County Emergency Centre

Following a major incident the Joint Emergency Planning Unit will initially monitor what is happening from their office. When appropriate, the Unit will brief the SCC Duty Director. The Duty Director will meet with the Corporate Management Team to brief them and make strategic decisions on the SCC response. One of the considerations will be whether to open the County Emergency Centre (CEC). If the incident requires a multi-agency response the CEC will be opened in Endeavour House, Ipswich.

The Fundamental Role of the CEC includes:

• providing a central focal point for SCC during and after an emergency;
• receiving, recording and disseminating messages to those best suited to deal with them;
• liaising with all services, organisations and agencies involved;
and
• responding to and coordinating requests for personnel and resources.

A copy of the CEC Plan is available to view as a pdf document.

(Please note that all plans published on this website are subject to certain conditions, one of which is that they will be reviewed at intervals and, if necessary rewritten in part or in whole. We will not necessarily indicate when a plan is under review, or is being rewritten. The published plan will be updated without notice when these procedures are complete.)

Personnel from within the Council and from outside agencies will staff the CEC depending on the nature and extent of the emergency. These include:

Operations Director

In overall command of the CEC. The Operations Director monitors the developing situation and makes tactical and operational decisions on the Council’s response, and guides the Directorates in their decision making and actions.

CEC Manager

Oversees the efficient running of the operational areas of the CEC and manages the Support Team.

Directorate Liaison Officers

Provide direct links between the CEC and the Directorates they represent. Help to keep each end of the link informed about the activities at the other end. Tactical and operational activity will be at Directorate level, guided by the strategic decisions of the Corporate Management Team.

Communications Unit Liaison Officer

A representative of the Communications Unit acting as a direct link between the Operations Director and the Press Office. (The Press Liaison Officer is not in the CEC to speak to the Press, and all calls from the Press are to be directed to the Communications Unit, ext 4397. Outside normal working hours before the Press Desk is staffed contact with the Press Officer is via Fire Control on 01473 588888.)

Voluntary Organisations (VolOrg) Liaison Officer

A member of the Suffolk Voluntary Organisations Group (SVOG) who coordinates the work of the various voluntary organisations involved in the incident.

Other Agencies

Depending on the nature of the incident, Liaison Officers (LOs) from other organisations may be invited to attend. This could include District Councils, Emergency Services, Utility Companies, Industry, and Government Agencies. The LOs would act as the link to their organisations' operations management.

CEC Support Team

Staffed by Emergency Operations Officers (EOOs), a group of volunteers drawn from employees of the Council. They receive, record, collate, display and disseminate information primarily for the Operations Director and others working in the CEC.