top of page

Serious Incident & Crisis Management Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish a framework for managing potential crises and serious incidents that could impact the operations or reputation of Friends of Goadby Marwood Village Hall (FoGMVH) and the safety or welfare of the community and village hall users. The policy outlines the procedures for identifying, assessing, responding to, and recovering from crises.

​

Scope

This policy applies to all trustees, volunteers, and any other stakeholders associated with FoGMVH. It covers all types of crises and serious incidents, including but not limited to natural disasters, health and safety incidents, financial emergencies and reputational threats.

​

Crisis Management Team

In the event of a serious incident occurring a Crisis Management Team (CMT) will be established and will include the chair, vicechair, secretary, treasurer and deputy treasurer of the trustees.

​

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Chair of Trustees: Lead the CMT, make final decisions, and ensure appropriate communication with external authorities. Manage internal and external communications, including media relations.

  • Vicechair and Secretary: Implement operational aspects of the crisis response, liaise with volunteers and other stakeholders. Oversee health and safety procedures, ensure the safety of all personnel and visitors.

  • Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer: Monitor financial implications and manage emergency funding.

​​

Crisis Identification and Assessment

  • Identification: Any trustee, volunteer or visitor can identify a potential crisis or serious incident. Any suspected incident should be immediately notified to the FoGMVH trustees.

  • Assessment: The CMT will assess the severity of the crisis using a pre-defined risk matrix considering impact and likelihood.

​​

Crisis Response Plan

  • Activation: The chair of trustees, or a designated alternate, will activate a Crisis Response Plan.

  • Communication:

    • Internal: Immediate notification of the incident or crisis will be sent to all trustees, volunteers and other stakeholder who may be affected.

    • External: Public statements, media handling, and stakeholder communication will be managed by the chair of the trustees.

  • Operations:

    • Immediate steps will be taken to ensure the safety and welfare of all individuals.

    • Where necessary evacuation procedures of the village hall building will be implemented.

    • Immediate steps will be taken to secure the premises and critical assets.

  • Coordination with Authorities: The FoGMVH CMT will work with emergency services, regulatory bodies, and other relevant authorities as required.

​​

Recovery and Continuity

  • Short-term Recovery: The FoGMVH CMT will aim to restore basic operations, provide support to affected individuals, and manage immediate financial needs.

  • Long-term Recovery:

    • A detailed assessment of the impact on continuity of services will be conducted by the CMT.

    • The CMT will develop a recovery plan addressing building structural repairs if required, financial recovery, and reputation management.

    • Regular updates will be provided to all stakeholders.

  • Business Continuity: The FoGMVH CMT will ensure that essential functions can continue or resume as quickly as possible.

​​

Training and Awareness

  • Regular briefing sessions for trustees and volunteers on crisis management procedure will be held.

  • An annual drill will be held to test the effectiveness of the Crisis Response Plan.

  • There will be a focus on continuous improvement based on feedback and post-crisis evaluations.

​​

Review and Update

  • This policy will be reviewed annually or following any major crisis or serious incident.

  • Policy amendments or updates will be made to address any gaps or improvements identified during reviews or post-crisis debriefs.

​​

Documentation and Reporting

  • Detailed records of all crises and serious incidents, including the response and recovery efforts, will be maintained

  • A post-crisis report outlining lessons learned and recommendations for future improvements will be prepared and circulated.

​​

Conclusion

FoGMVH is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the community, maintaining transparency, and upholding its reputation. This policy provides a structured approach to managing crises effectively and ensuring continuity of operations.

 

This policy will be reviewed annually.

​​

Issue: 1

July 2024

​

​

bottom of page