The Civil Defence Officer, who is an employee of the local authority, is responsible for the day to day management of the Civil Defence Unit.

The duties of the Civil Defence Officer are as follows:

1. To assist in the preparation and submission in a timely manner and in consultation with local authority management, of the three-year Civil Defence plan as required under Section 8 of the Civil Defence Act, 2023.

2. To co-ordinate the arrangements necessary for the implementation of the Civil Defence plan,

3. To represent Civil Defence on local emergency planning structures and to promote good relations with key personnel in the Principal Response Agencies,

4. To provide support to the Principal Response Agencies in emergency and non-emergency situations in accordance with the 2015 White Paper on Defence, the Towards 2030 policy document and the Framework for Major Emergency Management,

5. Where resources permit, to provide support for community, charitable and local authority events,

6. To implement and comply with policies, circulars and guidelines (including the Civil Defence Act (Code of Practice) Regulations 2023) as set out by the Civil Defence Branch of the Department of Defence in consultation with their line manager,

7. To liaise with the Civil Defence Branch of the Department of Defence on behalf of the local authority and to attend meetings for that purpose,

8. To attend training provided by the Department of Defence and the local authority,

9. To arrange for the recruitment, organisation and management of Civil Defence volunteers,

10. To ensure that Civil Defence volunteers are appropriately trained including mandatory training, to facilitate progression of training for volunteers, including completing an annual training needs analysis,

11. To follow instructions issued by the Department of Defence in relation to the processing of the annual operational grant and any other grants that are provided,

12. To follow instructions issued by the local authority/Department of Defence for the purchase, care, maintenance, issue and control of Civil Defence uniforms, vehicles and equipment,

13. To maintain adequate records, including ongoing completion of the Volunteer and Equipment Management System, in the manner required and any other reporting requirements as may arise,

14. To promote Civil Defence in the local authority area,

15. Such other Civil Defence duties appropriate to the office as the Chief Executive of the local authority and/or Department of Defence may assign, including emergency duties and duties in relation to the area of any other local authority.

HR