Part 1Local Arrangements for Civil Protection
Introductory
1Meaning of “emergency”
1
In this Part “emergency” means—
a
an event or situation which threatens serious damage to human welfare in a place in the United Kingdom,
b
an event or situation which threatens serious damage to the environment of a place in the United Kingdom, or
c
war, or terrorism, which threatens serious damage to the security of the United Kingdom.
2
For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) an event or situation threatens damage to human welfare only if it involves, causes or may cause—
a
loss of human life,
b
human illness or injury,
c
homelessness,
d
damage to property,
e
disruption of a supply of money, food, water, energy or fuel,
f
disruption of a system of communication,
g
disruption of facilities for transport, or
h
disruption of services relating to health.
3
For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) an event or situation threatens damage to the environment only if it involves, causes or may cause—
a
contamination of land, water or air with biological, chemical or radio-active matter, or
b
disruption or destruction of plant life or animal life.
4
A Minister of the Crown, or, in relation to Scotland, the Scottish Ministers, may by order—
a
provide that a specified event or situation, or class of event or situation, is to be treated as falling, or as not falling, within any of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (1);
b
amend subsection (2) so as to provide that in so far as an event or situation involves or causes disruption of a specified supply, system, facility or service—
i
it is to be treated as threatening damage to human welfare, or
ii
it is no longer to be treated as threatening damage to human welfare.
5
The event or situation mentioned in subsection (1) may occur or be inside or outside the United Kingdom.