Responders should identify and meet with who is in charge from each of the other services. Identification of lead officers is made easier
by the use of incident commander tabards or equivalent uniform marking. Radio interoperability talk groups should be established and used
to aid communication, whether or not commanders physically co-locate.
By meeting / talking both initially and at regular intervals, commanders can ensure they have the most up to date information to formulate a response plan and to regularly review it for effectiveness. The most appropriate resources can then be deployed to ensure the most effective multi-agency response. Commanders should use the Joint Decision Model to help develop a working strategy leading to an effective response plan.
If commanders do not share information and co-ordinate their efforts, there is an increased potential for misunderstandings about the response and resources required. The response is likely to be disjointed. There is the potential for a duplication of effort and for the activities of one agency to inadvertently impede the activities of another. There may be delays in responding to casualties or to bringing the emergency under control.
Results from either individual or joint dynamic risk assessments are shared with all commanders so that all risks,
threats and hazards can be fully considered, and the implications understood by all. With a shared understanding,
priorities can be agreed and control measures put in place as part of a jointly agreed, working strategy. This will
lead to an integrated multi-agency operational response plan.
All information and joint decisions made should be recorded in a joint decision log.
Commanders may not be aware of the different risks and hazards facing each agency at the emergency
which could lead to staff inadvertently being placed at risk whilst carrying out their duties.
Servcies individually assess risks but do not share this information with peers and they do not consider the risks facing
their peers. This may lead to staff from one service being prevented from carrying out their duties if another agency
perceives the risk to be too great. This disjointed approach could lead to delay in the response, casualties not being
treated appropriately, or staff being harmed.
Commanders will have worked together to formulate the most effective response plan possible using all information known about the unfolding emergency. This will include threats, hazards, relevant powers, policies, capabilities and procedures as well as the resources available from all agencies.
Without sharing all that is known about an incident across all agencies an un-coordinated approach to response is likely. There is the potential for inappropriate and duplicate resources and capabilities to be deployed which could result in delays to rescuing and treating casualties and inadvertently putting staff at risk.
If the principles are applied successfully, the result should be a jointly agreed working strategy where all parties understand what is going to happen when and by who.
In developing a working strategy, commanders should consider the following: