Assessment
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Principles of Joint Working & the Joint Decision-Making Model
Goal: Ensure all agencies collaborate effectively, maintain shared situational awareness, and take coordinated action during incidents.
The Five Principles of Joint Working
- Co-location: Gather commanders from all services in a single safe, visible, and accessible location (e.g., marked command vehicles).
- Communication: Share information early, using plain English and standard reporting (e.g., METHANE). Adapt formats if needed (e.g., flooding).
- Co-ordination: Agree the lead service, priorities, and resource contributions. Establish a battle rhythm for regular updates.
- Joint Understanding of Risk: Share hazards and impacts, apply control measures collectively, and maintain joint situational awareness.
- Shared Situational Awareness: Ensure all agencies are aligned on the evolving picture and response priorities.
The Joint Decision-Making Model (JDM)
The JDM can be applied by single services or in a multi-agency context. It provides a structured, repeatable process for making and reviewing decisions.
Core Drivers
- Situation: What has happened? What is known?
- Direction: What must be achieved (e.g., saving lives, protecting responders, safeguarding the public)?
- Action: What steps must be taken to achieve the direction? Review regularly.
Model Elements
- Working Together: Shared objectives, saving lives, maintaining public trust.
- Gather Information & Intelligence: Distinguish between information (facts) and intelligence (interpretation and impact for each agency).
- Assess Risk & Develop a Working Strategy: Conduct joint dynamic risk assessments, apply control measures, and record decisions.
- Consider Powers, Policies, and SOPs: Each agency contributes its authority, protocols, and procedures. Use Operational Discretion if policies don’t fit—record rationale.
- Identify Options & Contingencies: Generate multiple options; test for suitability, feasibility, and acceptability. Choose one, but retain backups.
- Take Action & Review: Implement, then assess: “Is it working?” If not, return to the top of the model and repeat.
Information Hierarchy for Rapid Assessment
- Authority: Other commanders (trained to brief clearly).
- Semi-Authority: On-site leaders with operational knowledge (e.g., head of security, senior managers).
- Public: Last resort for information, often anecdotal and less reliable.
Key Considerations
- Options vs. Tasks: Focus on the desired effect, not just one way of achieving it. Always have reserves.
- Public Expectation: Factor in how the response will be perceived by the public and media.
- Documentation: Record decisions, rationale, and deviations from policy for accountability.
- Briefing Staff: Use structured models (e.g., IIMARCH). Clear direction prevents confusion.
Practical Example
A patient stranded on a canal boat led to multiple specialist teams being called unnecessarily. The fire service resolved it simply by pulling the boat to the landing stage. This highlights the importance of considering effects and alternative options rather than focusing on a single task-based plan.
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