DAVID HEAD  RAF OFFICER (RTD) WITH 36 YEARS EXPERIENCE

EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMANDER



Educated at private schools in the middle east and then at ‘Tiffins’ Boys School and Cambridge University, before joining the Royal Air Force (RAF) as aircrew. Retired in 1992 as a senior officer with 36 years world-wide flying experience, initially undertaking anti-submarine and Search & Rescue operations with Coastal Command then serving with Bomber Command during the ‘Cold War’ years, flying Vulcan & Victor ‘V’ bombers; being involved in a number of campaigns. In addition to flying duties there were Command & staff officer appointments with NATO as the Nuclear Alerting Officer and at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) with Military Intelligence.

On retiring from the RAF, entered the world of ‘dealing with disasters’ working with the Home Office & Emergency Services, initially as Emergency Planning Commander with the Royal County of Berkshire, and then as the County Emergency Planning Officer of Wiltshire.

Responsible for ensuring contingency plans were in place, and personnel trained, to deal with all types of disasters, man made or natural; this included  such incidents as nuclear, biological and chemical accidents, terrorist activities, fire, flooding and major accidents.  Disaster recovery plans for Aldermaston & Burfield (nuclear); Porton Down and the Centre of Applied Micro Biological Research (biological and chemical); Broadmoor Hospital establishment and emergency evacuation of prisons; and numerous bomb alerts. 

Disaster operations included co-ordinating the UK rescue support for the ‘Herald of Free Enterprise ferry sinking in Zeebruge harbour in 1987; the re-supply to European & Baltic countries during the break-up of the Warsaw Pact 1990/91; Co-ordination and support at the Windsor Castle disaster 1992; advising Polish government officials during the major disasters resulting from the River Oder flooding 1998; numerous rail (Paddington Rail Disaster 1998) and road accidents, some involving release of chemicals; and the outbreak of Foot & Mouth in the UK 2001.

 

Talks:

 

The Vikings

 

Norway and the Fjords

 

Story of Saint Petersburg

 

 

History of the Romanov Tsars

 

History of Faberge (2 Presentations)

 

The Hermitage Museum (2 Presentations)

 

Dealing with Disasters (Windsor Castle Fire); Extreme Survival a true event (2 Presentations) 

 

The ‘V’ Force and the Cold War; The Falklands Air Campaign (2 Presentations)

 

The Panama Canal

 

The Great Klondike Gold Rush

 

The Arctic (How it affects our weather; politics & oil)

 

The Battle of Gettysburg 

 

Military Intelligence (Is this an oxymoron?)