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Command and Control
Command should be exercised from the most suitable points to effectively direct the joint response of all the responding agencies and ensure continual liaison. Fundamental to successful control and co-ordination of a major incident will be liaison of all emergency and rescue/support services. This will require a recognised and easily understood structure, based on three levels of command, which can be applied to each Emergency/Agency Service. These are known as Strategic, Tactical and Operational or Gold, Silver and Bronze. It should be understood that the titles do not convey seniority of service or rank, but depict the function. As senior managers arrive, they will be assigned functions within this structure. The roles of each can be described as follows:
Strategic (Gold)
The Strategic Commander (Gold) is in overall charge of their respective service, responsible for formulating the strategy for the incident. Each Strategic Commander has overall command of the resources of their own organisation but will delegate tactical decisions to their respective silver commanders.
At the outset of the incident gold will determine the strategy and record a strategy statement. This will need to be monitored and subjected to ongoing review. All such decisions should be recorded in a Policy Document.
It will be necessary for the individual gold commanders to meet together as a Strategic Co-ordinating Group. The group, which will be chaired by the Police Gold, will consider strategic issues relevant to the incident and not the tactical issues that will be dealt with by Silver. However Gold and Silver Commanders will need to be in frequent contact throughout the incident.
It is important that at an early stage the Strategic Co-ordinating Group determines membership, operating protocol and fixed agenda items.
In addition Gold will ensure that sufficient support and resources are available at the incident scene and maintain a strategic overview. It may provide liaison with central government and other bodies as appropriate.
Tactical (Silver)
Tactical Commanders (Silver) will attend the scene or nearby, take charge and be responsible for formulating the tactics to be adopted by their service to achieve the strategy set by Gold. The Tactical Commander should not become personally involved with activities close to the incident but remain detached. The Tactical Commander attends the tactical co-ordinating group meetings as the service representative. The Police Tactical Commander will normally chair meetings albeit that, for example, the Fire Tactical Commander takes the lead in a fire situation.
Where needs dictate due to the circumstances of the incident, and there is a requirement for the respective commanders to be elsewhere, a competent and empowered representative will perform the liaison role.
Operational (Bronze)
The Operational Commanders (Bronze) will control and deploy the resources of their respective service within a geographical sector or specific role and implement the tactics defined by the Tactical Commander.
As the incident progresses and more resources attend the Rendezvous Point, the level of supervision will increase in proportion. As senior managers arrive they will be assigned functions within the silver and bronze structure. The initial Police Incident Officer will remain with their supervisor to maintain continuity of policy and to act as staff officer. The Fire and Rescue Service will re-deploy their officer to other duties within the command team thereby maintaining continuity. It is important that the Incident Commander wears an identifiable tabard and passes it on to their successor.
The emergency services will appoint a number of ‘bronze' officers who will perform various supervisory functions depending on the areas of operation designated by ‘silver'.
By using this universal structure the responding agencies will be able to communicate with each other and understand each other's functions and authority.
Contact Details
By Post
Emergency Planning Unit
Wiltshire County Council
County Hall
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
BA14 8JD
By Email
emergencyplanning@wiltshire.gov.uk
By Telephone
01225 713159
By Fax
01225 713156
By Hand
County Hall, Trowbridge
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm
