Topic 12: External operational aid

Overview

When an incident occurs, the first response will be a local one and in most cases it will be resolved using the local knowledge, skills, expertise and equipment. There are however, occasions when the effective management of an event will need the provision of additional resources. These additional resources would normally be brought in from the surrounding regions. But there are also events which require that aid is sought from national and/or international sources.

Learning outcomes

When you have completed study for this Topic you will be able to:

• state why a need might exist for external operational aid;
• state the key issues that need to be considered;
• analyse some examples of external aid being sought, provided and the implications;
• report your conclusions and recommendations on either the external operational aid management arrangements that were implemented during the impact phase of your selected event or, where external operational aid was not required during your selected event, the arrangements and strategies that existed at the time relating to the acquisition, activation and management of external operational aid had it been required.