Incident commander communication training
66 items
2 sources
Lack of specific training for incident commanders on the critical requirements of communication with control rooms during emergencies.
Cross-Source Insight
Incident commander communication training has been flagged across 2 independent accountability sources:
61 inquiry recs
5 PFD reports
This issue has been identified by multiple independent accountability bodies, suggesting it is a recurring systemic concern.
Inquiry Recommendations (61)
HIDD-61 — Improve inter-service communication for major incident declarations via dedicated lines
Recommendation: The Emergency Services shall improve communication between them to ensure, in particular, that the declaration of a Major Incident by any service is immediately passed by a dedicated phone line to all other services and acted on by them . …
Unknown
HIDD-62 — Conduct regular major incident exercises to test emergency communication systems
Recommendation: Emergency services shall carry out exercises simulating a Major Incident on a regular basis to test specifically their communication systems in the light of the shortcomings identified in Chapter 5.
Unknown
HIDD-72 — Require police casualty bureaux to be equipped with telephone queuing systems
Recommendation: Police forces shall arrange that all casualty bureaux be equipped with a telephone queuing system with a recorded message.
Unknown
HIDD-73 — ACPO to establish system for extending simultaneous casualty bureau call handling
Recommendation: The Association of Chief Police Officers shall continue their efforts to establish an effective system for extending the number of calls which can be dealt with simultaneously by a casualty bureau.
Unknown
HIDD-74 — Require emergency services to recognise Civil Police primacy in non-fire accidents
Recommendation: The emergency services shall recognise the primacy of the Civil Police authority in accidents of this kind where there is no fire. This recognition does not preclude delegation to the LFB of control at trackside.
Unknown
HIDD-76 — Require BR and emergency services to maintain joint planning with table-top exercises
Recommendation: In the exercise of command and control at accident sites BR and the emergency services shall maintain their policy of joint planning supported by table-top exercises.
Unknown
HIDD-77 — Require medical personnel to report to ambulance forward control unit on site
Recommendation: The ambulance service and designated hospitals shall require that all medical personnel report to the forward control unit of the ambulance service on site.
Unknown
HIDD-78 — Require each service to maintain up-to-date staff lists within inner cordon
Recommendation: Each service shall additionally maintain on site an up-to-date list of staff within the inner cordon in case evacuation is necessary.
Unknown
HIDD-81 — BR to equip signal boxes with direct lines and emergency dialling systems
Recommendation: BR shall complete its programme of equipping major signal boxes with direct lines to the appropriate electrical control and equipping other signal boxes with priority emergency dialling systems. Those direct lines and emergency dialling systems shall be logged and tested …
Unknown
HIDD-82 — BR to review and test communication systems with emergency services weekly
Recommendation: BR shall review its communication systems with the emergency services to ensure that efficient methods exist to provide and disseminate early information requiring immediate action. In the course of the review BR shall look particularly at communication between signal boxes …
Unknown
HIDD-84 — Rectify high-priority deficiencies in railway communication systems and signal-post telephones
Recommendation: BR shall ensure that efficient arrangements exist to rectify as a matter of high priority any deficiencies in the communication systems involved in recommendations 81 and 82 and in signal-post telephones.
Unknown
HIDD-85 — Install public address systems in all new and older trains for passenger communication
Recommendation: BR shall extend its programme of installing public address systems in all new trains and those with a life of over 5 years to allow the driver and/or guard to speak to passengers.
Unknown
FENN-111 — Ensure British Transport Police and Fire Brigade radio compatibility in underground stations.
Recommendation: The radio equipment in underground stations for the British Transport Police must be made compatible with that used by the London Fire Brigade.
Unknown
FENN-23 — Review emergency services information exchange and appoint LFB liaison officers
Recommendation: The emergency services shall review the exchange of information between themselves and London Underground during an incident, both at their controls and at the site. The London Fire Brigade should send an officer to attend at London Underground HQ as …
Unknown
FENN-26 — Review LFB command handover procedures during major incidents
Recommendation: The London Fire Brigade shall review its procedures and criteria for handing over and assuming command during major incidents.
Unknown
FENN-30 — Review LFB instructions and training for command and control
Recommendation: The London Fire Brigade shall review its instructions and training arrangements for command and control.
Unknown
FENN-34 — Improve LAS senior officer attendance and command vehicle procedures at incidents
Recommendation: The London Ambulance Service shall improve its arrangements for the attendance of a senior incident officer when a major incident may develop and shall review the procedure for the attendance of its command and control vehicle at major accidents.
Unknown
P1-10 — LFB review control room communications policy
Recommendation: The London Fire Brigade review its policies on communications between the control room and the incident commander.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-11 — Train incident commanders on control room communications
Recommendation: All officers who may be expected to act as incident commanders (i.e. all those above the rank of Crew Manager) receive training directed to the specific requirements of communication with the control room.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-12 — Train control room operators on incident commander communications
Recommendation: All control room operators of Assistant Operations Manager rank and above receive training directed to the specific requirements of communication with the incident commander.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-13 — Dedicated control room to incident commander link
Recommendation: A dedicated communication link be provided between the senior officer in the control room and the incident commander.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-14 — Distinguish between advice and rescue callers
Recommendation: The LFB's policies be amended to draw a clearer distinction between callers seeking advice and callers who believe they are trapped and need rescuing.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-24 — Direct control room to incident commander communications
Recommendation: The LFB develop a communication system to enable direct communication between the control room and the incident commander and improve the means of communication between the incident commander and the bridgehead.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-25 — Investigate modern control room to bridgehead communications
Recommendation: The LFB investigate the use of modern communication techniques to provide a direct line of communication between the control room and the bridgehead, allowing information to be transmitted directly between the control room and the bridgehead and providing an integrated …
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-27 — Command support system operational on all units
Recommendation: Urgent steps be taken to ensure that the command support system is fully operative on all command units and that crews are trained in its use.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-40 — Communicate Major Incident declarations to all responders
Recommendation: Each emergency service must communicate the declaration of a Major Incident to all other Category 1 Responders as soon as possible.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to new duties on building owners …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-41 — Establish inter-service control room communications
Recommendation: On the declaration of a Major Incident clear lines of communication must be established as soon as possible between the control rooms of the individual emergency services.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to new duties on building owners …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-42 — Designate single point of contact in control rooms
Recommendation: A single point of contact should be designated within each control room to facilitate such communication.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to new duties on building owners …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-43 — Use METHANE messages for Major Incidents
Recommendation: A 'METHANE' (Major incident declared, Exact location, Type of incident, Hazards, Access, Number and type of casualties, Emergency services present and required) message should be sent as soon as possible by the emergency service declaring a Major Incident.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to new duties on building owners …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-44 — Investigate LFB-MPS-LAS system compatibility
Recommendation: Steps be taken to investigate the compatibility of the LFB systems with those of the MPS and the LAS with a view to enabling all three emergency services' systems to read each other's messages.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-46 — Improve survivor information collection and sharing
Recommendation: The LFB, the MPS, the LAS and the London local authorities all investigate ways of improving the collection of information about survivors and making it available more rapidly to those wishing to make contact with them.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
P1-7 — Equip fire services to receive electronic plans
Recommendation: All fire and rescue services be equipped to receive and store electronic plans and to make them available to incident commanders and control room managers.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
Delivered
JB-15.10 — Training on clear intelligence communication
Recommendation: When intelligence is being provided, the use of any language that is capable of misinterpretation is to be avoided. Training to address this point should be provided to all officers and staff directly or indirectly involved in armed operations.
Gov response: MPS formally responded on 28 October 2022 (para 22). MPS actively reviewing steps to address consistency of language between firearms officers and other staff in armed operations.
Accepted
Delivered
JB-15.19 — Guidance on uniformity of firearms commands
Recommendation: Advice should be given by the College of Policing about the benefits of uniformity in instructions and commands. Ultimate discretion as to what is said must be left to the CTSFOs, based on the situation that confronts them, but the …
Gov response: MPS formally responded on 28 October 2022 (para 37). MPS in consultation with College of Policing on uniformity of commands and instructions.
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-106 — Notify duty command of significant events
Recommendation: The Department of Health and Social Care and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit should develop a system for ensuring that the duty command structure in each ambulance service has notice of any significant pre‚Äëplanned event, such as a major concert …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-108 — Regular Major Incident training for ambulance commanders
Recommendation: The Department of Health and Social Care and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit should ensure that all ambulance commanders receive regular Major Incident training. The training should include training on HART capabilities, on all the command roles and where they …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-12 — Train BTP Inspectors as Bronze Commanders
Recommendation: British Transport Police should ensure that all its Inspectors are trained to undertake the Bronze Commander role in the event of a Major Incident
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-122 — Maintain radio communications during Major Incidents
Recommendation: The emergency services should prepare, train and exercise for how they will maintain effective radio communications between emergency responders on the ground, commanders and control rooms, during the response to a Major Incident.
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-125 — Silver Commander training for designated officers
Recommendation: The Home Office and College of Policing should ensure that any police officer whose position carries with it the expectation that they will assume a Tactical/Silver Commander role in the event of a spontaneous Major Incident (e.g. Night Silver in …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-13 — Train BTP Sergeants in Bronze Commander role
Recommendation: British Transport Police should ensure that all its Sergeants are trained in what is required of a Bronze Commander in the event of a Major Incident. This will help to make sure that the first Sergeant on scene can undertake …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-131 — Force Duty Officer comprehensive training course
Recommendation: The Home Office, College of Policing and Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters should ensure that all police officers to be appointed to the role of Force Duty Officer or Force Incident Manager attend a comprehensive training course dedicated to Operation Plato …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-134 — Fire service notice of significant pre-planned events
Recommendation: The Home Office, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, and the Fire Service College should develop a system for ensuring that the duty command structure in each fire and rescue service has notice of any significant …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-136 — Awareness of specialist capabilities across services
Recommendation: The Home Office, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, the College of Policing, the Fire Service College, the National Ambulance Resilience Unit and all local resilience forums should take steps to ensure, whether through multi-agency training …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-137 — Common terminology for Operation Plato zones
Recommendation: The Home Office, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, the College of Policing, the Fire Service College, the National Ambulance Resilience Unit and JESIP should ensure that all emergency services use common terminology to describe the …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-138 — Common terminology for non-Plato hazardous zones
Recommendation: The Home Office, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, the College of Policing, the Fire Service College, the National Ambulance Resilience Unit and JESIP should ensure that all emergency services use common terminology to describe the …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-140 — Review Major Incident plans for interoperability
Recommendation: The Home Office, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, the College of Policing, the Fire Service College, the National Ambulance Resilience Unit, individual police services and JESIP should review what changes need to be made to …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-150 — Police notice of significant pre-planned events
Recommendation: The Home Office, the College of Policing and His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services should develop a system for ensuring that the duty command structure in each police service has notice of any significant pre-planned event, …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-151 — App for commander contact details
Recommendation: The Home Office, the College of Policing, the Fire Service College and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit should consider together whether an app giving ready access to the contact details for all on-duty and on-call commanders is feasible and, if …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-158 — Guidance on commander location during incidents
Recommendation: The Home Office, the National Ambulance Resilience Unit, the College of Policing and the Fire Service College should develop guidance as to where commanders should locate during a spontaneous Major Incident. Steps should be taken to ensure that a consistent …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-167 — Clarify Casualty Collection Point terminology
Recommendation: The terms Casualty Collection Point and Casualty Clearing Station are capable of being confused, one for the other, particularly in circumstances of stress. That happened on the night of the Attack. The National Ambulance Resilience Unit should consider whether different …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-2 — Appoint control room intelligence collators (Ambulance)
Recommendation: All ambulance service trusts should consider appointing a person within their control rooms who, in the event of a Major Incident, has the sole role of gathering and collating all available information and intelligence, and sharing it internally and externally …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-21 — Firearms officer training on Operation Plato
Recommendation: Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters and the College of Policing should ensure that all firearms officers, including firearms commanders, receive adequate training in Operation Plato, including in what such a declaration means and the demands it will place upon them. This …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-30 — Nationally accredited Force Duty Officer training
Recommendation: Given the broad command responsibilities that the Force Duty Officer or Force Incident Manager will have in the early stages of the response to a Major Incident, the Home Office and the College of Policing should develop nationally accredited training …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-32 — Train GMFRS commanders in operational discretion
Recommendation: Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service should ensure that its commanders are adequately trained in the use of operational discretion.
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-34 — Review GMFRS information sharing during incidents
Recommendation: Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service should review its guidance and policies on how it receives and passes on information during a Major Incident. It is important that, for any update given, it is established when the last time the …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-4 — Appoint control room intelligence collators (Fire)
Recommendation: All fire and rescue services should consider appointing a person within their control rooms who, in the event of a Major Incident, has the sole role of gathering and collating all available information and intelligence, and sharing it internally and …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-79 — Train NWAS commanders on command relief procedures
Recommendation: North West Ambulance Service should train its Operational Commanders on the appropriate practice for relieving another of command and being relieved of command.
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
POH-19 — Publish restorative justice programme by 31 October 2025
Recommendation: By 31 October 2025, the Department, Fujitsu and the Post Office shall publish, either separately or together, a report outlining any agreed programme of restorative justice and/or any actions taken by that date to produce such a programme. For the …
Gov response: Department for Business and Trade accepts this recommendation. DBT, Post Office, and Fujitsu have jointly embarked on a postmaster-led restorative justice programme facilitated by the Restorative Justice Council. Sessions began on 23 September 2025. A …
Accepted
In progress
AG-7 — Recording of Firearms Operations
Recommendation: During post incident proceedings following a police shooting, NPCC should consider the advantages of: Recordings of the communications of firearms commanders and authorised firearms officers (AFOs); And video recordings from the body-worn video cameras of AFOs and police vehicles involved …
Gov response: 31. The Government understands that body worn video (BWV) is now a requirement for all Armed Response Vehicle officers. Specialist Firearms Officers use BWV when deployed overtly. NPCC have issued guidance to encourage the use …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
COVID-M1.1 — Simplify Emergency Preparedness Structures
Recommendation: The governments of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should each simplify and reduce the number of structures with responsibility for preparing for and building resilience to whole-system civil emergencies. The core structures should be: a single Cabinet-level or …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted
Delivered
COVID-M1.10 — Independent Statutory Resilience Body
Recommendation: The UK government should, in consultation with the devolved administrations, create a statutory independent body for whole-system civil emergency preparedness and resilience. The new body should be given responsibility for: providing independent, strategic advice to the UK government and devolved …
Gov response: Since the pandemic, significant strategic and material changes have been made to the way in which the UK and devolved governments handle crises. Considerable progress has been made against the longer-term programme to build a …
Response Unclear
In progress
PFD Reports (5)
Alexander Lewis
Concerns: Pursuing drivers lacked the ability to communicate dynamic risk assessments, were overburdened with tasks leading to missed critical information, and police training suggested a two-officer crew for safety.
Response: The Department of Transport states there are no specific statutory regulations for the minimum distance single yellow lines must be from a junction, clarifying that it is for the local …
Response: The Minister highlights amendments to the Road Traffic Act 1988 via the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, ensuring high and consistent standards for police driver training and risk …
Response: South Wales Police disputes the coroner's concerns, asserting that its current single-crewed operational model and national training standards are designed to ensure public safety and officer competence. It states officers …
Responded
Azroy Dawes-Clarke
Concerns: Communication during a medical emergency in prison was confused, with no clear command structure established between prison staff, healthcare, and paramedics, indicating an ongoing risk for future critical events.
Overdue
Thomas Moffett
Concerns: Persistent communication failures between prison healthcare staff and emergency control rooms during medical emergencies, a recurring issue across multiple prisons, indicate a potential national systemic problem.
Overdue
Glenda Logsdail
Concerns: A lack of awareness of capnography guidance, failure to confirm ETT placement, diagnostic fixation, and an inhibitory hierarchy led to chaotic team malfunction during a critical emergency.
Responded
Mark Lilliott
Concerns: Delays in accessing a radio-equipped senior officer for emergency assistance within the prison, exacerbated by noise on the wing, could critically impede swift responses in future emergencies.
Overdue