Overview

Defence contributes to UK resilience through the provision of a number of guaranteed niche capabilities (such as Search and Rescue, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and a process of augmenting civil authorities and structures when civil capability or capacity is exceeded.

When Defence augments civil capability, it will be in response to specific requests for a planned response or to a crisis. Defence augmentation is not guaranteed.

The Armed Forces provision of military aid in the Foot & Mouth Disease outbreak in 2001, the national fire strike in 2002-03, the Cumbria floods in 2005 and 2009, Yorkshire and Gloucestershire in 2007, and the 'Big Freeze' in 2010 are well known.

49 (East) Brigade co-ordinated or facilitated emergency military aid during the Easter 1998 floods in Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, the Suffolk fire-fighters' strike in 2005, the Buncefield fire in 2005 and the East Coast floods in 2007.

---

Criteria for Military Aid

The provision of military aid is guided by three criteria:

• Military aid should only be provided where the need for someone to act is clear and where other options have been discounted by the Civil Responder. The use of mutual aid, other agencies, and the private sector must be otherwise considered as insufficient or be unsuitable.
• The Civil Authority making the request lacks the required level of capability to fulfil the task and it is unreasonable or prohibitively expensive to expect it to develop one.
• The Civil Authority has a capability but the need to act is urgent and it lacks readily available resources.

---

Military Aid to Civil Authorities

Military aid can be sought to support the civil authorities when they have an urgent need for help to deal with an emergency arising from a natural disaster or a major incident. Aid is provided on an 'as available' basis and cannot be assumed.

Headquarters 49 (East) Brigade, the Army Regional Brigade Headquarters for the East of England and East Midlands, is likely to lead on command and control of military aid in these two regions and can provide advice at any time. The Joint Regional Liaison Officers are supported by and work closely with the Royal Navy Regional Liaison Officer and Royal Air Force Regional Liaison Officers.

Headquarters 49 (East) Brigade oversees the provision of routine military assistance with social and military training value, such as minor construction tasks. Its liaison officers work closely with emergency services, local authorities and other responders in regional and local resilience forums to develop mutual understanding to facilitate the provision of military aid if authorised.

---

Training for Resilience

49 (East) Brigade, like other Regional Brigades, is responsible for the planning, co-ordination and delivery of training in UK Operations for the units it commands. This training invariably involves consultation and engagement with civil authorities, and includes:

• A 'Defence Contribution to Resilience' course. The next course will be held in April 2012. Details to be confirmed.
• A 'UK Operations' Study Day. The next Study Day will be held on 23 June 2011.
• A Brigade Headquarters Command Post Exercise (CPX), Exercise Polar Resilience. The next exercise will be held over the period 22 - 24 Nov 11.

---

Contact us

Contact should be made through the Brigade's Joint Regional Liaison Officers, who are the primary focus for the integration of military UK operations with civil authorities.

Useful information

For more information on UK Resilience, Defence in the Eastern Region and East Midlands follow the links in the right hand panel.