Innovative practice from around the UK

Currently there is no set pattern within the UK for relationships between emergency planning communities and the BBC.

Usually, the response during an emergency is instinctive rather than prepared. It relies on normal day-to-day arrangements with information providers that are rarely robust enough to cope in a crisis.

An area's Emergency Plan normally includes a media section, but it rarely amounts to a comprehensive strategy. Often it is little more than a list of phone numbers and has no mechanism for updates.

However, there are examples around the UK of innovative initiatives between emergency planners and broadcasters. These could point the way towards the kind of meticulous planning that 'Connecting in a Crisis' suggests could be the norm.

• The Cleveland Protocol is designed for the chemical industries but its principles could be applied to other scenarios.
• The Leeds On-line Protocol is a proactive approach to harnessing new technology and could be applied to most emergency situations.
• Other examples include management systems for information during severe weather and the media-partnership devised by Essex Emergency Plans Unit in their comprehensive media plan.