The key to a successful response to an emergency or major incident is for the Emergency Services, local authorities and other agencies (such as health, gas, electricity and voluntary organisations) to work together as a multi-agency team.
Guidance on how we should all work together can be found in the London Emergency Services Liaison Panel (LESLP) major procedure manual.
As well as planning, training and exercising with other responders, we take part in several multi-agency groups.
South West London Emergency Planning Group
A regular meeting between the Emergency Planning staff of Sutton, Richmond, Merton, Kingston and Wandsworth Councils. In the event of a major catastrophe affecting one or more of the boroughs in the Group, the boroughs so affected would be able to call for support from the other boroughs in the Group.
Borough Resilience Forum
This Group concentrates more specifically on Emergency Planning issues which could affect the borough. As well as having regular attendees from the Council and Emergency Services, the group also includes representation from the local Health Authority, St. George's Hospital and on an ad hoc basis from voluntary groups such as St. John and the local churches.