Rob Walley

Employer: Brent Council, seconded to London Resilience Team
Area of work: Emergency planning
Qualifications: BA politics and international relations, Lancaster University

8.30 am

I normally travel to work by tube, but if I’m on call I’ll come by car so I can respond quickly to any incidents. I spent two years in an emergency role for Brent Council and I then applied to be the London Councils’ secondee to the London Resilience Team. I represent the views of emergency response teams in the 33 boroughs of London to central government and vice versa.

10.00 am

I spend some time fielding enquiries and getting answers for emergency planning officers. Where an emergency plan involves local authorities, I advise civil servants on local response options. I also analyse procedures and adapt them according to new guidance or following debriefs from other incidents.

11.30 am

My role involves a lot of meetings and co-ordination as there are about 100 emergency planners in the London boroughs, as well as many different levels of government. I recently co-ordinated a meeting of all the emergency responders in the London area to tell them about a government fuel-disruption plan. After a meeting, I collate feedback and the results of regional work and pass it back to central government.

2.00 pm

After lunch, I work on writing a protocol. I’m also developing techniques so that emergency responders can keep each other informed of the progress of an incident – and I can then help to pass this information on to central government. I also make sure responders have the right communication equipment.

5.30 pm

I start getting ready to leave. If I’m on call, I check that I have my pager and all my key documents. I have played a leading role on scene at incidents and given tactical advice to senior managers. It’s great to know that the plans and arrangements we put in place help to make London a safer place.