Lessons learnt from France’s Awareness System for Enhanced Emergency Preparedness and Response Authorities F.Bénichou (Météo-France), JM.Tanguy (SCHAPI)

Lessons learntfrom France’s Awareness System

for Enhanced Emergency Preparedness and Response

Authorities

F.Bénichou (Météo-France), JM.Tanguy (SCHAPI)

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Summary

1. Genesis of Awareness procedure in France

2. Lessons learnt, decisions made, implementation Heat wave (2003) Floods (2002, 2005)

3. Feed-back, Preparedness

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1. Genesis of Awareness Procedure in France

1999– 2 major storms in Dec. : 92 p. killed, huge damage in Forests and

infrastructure (15 bn €)

– good forecast but poor efficiency in warning process, poor understanding from the public

– Prime Minister decides to update the Warning procedure and inform general public AND Authorities simultaneously on the basis of simple and updated colour information (after proposals from Météo-France and the Civil Security Authorities)

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Genesis and setting up of Awareness Procedure in France

2001 : the Vigilance (Awareness) map was born Goals

– to better inform, thanks to a simple and summarized message that focuses on dangerous phenomena and the need to stay informed

– To improve the efficiency of the communication by “translating” the intensity of forecast meteorological parameters into a risk level

– to improve anticipation and service delivered to the Civil Security Services

– to broaden information dissemination

Awareness map as a routine production– Published twice a day, – Exceptional production may be initiated outside

these hours

A process involving national and regional levels

In case of an orange or red level on at least one department, follow-up bulletins until the end of event:

MF Management « on call » 7d/24h– CFO level– MF top management level

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Operating Awareness in FranceMétéo-France and main partners (2001-2005)

Setting up Awareness procedure requires – High level MF department in charge of Institutional Affairs– A lot of preliminary contacts with Authorities to define & agree on procedures

Awareness can then be operated smoothly on a daily basis

MI (Dept of institutional affairs)

Setting-up

Operations

Medias Civil Security Roads

CFO (Central Forecast

Office)

COGIC (national Centre)

CNIR (national Centre)

CMIR (Regional Centres)

COZ (regional centre)

CRIR(regional centre)

CDM (Local offices)

Local centres (firemen, ...)

DDE(Local centres)

Météo-France

General Public

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The heatwave episode in August 2003:

– An intense and widespread episode

– Well forecast by Météo-France (press releases), but NOT part of Awareness procedure

– Catastrophic consequences (about 15000 dead in France)

Number of days with TX>35°C

Number of days with TX>40°C

2.1 Heat Waves & Cold Waves management

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The National Heatwave Plan was set up by French Ministry of Health on the 1st of June 2004

It was decided to include heatwave phenomena in the existing meteorological vigilance system (from Jun.01 to Aug.31)

The InVS (French National Institute of Health Survey) and Météo-France defined for each department of mainland France a “biometeorological indicator” calculated from min and max temperatures observed or forecast for D1, D2, D3,

MF Awareness and National Heatwave Plan try to converge

Heat Waves & Awareness

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Adding heat and cold waves to Awareness Météo-France and main partners (2005-2006)

New procedure with Health authorities – Setting up of an interministerial committee on heatwaves



Setting-up Setting-up

Operations Operations

Medias Civil Security Roads Health


Office)



INVS => DGS (National level)




DRASS(regional

directorate)

CDM (Local offices)


DDE(Local centres)

DDASS(Local centre)

Météo-France

General Public

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2.2 When Hydrology and Meteorology meet

Context Sept 2002 : an extreme heavy rain event with hudge flash-floods in Southern France (Gard)

Decision by the Ministery of Environment to improve the complex organization for flood warnings in France

Setting up a national center for hydrology (Schapi) close to MF facilities, 22 services for floods forecast, a specific flood awareness (Start July 2006)

Sept 2005 : another Major heavy rain event with hudge flash-floods in Southern France

Decision by the Prime Minister to include flood warning in the MF Awareness procedure

An information not only on flash-floods or urban floods but also on river floods and water-table floods (coming from meteorological and hydrological data)

Impacts Change in software for the production of the MF Vigilance New working procedures, but with skilled and trained staff Communication to the Medias :

Meteorology by Météo-France Hydrology by Schapi

La Calmette (Gard), 2002

© Midi-Libre

The chart of the 6th sept. (forecast : 300-400 mm in

24hours)

The chart of the 8th sept. (forecast : 80-120 mm locally

160-220 in 24hours)

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Hydromet map components

Hydromet Awareness map

Flood warning map

Local warning map

Station records

National hydro bulletin

Local hydro bulletins

Local and national met bulletins

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Available hydrological information at river level

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Integrating flood hazard to Awareness Météo-France and main partners (2006-…)

New procedure with technical support from hydrological entities



Setting-up Setting-up

Operations Operations

Medias Hydrology Civil Security Roads Health

SCHAPI (national Centre)


Office)



INVS => DGS (National level)




DRASS(regional

directorate)

CDM (Local offices)


DDE(Local centres)

DDASS(Local centre)

Météo-France

General Public

SPC(regional RFCs)

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3. Feed-back & preparedness

The general public : a wide common knowledge– The chart is very well known (74%), one feels sufficiently informed (80%)– Main access to information (96%) is by the TV

Civil security : a noticeable procedure improvement– Improved awareness and preparedness (+)– Improved timely response and anticipation during main events (+)– a smaller number of false alarms (+)– Inclusion of local expertise (+)– Bulletins to be improved (-)

A continuous evaluation and a continuous improvement trend– At regular intervals (meetings with the main partners of the Ministeries of Interior, Ecology,

Transportation and Health)• Assess operational capability at local / regional / institutional level• Assess effectiveness of coordination and management of warnings from end to end

– An annual assessment document : Feedback about procedure and presentation of statistical data about quality of warnings and related damages

France’s « Vigilance » a success

Transfer of experience to other countries and overseas territories

Episodes de vigilance orange d'octobre 2001 à 2005

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48

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Vent violent

Fortes précipitations

Orages

Neige-Verglas

Grand f roid

Avalanches

Canicule

Documents

Lessons learnt from France’s Awareness System for Enhanced Emergency Preparedness and Response Authorities F.Bénichou (Météo-France), JM.Tanguy (SCHAPI)