Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Creating a safer future – together: Risk assessment

Kent’s position as the gateway to Europe and the home to major transport hubs, shopping centres and tourist destinations makes it a popular county for both tourists and residents. Sadly, over the last few decades we have seen that places where people may be found in large numbers have sometimes been the target for acts of terror.

The impact of these attacks on the people involved, their community and the wider population can be traumatic both physically and psychologically, but this can be minimised through rapid effective intervention.  Many more planned attacks are disrupted through the country’s network of Counter Terror Policing, who rely on information from the public and partner agencies.

We are constantly working with our partner agencies to share information that may prevent an attack in the planning stages. We advise the operators of sites and events to ensure they consider security alongside their fire safety responsibilities, and train with our blue light partners to ensure we can react swiftly and appropriately should an attack occur. Teams across Kent are prepared and equipped to respond to an attack, with advanced first aid skills, and protective equipment.

Transport systems have previously been a target for acts of malicious intent, and despite enhanced security measures the threat to these systems remains present. By their very nature each location presents its own challenges in relation to the inherent risk of the system such as high voltage electricity or high-speed moving vehicles.  Equally getting access to these systems can be challenging as they are often remote and so responders need the right knowledge and equipment to reach casualties in a timely manner.

These types of incidents will require a multi-agency response, and therefore it is vital that information and expertise is shared quickly and effectively between responding agencies. The difficulty of this has been highlighted in previous events such as the 7th July 2005 London bombings, and from this joint agency ways of working have been developed.  Local training and exercising between agencies in Kent is ongoing to ensure the best possible response.

In Kent we have trained all firefighters how to respond to malicious events, plus we have specialist teams that have a higher degree of training and equipment to meet the needs of the different scenarios we could respond to. This includes protective equipment to deal with firearms incidents, detection equipment that can identify hazardous materials, training and equipment for working in tunnels.

Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) attacks are the malicious use of chemicals, biological, radiological or nuclear material. These range in scale from the use of corrosive material (such as an acid) aimed at an individual, through to the larger scale risk of terrorism.

KFRS maintains a capability to support a multi-agency response. All our front-line fire engines are equipped to support the initial response to the incident to protect people in the immediate time after an incident.

We also have Specialist Operational Response capability. We host a team that have specialised training and equipment to support initial crews and partners to assess and reduce risk. We have trained Strategic and Tactical CBRN commanders and a dedicated CBRN Tactical Advisor. We also have the capability to set up mass decontamination on behalf of the National Health Service.

Response to such events is very much a multiagency approach and we work closely with colleagues in Kent Police and South East Coast Ambulance (Secamb) through a network of trained officers known as National Interagency Liaison Officers (NILO). These teams work as much pro-actively to prevent CBRN incidents as they do to prepare for the response.

Malicious attacks on utilities and critical infrastructure can result in severe consequences. It is imperative for KFRS to be able to mitigate, respond to, and recover from such incidents. One significant incident type comprises of cyberattacks targeting power grids, water treatment facilities, and communication networks. These attacks can disrupt essential utility services, leading to potential outcomes such as widespread power outages, contaminated water supply, or communication breakdowns. This attack methodology could potentially cause fires, explosions, or hazardous material releases, endangering public safety and intensifying the challenges faced by KFRS in responding to emergencies.

The possible outcomes of these attacks are multifaceted and may include harm to health, loss of life, property damage, environmental contamination, and economic disruption, where events may quickly develop into a major incident.

We collaborate with operators of critical infrastructure and Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) sites, gather risk information, engage in exercising and training, and provide specialist equipment to respond to incidents at these sites.

Telecommunications is a critical national infrastructure vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to its importance in providing essential services. The UK government has introduced the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 to establish a robust security framework for the sector.

A major cyber-attack on a telecom network could disrupt services for millions of customers, affecting internet access, voice calls, and emergency services like 999/112. Recovery could take months or even years. The evolving cyber threats in the telecom sector make it a significant concern, and similar disruptions could arise from various causes beyond cyber-attacks, such as misconfigurations and software failures.

This poses a risk to our ability to receive emergency calls and communicate effectively. We have seen telecommunications failures in the past, albeit on a limited scale. We have fallback arrangements in place through our business continuity plans that help us to ensure that we are still able to mobilise fire engines and respond to emergencies.