New app provides ‘checklist’ for joint working

An emergency responder app has been developed by the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP) project as an ‘aide mémoire’ for the police, fire and rescue and ambulance services.

The app, which is free to download on all Apple or Android mobile phones and tablets, provides emergency responders with essential reminders about the five principles of joint working and the Joint Decision Model. It also includes other useful prompts and checklists, including:

•Incident checklist – for commanders as they arrive at an incident;

•METHANE report (Major incident declared?, Exact location, Type of incident, Hazards, Access, Number of casualties, Emergency services present/ required) that can be completed using the app and sent via text or email;

•Steps to help develop a joint understanding of risk for those at the scene;

•Instructions for Airwave radio handsets, including how to change talkgroups;

•Examples of incident commander tabards worn on the scene of an incident; and

•A glossary of agreed map symbols taken from the civil protection lexicon.

Carl Daniels, the JESIP deputy senior responsible officer, said: “Our original, printed aide mémoire cards were voted by emergency services as one of the most useful JESIP products. Now we have brought them to life via the app. It will hopefully complement the range of awareness and training tools we have produced and help all staff apply the JESIP on the ground.”

The JESIP was set up in 2012 as a programme to improve the way the emergency services work together when responding to major multi-agency incidents. The project established a doctrine that sets out a standard approach to multi-agency working, along with training and awareness products for organisations to train their staff.