The final stage of a report into the Storm Arwen response has outlined the plans put in place to avoid a repeat this winter.
The region was left battered by the impact of the storm when it blew through Stirling almost a year ago - with hundreds of homes being left in the dark as power was knocked out for several days.
A survey from Stirling’s MSP commissioned a few months after the storm revealed that more than a quarter of the 100 local respondents were left in the dark for four days - and 32 per cent felt unprepared for a major weather event.
The aftermath of the storm led to criticism from locals about the response provided, with a probe from the energy regulator Ofgem making a series of recommendations to ensure the same disruption did not happen again in similar conditions.
A review of the response was also commissioned by the Scottish Government identifying 15 areas of improvement, with the final of three publications being issued last week outlining the preparations being made as winter approaches again.
They include a full winter readiness exercise carried out by first responders, with the scenarios for these exercises reflecting key challenges seen in Arwen - such as requesting of mutual aid, communications with the public and identification and care for vulnerable people.
Among the actors taking part in these exercises will be blue-light services, local authorities, utilities companies, transport operators and the Met Office, as well as key others.
A new online learning and training hub to help individuals, community groups and voluntary organisations to prepare and respond to emergencies has also been established.
The report also confirms the development of a new process to monitor and evaluate Scotland’s resilience system on an annual basis to identify and resolve issues identified quickly.
Jim Savege, chairman of the Scottish Resilience Partnership, said: “Responders have worked hard through the year, reviewing the risks we need to be prepared for, planning and exercising and making sure we are as prepared as we all can be for any future events and incidents we may have to respond to.
“More than ever, emergency services have considered wider risks that may be realised, and the growing reality of having to deal with concurrent risks and incidents.
“Significant additional work has been invested this year into working with voluntary organisations and communities to ensure their resilience and their ability to deal with incidents has been enhanced. Community and business resilience are the bedrock upon which emergency services work and respond.
“The SRP is grateful for all of the work that so many colleagues have invested in ensuring we are as prepared as we can be for the winter ahead.”
Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans, said: “The Scottish Government committed to a full review of the circumstances of Storm Arwen, and this report demonstrates clearly the range of work that is underway to ensure that lessons are learned.
“Our responder community, including our blue light services and our local authorities, will put these recommendations in place and we will support them to ensure our resilience arrangements continue to strengthen to protect communities.”
