Performance reviews of the command function (PRC) - PN 421

Question 1

When will a PRC be held?

Answer 1

for all incidents of 6 pumps and above

and for other incidents and training events at the discretion of a Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) or above.

In addition, a PRC must be held for any incident that has been the subject of a senior accident investigation (SAI) irrespective of the size of the incident.

Question 2

Which personnel will attend the PRC?

Answer 2

• An officer to chair the PRC.
• All incident commanders (up to and including the IC at the time the stop message was sent).
• The monitoring officer who was in attendance at the time of the stop message.
• If the incident has attracted a senior accident Investigation, then the nominated senior accident investigator (SAI) must attend the PRC.
• An Operational Review Team (ORT) officer.
• Other managers and personnel identified as having had a key role in the command of the incident and agreed by the chair (i.e. ops commander, USAR TA, Command Unit team leader, a representative from Brigade Control or the HMEPO).
• Observers may be permitted to attend at the discretion of the chair. Observers will not be permitted to comment or ask questions during the process.
• Remote monitoring officers should be requested to submit any observations to the chair prior to the PRC and their attendance considered.
• For incidents 12 pumps and above Brigade Control MUST be invited. The request should go to @MER Senior Managers.

Question 3

How soon after the incident should the PRC take place?

Answer 3

Managers required to attend a PRC must give it high priority, re-arranging other commitments if necessary, to make sure it takes place where possible within 28 days of the incident.

Question 4

Which SM attending an incident is responsible for arranging the PRC?

Answer 4

The first station manager who attends an incident will be responsible for arranging the PRC (organising officer).

Question 5

Whose responsibility is it to arrange a PRC for a training event?

Answer 5

Arranging a PRC for a training event is the responsibility of the officer organising the event.

Question 6

The chair must be what rank:

For incidents up to and including ten pumps in size?

+

For larger events or if an SAI is involved

Answer 6

For incidents up to and including ten pumps in size the chair must be a group manager / borough commander,

+

for larger events (or if an SAI is involved) the chair must be a (DAC) Deputy Assistant Commissioner (or (AC) Assistant Commissioner where appropriate).

Question 7

Under what circumstances might a PRC be cancelled and by whom?

Answer 7

A PRC may be deferred or cancelled at the discretion of the Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) ICP & ORT if it could prejudice the outcomes of either an accident or discipline investigation or a public enquiry/police investigation.

There may be other occasions where an officer may request a PRC to be cancelled (e.g. members of the command team being unavailable due to leaving the service following the incident)

Requests to cancel or defer a PRC will be considered by ICP & ORT but will need to be supported by a Deputy Assistant Commissioner

Question 8

What is the minimum allotted time for a PRC?

Answer 8

3 hours

Question 9

Issues that require immediate investigation because of their importance, particularly if they relate to matters of safety, must be recorded and forwarded to who?

Answer 9

Recorded and forwarded to the relevant Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) by the chair.

Question 10

The ORT officer will record the positive and development points, together with any organisational issues identified during the PRC.

This information will be entered in to the IMP database maintained by the ICP & ORT.

The data will be processed and used to generate two types of report….?

Answer 10

Individual and team reports

Question 11

All reports entered in to the IMP database are subject to trend analysis on a quarterly basis. The trend analysis results are forwarded initially to where?

Answer 11

The Operational Professionalism Board

Question 12

The PRC process will be administered by staff from the ICP & ORT, who do what?

Answer 12

• Maintain and monitor an e-mail facility for booking PRCs.
• Maintain a list of managers qualified as PRC chairs.
• Organise and facilitate PRC chair induction courses.
• Maintain a database of outstanding PRCs.
• Notify nominated individuals of their responsibilities with regard to the organisation of PRCs.
• Monitor completion of PRCs and issue reminder notices to those responsible and their line managers.
• Monitor the IMP database.

Question 13

Which act means the PRC outcomes could be subject to disclosure to outside bodies?

Answer 13

Freedom of Information Act (1998)