Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Why has the College adopted the new ‘Spine and Modules’ system of courses?
• What happened to the old Introduction to Emergency Planning course?
• Who should attend the foundation events?
• Can anyone attend any course?
• Who is exempt from the attendance policy?
• Why is the attendance policy necessary?
• What are the common minimum standards for attending development courses?
• What do I do if I feel I should be exempt as the result of my previous experience?
• What does the pre–course work involve?
• What are the terms and conditions of booking a course?
• What Organisations are Approved for Rate 3 Voluntary Status?
• How do I find out if my organisation is eligible for Rate 3 Voluntary Status
• Do I need a dial-up account to connect to the internet from the study bedroom?
• Where do I find the booking form?
• Can I bring my partner to the College?
• Can I pay by credit card?
• What are the arrangements for using College transport from York Station?
• What type of clothing is required?
• When, and how, do I pay for the course?

If you cannot find your question here please email mailto:epc.reservations@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk

Why has the College adopted the new ‘Spine and Modules’ system of courses?

The new ‘Spine and Modules’ arose directly from customer demands for progression, coherence and opportunities for qualification. The courses offer a coherent development path that relates directly to your professional needs. They start at foundation level and progress through a series of developmental modules, with an advanced set of modules planned for delivery within the next 18 months.

What happened to the old Introduction to Emergency Planning course?

Although popular the old Introduction to Emergency Planning tried to fit too much content into a four–day course. This offered many delegates an overview of a number of subjects but lacked the time to allow any real in depth look at specific fields. The new Civil Protection spine has replaced the Introduction to Emergency Planning, but split the course into the Introductory module followed by a number of important subject areas designed to develop your understanding in greater depth. This format allows you to build your own personal training portfolio to complement your career development requirements.

Who should attend the foundation events?

1. The Introduction to Civil Protection event is aimed at anyone with a role associated with Civil Protection.
2. The Introduction to Crowd and Event Safety Management event is aimed at anyone with a role associated with planning for and/or managing crowd situations and events.
3. The foundation events are the essential first step to anyone wanting to attend any of the Spine of Civil Protection Development Courses or the Spine of Crowd and Event Safety Development Courses.

Can anyone attend any course?

EPC has introduced an attendance policy alongside the new courses. This is intended to guide people into the right course, based on their individual requirements. Details of our attendance policy are below.

The ‘Spine‘ of courses offers a coherent development path that relates directly to your professional needs. It starts at a foundation level and progresses through a series of developmental modules, with an advanced set of modules planned for delivery within the next 6 months. We also deliver specific training and developmental opportunities with our specialist courses. These usually require a basic understanding of some of the underlying principles as explained in our Attendance Policy.

We have introduced an Attendance Policy to ensure that you attend the courses that best fit your training needs.

Spine of Civil Protection Courses

Before attending any of the following courses you should normally have completed the Introduction to Civil Protection course. This requirement will be waived if you attended the former Introduction to Emergency Planning or Fundamentals of Emergency Planning courses between January 2001 and September 2004. We will also consider letting you by–pass this requirement if you have a certain level of knowledge and experience.

• Business Continuity Management 1, 2 & 3
• Emergency Management 1, 2 & 3
• Planning 1 & 2
• Risk Management 1 & 2

Spine of Crowd and Event Safety Courses

Before attending the following courses, you should normally have completed the Introduction to Crowd and Event Safety Management course. This requirement will be waived if you have already attended one of the three Crowd and Event Safety courses named above between January 2002 and September 2004. We will also consider letting you by–pass this requirement if you have a certain level of knowledge and experience.

• Complex and Built Environments
• Safety at Festivals and Mass Gatherings
• Safety at Sport and Entertainment Venues

We think that you will benefit from attending the Introduction to Crowd and Event Safety Management course prior to attending the following courses unless you have previously attended any of the first three Crowd and Event Safety courses named above.

• Crowd Dynamics
• Temporary Demountable Structures

Care of People Cluster of Courses

Whilst not compulsory, attendance on the Foundation course for Managing the Care of People in an Emergency or the Introduction to Civil Protection course would provide a very useful background for the following events. In any event, you should have completed the online Introduction to Civil Protection pre–course work.

• Emergency Support Centres
• Community Recovery
• Humanitarian Assistance Centres

Specialist courses

Often there will be a pre–course learning pack, designed to help you gain maximum benefit from the residential course. Additionally you may find benefit from attending our Introduction to Civil Protection course before attending any of these courses.

Who is exempt from the attendance policy?

Spine of Civil Protection Development Courses:

1. Anyone who has attended the former Introduction to Emergency Planning or Fundamentals of Emergency Planning courses between January 2001 and September 2004.
2. Although we may consider individual cases based on previous relevant experience, we will normally encourage people to attend the foundation course, even where the exemption policy applies. The foundation course is entirely new and will benefit even those more experienced delegates, with new training methodologies and developed around the forthcoming civil contingencies legislation.

Spine of Crowd and Event Safety Development Courses:

1. Anyone who has attended one or more of the three named Crowd and Event Safety courses (Safety in Complex and Built Environments, Safety at Festivals and Mass Gatherings and Safety at Sports and Entertainment Venues) between January 2002 and September 2004.
2. Although we may consider individual cases based on previous relevant experience, we will normally encourage people to attend the foundation course, even where the exemption policy applies. The foundation course is entirely new and will benefit even those more experienced delegates.

Why is the attendance policy necessary?

1. The development courses have been designed around the presumption that delegates have reached a level, or common minimum standard, prior to attending these courses.
2. These common minimum standards are reflected by the learning objectives of the relevant foundation course. So, for example, those wishing to attend any of the Civil Protection Development courses, would need to be able to:
   • Explain the concept of Integrated Emergency Management.
   • Describe the roles of various organisations involved in emergency response.
   • Outline Central and Regional Government arrangements.
   • Explain the importance of key inter–agency contingency planning issues.
   • Outline the relevant legislation and guidance.
   • Evaluate their own organisation's emergency preparedness.
3. Delegates who have not reached this common minimum standards might adversely affect their own, or other delegates', learning experience if they attend one of these development courses.

What are the common minimum standards for attending development courses?

1. The standards are reflected in the learning objectives of the foundation courses.
2. Before attending any of the Civil Protection Development courses, people should be able to:
   • Explain the concept of Integrated Emergency Management.
   • Describe the roles of various organisations involved in emergency response.
   • Outline Central and Regional Government arrangements.
   • Explain the importance of key inter–agency contingency planning issues.
   • Outline the relevant legislation and guidance.
   • Evaluate their own organisation's emergency preparedness.
3. Before attending any of the Crowd and Event Safety Development courses, people should be able to:
   • Explain the concept of Integrated Emergency Management.
   • Describe the roles of various organisations involved in planning for and managing crowd safety and events.
   • Explain the importance of key inter–agency planning and contingency issues.
   • Outline the relevant legislation and the key guidance documents.
   • Identify good practice and lessons learnt from previous events/incidents.

What do I do if I feel I should be exempt as the result of my previous experience?

1. You should firstly consider whether you genuinely satisfy the common minimum standards reflected in the learning objectives of the relevant foundation course.
2. You should then contact our reservations team (+44(0)1347 822877). If necessary they will refer the matter to a relevant member of the training staff.
3. Where it is clear that the common minimum standards are satisfied the exemption may be agreed and you may attend.
4. If it is clear you do not satisfy the standards, in your best interests, and those of the other delegates, you will be advised not to attend and referred to the foundation module.

What does the pre–course work involve?

1. Delegates are asked to work through some material based around Integrated Emergency Management and related issues. There will be various checks at key stages to ensure understanding and that delegates can explain these issues during phase 2, the residential element of the course.
2. This will not be too onerous a task but will enable courses to progress rapidly onto other elements of the programme. We aim to develop this as an on–line service though this is not likely to apply for the first few events.

Where will I find the terms and conditions of booking a course?

The terms and conditions can be found at the bottom of our booking forms.

What Organisations are Approved for Rate 3 Voluntary Status?

The Birmingham Association of Neighbourhood Forums

British and International Sailors' Society

British Civil Defence

British Red Cross

Church In Society

Community Resilience UK

The Community Security Trust

Council for Voluntary Service Ledbury and District

CRUSE Bereavement Care

Diocese of Gloucester (Named individual only)

Diocese of Oxford

Diocese of Southwell (Secretary only)

Manchester Area Bereavement Forum (MABF)

Manchester Jewish Federation

The Mission to Seafarers

Northampton Emergency Aid Team (NEAT Scouts)

Rail Industry First Aid Association (RIFAA)

The Radio Amateurs' Emergency Network (RAYNET)

Rescue and Preparedness in Disasters (RAPID UK)

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)

The Salvation Army

Samaritans

SEBEV Search and Rescue

St Andrew's Ambulance Association

St John Ambulance

Sunderland Counselling Services

The Surrey Trauma Support Service (TSS)

Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team

Victim Support

Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS)

Periodically organisations on this register may be required to re-apply for inclusion.

How do I find out if my organisation is eligible for Rate 3 Voluntary Status?

Rate 3 fees apply to delegates who are being sponsored by a UK organisation on the College's approved volunteer organisations register.

Please note:

• membership of emergency planning related associations, societies or professional bodies does not entitle organisations or individuals to this rate;
• organisations that have charitable status or are registered with the Charities Commission do not automatically qualify for this rate.

In order to be eligible for this rate the delegate needs to be sponsored by a UK organisation which is both:

1. wholly voluntary and not constituted as a trading entity with the objective of the generation of profit or the financial benefit of members; and
2. actively involved in assisting a Category 1 Responder, as defined under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, in meeting its duties under the Act in respect of preventing, planning for, responding to or recovering from a UK civil emergency.

Prior to Rate 3 being applied evidence of eligibility must be supplied, in writing, to the Information Services Manager at the College, this means the following must be supplied:

1. evidence the organisation is a UK business, wholly voluntary and not constituted as a trading entity with the objective of the generation of profit or the financial benefit of members; and
2. a letter from the sponsoring Category 1 Responder confirming the organisation's active involvement in preventing, planning for, responding to or recovering from a UK civil emergency. This needs to be on headed notepaper and to include a contact name, and telephone number.

The College will review its register of volunteer organisations entitled to Rate 3 annually.

Download voluntary rate self assessment [PDF 14KB, 1 page]

Do I need a dial-up account to connect to the Internet from the study bedroom?

Yes, you need a dial-up account, but you will not incur any charges for using the Internet. Detailed instructions on how to connect to the Internet are available in the Visitor Information section of this website.

Where do I find the booking form?

Firstly select the course you are interested in by using the side navigation bar, scroll to the bottom of the course details and select the date you require.  You will then be asked to make a choice between 'single booking form' or 'multiple booking forms'.  The next screen will provide you with your chosen booking form which you can complete and send directly to us.

Can I bring my partner to the College?

Unfortunately, due to security and health and safety regulations we do not allow partners to attend the College.

Can I pay by credit card?

The College accepts payment of course fees by debit/credit card; details of how to pay will be issued with the invoice. We also accept credit/debit card payment for overnight accommodation and Library material. From 1st January 2007 cards will be accepted for the payment of items from the bar.

What are the arrangements for using College transport from York Station?

The College mini bus arrives at York Railway Station (Short Stay Car Park), off Platform 4 at 12.35pm prompt (Monday/Wednesday), and departs from the College, on the last day of your course, at 1.05pm.  If you miss the mini bus and are required to make your own way to/from the College (ie by taxi), this will be at your own expense. 

What type of clothing is required?

The dress code for the College is casual but smart.  Please note, if you are attending the 'Temporary Demountable Structures' course you will need to bring suitable outdoor clothing.

When, and how, do I pay for the course?

Course fees are payable within 30 calendar days of your invoice being received, or before the start of the course. You can, of course, enclose payment with your booking form.  Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for further information on fees and payments.

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