Civil defence

Summary

The requester asked for the number of Civil Defence call-outs over the past three years and whether any lives were saved. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the total number of call-outs but stated it is not possible to quantify the number of lives saved directly resulting from their intervention.

Key Facts

• Civil Defence had a total of 67 call-outs between November 2017 and November 2020.
• Call-outs included requests for equipment, search teams for missing persons, and emergency responses.
• The authority cannot establish how many lives were saved as a direct result of Civil Defence intervention.
• Civil Defence volunteers provide both hill search and urban search teams.
• The role of Civil Defence is to support emergency services and respond to civil requests for assistance.

Data Disclosed

• 67
• November 2017
• November 2020
• 3 years
• 1568274
• 2020-11-23
• 2020-12-02

Original Request

How many call outs have the civil defence had over the past 3 years and has a life been saved at any of call outs.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Chief Executive's Office DHA Headquarters Tromode, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 5AP

Telephone: (01624) 694313 Fax: (01624) 621298 Web address: www.gov.im/dha Email: GeneralEnquiries.DHA@dha.gov.im

Our ref: 1568274 2 December 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 23 November 2020 and which states:

"How many call outs have the civil defence had over the past 3 years and has a life been saved at any of call outs."

Our response to your request is as follows:

The role of Civil Defence is to support the emergency services and to respond to civil requests for assistance.
From November 2017 to November 2020 Civil Defence have had a total of 67 call outs.
These will range for calls for equipment to support the emergency services to search teams for missing persons or in response to emergency requests from the public or the emergency services. Civil Defence volunteers do provide hill search and urban search teams which will work with the other emergency services to look for lost or missing people. The success of these searches is often in locating the missing person or the person turning up and identifying themselves meaning the search teams can stand down.
Sometimes these people are in distress or are genuinely lost and if not located it could be said that they could also lose their lives which is why we deploy to look for them. We do also provide equipment and personnel which would prevent damage or further damage to properties or infrastructure which could if not done present a life threatening situation. Although the actions of Civil Defence are always prioritised to save life, prevent damage or loss of infrastructure/properties and to assist in the return to normal whilst supporting the emergency services and the civilian population of the Isle of Man, it is

not possible to establish how many lives are saved as a direct result of Civil Defence intervention.

Please quote the reference number 1568274 in any future communications.

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I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely