local government and resilience, including leading roles during Covid-19 and the Grenfell response, Alex Woodman, Chief Fire Officer of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, reflects on the pressures facing Local Resilience Forums.

Emergencies today rarely happen in isolation, and new threats, from climate events to terrorism, are making preparedness more complex than ever. The Emergency Services Show 2026 will explore how operational teams, policy experts, and suppliers are building resilience, improving collaboration, and testing practical solutions that keep responders and the public safe.

The University of Staffordshire has launched a new MSc in Disaster Management, designed to equip professionals with the advanced knowledge, skills and confidence required to plan for, respond to and recover from complex crises in a rapidly shifting global environment.

A new report from the British Red Cross has highlighted critical gaps in the UK’s preparedness and response to flooding, revealing its disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities and the urgent need for systemic change in risk planning.

Two leading UK charities have joined forces to address the pressing gap in support for children and young people affected by disasters.

With the the publication of the government’s new guidance on exercising, it is apt to revisit a five step approach provided by the team at the VCS Emergencies Partnership during National Preparedness Month. It shows how to test a response to a crisis, and build trusted relationships before something out of the ordinary happens. 

The London Climate Resilience Review has published its full and final report into London’s preparedness for climate impacts including heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, storms, sea level rise and subsidence.

The National Emergencies Trust has announced the appointment of four new trustees who will help to drive forward its UK disaster preparedness work, as well as research, advocacy and action projects with emergency survivors.

The new government resilience website, launched by the Deputy Prime Minister yesterday at the London Defence Conference, provides simple and effective steps people can take to be more prepared for UK emergencies.