Recommendation P1-42: Designate single point of contact in control rooms
From Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 1 Report, published 30 October 2019.
Recommendation
A single point of contact should be designated within each control room to facilitate such communication.
In brief (written by this site)
In February 2025, the Home Office reported that action on this recommendation was complete, explaining that requirements were incorporated into the revised Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles Joint Doctrine published in October 2021 (Home Office, Feb 2025). In the same February 2025 update, the department noted that the London Emergency Services Liaison Panel had published an updated Major Incidents Procedures Manual in November 2021, while London Fire Brigade remained in the process of revising its Major Incident Policy (Home Office, Feb 2025).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
About this summary
This recommendation applies across many organisations. The record reflects central policy activity; adoption in individual organisations may vary.
Government response
The Phase 1 report includes a series of recommendations designed to improve the communication arrangements between the three emergency services, their respective control rooms and the incident ground. The Home Office is committed to working with the emergency services to improve interoperability when responding to emergencies. To embed joint working, improve shared situational awareness and a joint understanding of risk arrangements, the Home Office is working with the Interoperability Board to revise Joint Doctrine and immediately reinforce what is expected of responder agencies when major incidents are declared.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: This is the government's response to the Phase 1 report (CP 209, 21 January 2020). It is organised by theme, not by recommendation, and states its position once, in its introduction: "the Government accepted in principle all these recommendations", meaning the recommendations "relevant to government". Where the row shows a passage from a themed section, that is the section on this recommendation's subject; where it shows the introduction, the response has no passage on this recommendation's subject. The status on a recommendation addressed to government is the introduction's. Where the recommendation is addressed to building owners, the emergency services or the National Police Air Service, the response describes work without stating acceptance, and the row is marked noted.
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for the section "Interoperability and communications", on the four Joint Doctrine recommendations. The same words are recorded on P1-40, P1-41, P1-42 and P1-43.
Delivery
Home Office says completed (26 February 2025)
Status: complete
The members of the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP) Interoperability Board, including representatives from the previous Government, emergency services and other key stakeholders, committed to addressing, in full, these recommendations in the review of the JESIP Joint Doctrine. These were incorporated into the JESIP Joint Doctrine published in October 2021.
The LFB has committed to incorporating any changes to the Joint Doctrine into its own policies and training. The Brigade is already making changes to its own operational procedures to address these recommendations. Specifically, the Brigade is in the process of revising its Major Incident Policy (PN 263), which will include a specific section regarding informing other category 1 responders, the initiation of a Major Incident for Incident Commanders, reinforced METHANE messaging, and the activation of a tri-service call at the declaration of a Major Incident.
London’s emergency services are also working together to address these issues at the city level. These recommendations are additionally being considered by the ‘Blue Lights’ panel of London Emergency Services Liaison Panel (LESLP). The Blue Lights panel is responsible for London’s Major Incidents Procedures Manual which has been reviewed and revised to address these issues. It is now reported as complete with the revised manual presented to the London Resilience Forum in October 2021 and published in November 2021.
From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, February 2025
Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for recommendations 33.31a, 33.31b, 33.31c and 33.31d together. The same words are recorded on P1-40, P1-41, P1-42 and P1-43.
Earlier statements on delivery (2)
Home Office (16 September 2024)
Status: Complete
The members of the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP) Interoperability Board, including representatives from the previous Government, emergency services and other key stakeholders, committed to addressing, in full, these recommendations in the review of the JESIP Joint Doctrine. These were incorporated into the JESIP Joint Doctrine published in October 2021.
The LFB has committed to incorporating any changes to the Joint Doctrine into its own policies and training. The Brigade is already making changes to its own operational procedures to address these recommendations. Specifically, the Brigade is in the process of revising its Major Incident Policy (PN 263), which will include a specific section regarding informing other category 1 responders, the initiation of a Major Incident for Incident Commanders, reinforced METHANE messaging, and the activation of a tri-service call at the declaration of a Major Incident.
London’s emergency services are also working together to address these issues at the city level. These recommendations are additionally being considered by the ‘Blue Lights’ panel of London Emergency Services Liaison Panel (LESLP). The Blue Lights panel is responsible for London’s Major Incidents Procedures Manual which has been reviewed and revised to address these issues. It is now reported as complete with the revised manual presented to the London Resilience Forum in October 2021 and published in November 2021.
From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, September 2024
Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for recommendations 33.31a, 33.31b, 33.31c and 33.31d together. The same words are recorded on P1-40, P1-41, P1-42 and P1-43.
Home Office (5 February 2024)
Status: Complete
The members of the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP) Interoperability Board, including representatives from Government, emergency services and other key stakeholders, committed to addressing, in full, these recommendations in the review of the JESIP Joint Doctrine. These were incorporated into the JESIP Joint Doctrine published in October 2021.
The LFB has committed to incorporating any changes to the Joint Doctrine into its own policies and training. The Brigade is already making changes to its own operational procedures to address these recommendations. Specifically, the Brigade is in the process of revising its Major Incident Policy (PN 263), which will include a specific section regarding informing other category 1 responders, the initiation of a Major Incident for Incident Commanders, reinforced METHANE messaging, and the activation of a tri-service call at the declaration of a Major Incident.
London’s emergency services are also working together to address these issues at the city level. These recommendations are also being considered by the ‘Blue Lights’ panel of London Emergency Services Liaison Panel (LESLP). The Blue Lights panel is responsible for London’s Major Incidents Procedures Manual which has been reviewed and revised to address these issues. The latest revised LESLP Major Incidents Procedures Manual was presented for approval to the London Resilience Forum (LRF) on 14 October 2021 and published in November 2021.
From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, February 2024
Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for recommendations 33.31a, 33.31b, 33.31c and 33.31d together. The same words are recorded on P1-40, P1-41, P1-42 and P1-43.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response - Home Office
Delivery statement