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25/10/2006
Readers Digest survey claims UK cities are unprepared for disaster
A survey by the Reader's Digest has concluded that none of UK's major cities is fully ready to deal with a major disaster or terrorist attack.
Emergency planning in 10 cities was studied and it was found that Liverpool was the least prepared.
The city was given a score of 55%, its ambulance response times and police force being criticised.
Birmingham was given a score of 79% with London on 70% and Leeds, Manchester and Bradford on 61%.
London - identified as the UK's number one terrorist target - scored poorly on police capacity to cope with 999 calls and a shortage of acute hospital beds.
Editor-in-Chief of Readers Digest, Katherine Walker commented on the survey:
"Not one of the 10 provides adequate information on evacuation for the elderly and disabled, who are uniquely vulnerable in any crisis."
The survey used 11 indicators to assess how prepared the cities were to deal with a major natural disaster, terrorist attack, industrial accident or pandemic.
Merseyside authorities rejected the survey's findings, labelling them 'superficial and inaccurate'.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Merseyside emergency services said: "Emergency planning is much broader than the crude and over-simplistic measurements contained in this report.
"The survey in no way reflects the ability of a multi-agency response to deal with a disaster or large-scale emergency."
(DS)
Emergency planning in 10 cities was studied and it was found that Liverpool was the least prepared.
The city was given a score of 55%, its ambulance response times and police force being criticised.
Birmingham was given a score of 79% with London on 70% and Leeds, Manchester and Bradford on 61%.
London - identified as the UK's number one terrorist target - scored poorly on police capacity to cope with 999 calls and a shortage of acute hospital beds.
Editor-in-Chief of Readers Digest, Katherine Walker commented on the survey:
"Not one of the 10 provides adequate information on evacuation for the elderly and disabled, who are uniquely vulnerable in any crisis."
The survey used 11 indicators to assess how prepared the cities were to deal with a major natural disaster, terrorist attack, industrial accident or pandemic.
Merseyside authorities rejected the survey's findings, labelling them 'superficial and inaccurate'.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Merseyside emergency services said: "Emergency planning is much broader than the crude and over-simplistic measurements contained in this report.
"The survey in no way reflects the ability of a multi-agency response to deal with a disaster or large-scale emergency."
(DS)
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