The exchange of information between these agencies is an essential consideration when it can add value by:

• Minimising risks to the public and emergency services personnel
• Alerting personnel to an immediate hazard
• Supporting decision-making either at an individual level or as a collective group
• Contributing to a common understanding and awareness of the situation

The programme is funded jointly by the Department of Communities and Local Government, Home Office, Cabinet Office and the Department of Health.

Use of Airwave  for radio communications provides the capability to exchange voice information. A set of standard operating procedures will regulate and authorise use of Airwave between the emergency services, and all responding agencies, to ensure consistency at tactical (silver) and operational (bronze) command levels.

Delivering these standard operating procedures, which currently do not exist, is a priority for the MAIP. They will reinforce the principles of communications interoperability  established in the Guidance on Multi-Agency Interoperability and complement, rather than replace, existing protocols.

These procedures will need to be embedded through training, exercises and regular use to ensure personnel are both competent and confident in applying them.

Voice is just one of the two strands to communications interoperability, the other is the exchange of information. Integrating voice and data is fundamental to the holistic approach required to develop the 'Common Operating Picture'.

The need

There have been instances where communication across the emergency agencies could be improved, these include outcomes from public inquiries and from exercise and operation debriefs.

What we are doing

In 2008 the three blue light services signed up to a memorandum of understanding describing the way radio interoperability would be delivered and the benefits it would achieve.

This has led to the development of the first multi-agency communication guidance document which introduces the principles of interoperability and provides a means for self assessment.

This document has received the approval of the ambulance, fire and police services, their chief officer associations and related governmental bodies in England, Wales and Scotland.

The standard operating procedures currently being developed by the programme to support this will also provide a framework for all responding agencies (including the military) and their partners to align their own working practices to a common, national standard.

These will draw on the good work that has already been done at local and regional levels, and help to build and maintain a common operational approach at an emergency, incident or event.

The Benefits

Strategic:

• Optimise investments made in common voice and data technologies to realise their benefits
• Build public confidence in a multi-agency response to emergencies, incidents and events
• Improved safety for the public and Emergency Services' personnel delivered through common voice and data communication
• Increased resilience through training and exercises to ensure the Emergency Services optimise their use of the Airwave radio and other common technologies for inter-agency voice and data communications.
• Increased confidence amongst Emergency Service personnel achieved through joint training
• Improved effectiveness of command and incident management across the services
• Improved communication and co-ordination for mutual aid and mobilisation
• Preparations for London 2012 Olympic Games achieved through training and exercises to embed common and consistent practices

Tactical and Operational:

• Improve effectiveness of incident and event management
• Improved situational awareness
• Informed decision-making enabled through 'at incident' access to the Common Operating Picture
• More effective command and leadership by using interoperable voice and data technologies

Efficiency:

The 2006 OGC mission critical review made it clear that little would be gained from trying to attach precise figures around cashable benefits from this programme. Nevertheless, work is being done to improve output efficiency to deliver value for money:

• Opportunities to join up strategies for technology, a common approach to supply management, and development of doctrine and training
• Building upon existing expertise across the services rather than creating a large programme team
• Joint operational activity and shared provision leading to the development of common products and services

Overall, the programme is addressing value for money by encouraging agencies to work together to increase co-ordination and safety.

Communications Interoperability

The initial priority for the programme is voice/radio communications, but there is another strand to communications - the exchange of data. 

Airwave radio interoperability

Airwave is the common digital radio platform used by the emergency services in England, Scotland and Wales for voice communication.

The Programme is providing guidance on the use of interoperability talkgroups as well as making sure every emergency service organisation has them accessible and correctly configured so commanders and managers can listen and talk to their counterparts when required and authorised to do so.

The decision to use the interoperability procedures will usually rest with a tactical commander from the emergency services at the scene but radio interoperability for inter-agency communications can be overlayed on existing procedures for command and control within each emergency service.

Data interoperability

The ability to exchange data such as maps, imagery or text to 'show me' rather than 'tell me' is vital to help gain a common understanding of a situation and has been shown to reduce radio traffic by up to 30%.

The MAIP team is also contributing to projects involving the mobilisation of information to front-line personnel and Direct Electronic Incident Transfer (DEIT) of incidents logs between communications facilities.

Common operating picture

Longer-term the programme aims to standardise the approach across agencies for both voice and data communications, developing powerful capabilities for inter-agency co-ordination and decision-making through a 'common operating picture' of filtered, relevant operational information from a range of sources made available in a consistent format to everyone who needs access.