Jennifer Cole
Position: Research Fellow, Emergency Management
Jennifer Cole is Head of Emergency Management at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), working within the National Security and Resilience Department. Since joining RUSI in January 2007, Jennifer's research interests have focused on the UK's emergency preparedness and response capabilities, particularly in regard to surge capacity and multiagency working during major emergencies.
Jennifer is the project head for RUSI's annual workshops on Command and Control and Emergency Response, and for the Duke of Gloucester Lecture Series on Flood Risk and the Built Environment.
Particular interests and areas of expertise include flood response, CBRN(E), cyber security, resilient communications and the role of the media in emergencies. She has appeared as a national security expert on Sky News, Channel 4 and BFBS Television and has written for external publications including The Guardian, MoD Contracts Bulletin, Fire Times, the BAPCO Journal and Contingency Today. She has presented at conferences across the UK and in Israel on topics ranging from interoperability to UK Medical Responses to Terrorism.
Jennifer represents RUSI on the Inter Institutional Flood Risk Management Group, which raises awareness of the impact of flooding on the built environment, and the Enterprise Privacy Group, which advises Government on identity and privacy issues. She has operational experience in responding to the 7 July 2005 bombings on the London transport system, and is a trained first aid instructor with both civilian and military qualifications.
RUSI articles and analysis by this author
CONTEST 3: The importance of interoperability
15 Jul 2011
The government's latest counter-terrorism strategy once again places an importance on the interoperability of the police and other agencies to respond to emergencies such as terrorist attacks. Yet, without placing a proper framework, and with constrained finances, it will be difficulty to see how interoperability will be achieved.
RUSI and Serco publish White Paper
12 Dec 2010
RUSI is pleased to announce the publication of this White Paper, which presents 'the case for a capability and consequence-based approach to resilience and emergency planning.'
Comment
13 Aug 2009
The outbreak of swine flu forces us to reflect upon the way the UK deals with pandemic threats. Analysing the challenges faced in recent months, governments must learn from this experience to strengthen emergency preparedness.
Facing the flu pandemic
12 Jun 2009
Swine flu is now officially a global pandemic. Over the next few months, the plans and procedures the UK has developed to deal with this contingency will be put to the test.
Pandemic Flu: Here at Last?
27 Apr 2009
As swine flu spreads towards the UK, health services and emergency planners around the country will be waiting to see if this becomes the global influenza pandemic the world has feared.
The Pitt Review: The Government Responds
18 Dec 2008
This summer's Pitt Review, and the Government's response, should ensure that the Civil Contingencies Act Enhancement Programme is based on bitter experience and not just the best considered planning assumptions.
Hurricane Gustav - Testing the Lessons Learned from Katrina
3 Sep 2008
The mass evacuation of New Orleans in days preceding Hurricane Gustav tested the lessons learned after Katrina. However, the response to Gustav should, in time, be incorporated into the corporate memory of emergency responders everywhere.
TE-SAT 2008: Trends in European terrorism
10 Jul 2008
Jennifer Cole analyses the information from the 2008 European Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) and its importance to UK security and resilience.
When security begins far from home…
19 Mar 2008
The National Security Strategy is the first step in opening a dialogue between the UK Government, its international security partners and the public. It forms a framework into which all subsequent strategy and policy must fit.
Securing the UK Borders
16 Nov 2007
The speech made by Gordon Brown on 14 November, in advance of the National Security Strategy which will be published in the next few weeks, sets out a strategy for preventing future terrorist attacks on the UK. Much of the new content of Brown’s speech pertained to Lord West’s review of physical security measures within the UK. These included the introduction of barriers to keep potential vehicle borne bombs away from key areas and designing bomb-resistant features into new buildings.
Situation Critical?
4 Jul 2007
As of Wednesday, 4 July, the current threat level in the UK remains at Critical, having been raised to this, the highest of five possible levels, on Saturday 30 June following failed car bomb attacks on Central London and Glasgow Airport.
Operation Crevice Trial Ends
2 May 2007
It is easy to point fingers at the security services and ask how they missed Khan and Tanweer. It is less simple to determine how on earth the security services could have joined the dots without the benefit of hindsight.
Testing the UK's response to a global flu outbreak
19 Mar 2007
The recent outbreak of H5N1 at a poultry farm in Suffolk has highlighted the need for UK agencies to be prepared for a worldwide flu pandemic. Jennifer Cole talks to Ben Sheppard about the lessons learned from a major simulation exercise that took place in mid-2006.