“Brace yourself, Summer is Coming.”
And being reviewed today, for activities starting tomorrow, is exactly the kind of poorly thought out, inconsiderate and disrespectful leadership I’ve come to expect. I cannot see us being allowed to do anything and will be surprised if it’s anything other than a blankdt ban for being too hot.
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At lease our warning notice came out from Region last night!!
What’s the exact topic behind this? For those of us in cadet forces that don’t knee jerk as soon as the sun comes out?
I find it mad that they make us jump through so many hoops, then just make executive decisions to cancel anyway.
AICs, OCs, Commanders etc all have to do the extended HIP training. And the rest of us still need to do the basic training. We’re given all these tools (that are arguably not fit for purpose, but still…) that we have to use. We have to do extra risk assessing and add extra contingency planning. All things that are good to reduce risk.
But then we do all that, fully plan for it to be very hot, and then at the last second someone senior who lives nowhere near where we are running out activity decides to cancel everything.
Let local commanders be commanders. And if we’re not allowed to make local executive decisions, then sack off the requirement for extended HIP training, as it’s pointless if we’re never allowed to actually operate when it gets hot.
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I have also since posting that just seen the actual email.
This bit is intriguing:
• On behalf of COS Ops this email is a reminder that, IAW 20230609-Proposed RAFAC Hazardous Weather Risk Management Policy (see email 9 Sep 24, 18:33), all activity is to reviewed in Amber Warning areas. Risk ownership transfers to Commandant RAFA for areas that fall within Red Alert areas, Activities are only to be conducted with Commandant RAFAC’s approval.
Now, that document that is being referred to I can’t find anywhere.
I’d like to read it. As I would guess what is being referred to is Weather Warnings at yellow, amber and red. There are no weather warnings currently issued. What has been issued are Health Alerts which are very different beasts with very different meanings.
I may be wrong, but without having access to the actual policy being referred to, which is also only proposed policy, it’s difficult to actualy work out what is what.
Original email dated yesterday, sent out today?
Just cooling down after a run. My gps says it was 26 degrees. Not too uncomfortable but I’d not have wanted to go much further.
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Yes, email sent yesterday to ?? then forwarded to LaSER this morning.
So the Yellow Heat-Health Alert was issued on Tuesday 17 June, this was then upgraded to Amber Heat Health Alert yesterday, covering the period from 12 noon on Thursday 19 June to 9am on Monday 23 June. The Met Office has forecast temperatures exceeding 30°C. Latest Heat Health Alerts
At 19:42 on the day of the alert being issued and the level moving from Yellow to Amber such that activity requires OF5 Endorsement, RC(SW) emailed OC Wgs + some Region SMEs detailing that she alongside the acting RCOS and RSA had reviewed the 72 activities on SMS approved for this period , and is allowing the majority to go ahead (17 are receiving a final review today at 1300, allowing time for additional control measures to be detailed). < This was forwarded to me at 0905 this morning
This email also highlighted the poor planning in place on the ground whereby there are 25 activities in a draft state less than 72 hours prior to the event taking place, and understandably these have not been reviewed and are therefore not to take place.
The only improvement I would suggest here, and none of my events effected so this may have happened, but is wider communication directly from RHQ to personnel, so that we are not reliant on volunteers (OC Wgs / SMEs) from needing to forward this on.
It wasn’t until yesterday that I knew these Health Alerts existed, I do think that the Gov has over complicated this with this additional alert type, and it should just form a Met Office Weather Warning.
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agreed.
high heat is a influence of the weather, so why make it a different level?
else we’ll end up with Weather warnings for high levels or wet, wind and cold (mainly winter)
and health alerts when it is hot (summer).
what does a yellow or amber weather warning not offer that a health alert does?
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Ah you see, all I’ve received is an email saying they are going to be reviewed, not that most have been and are proceeding. Poor comms yet again.
Proposed, not actual.
My proposal is for CFAVs to get a bounty after five years, does that make it policy or enforceable, no.
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My original understanding of the heat alerts was that their target audience is more local authority and health care. Whereas normal weather warnings are aimed at the general public.
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which i understand…
but health alerts can only come from “extremes of weather” so how do we have a risk to health, without a warning the weather is going to “extreme”?
in this case, the NHS/health carers/the industry should be prepared for heat related health issues because of hot weather…
i fail to see how we have a “health alert” for heat related “illness” without hot weather…
it suggests the two are mutually exclusive and one can happen without the other…
if that is the case, what makes a health alert different? While I get who they are aimed at, what makes it different to a weather warning that is NEEDS to be different?
if this is a case where all weather warnings are health alerts, but not all health alerts are weather warnings, what is the threshold?
there is no doubt is going to be warm this weekend, everyone needs to take precautions yet the system is only releasing the warning which is targeted at health care?
the ignorant will assume “it doesn’t include me” and will not take precautions and lead to a bigger issue…?
i don’t get it - or am i missing something fundamental?
I think I agree with what you’re saying, but to carry on playing the other side, I’ll keep the debate…
I think if we use this weekend as an example; It’s gong to be hot, but for the vast majority of people, they’ll be absolutely fine if they carry on as normal. So no weather warning needed. But, those that are particularly vulnerable, they may be effected, which may lead to strain on services. Thus, a health alert.
I revert to
Just had our Region heat update, based on input from HQ RAFAC.
In short, Road Marching activities during the period are to be cancelled & all outdoor DoE / AT activities, including paddle boarding, that generate physical exertion outside of the JSP 375 Vol 1 Chapter 41 Annex C Work/Rest criterion and/or prolonged exposure to heat/sunlight are to be cancelled.
Everything else - review very, very carefully!!