This document discusses incident grading for emergency services responses. It defines an emergency according to UK law and explains that emergencies are graded based on seriousness by the call handler. Incident grading determines the required response and establishes protocols for police, ambulance, fire and rescue services. Students are tasked with researching grading protocols and response times for a selected public service to write up their findings.

1. BTEC Nationals in Public Services
Unit 14
Title : Responding to emergency
service incidents
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2. • The aim of this session is to enable you to
understand:
– The use of incident grading
• The objective is that upon completion of
this session you will have studied:
– Incident grading

3. • You may be required to research and write
up your findings in your own words.
• Do this on a word document.
• Ensure you structure your writing properly.
• You will need to print off your research at
the end of this module and be prepared to
enter into a class discussion about your
findings throughout.
• Ask me questions at any time.

4. Emergency incident definition
• According to the Civil Contingency Act
2004, an emergency is defined as:
– An event or situation which threatens serious
damage to human welfare
– An event or situation which threatens serious
damage to the environment
– War or terrorism which threatens serious
damage to security
– Read more about this on Pg 30 CB2.

5. Incident grading
• The emergency
services are bound by
law to respond to all
emergency situations.
• Because each service
has a different role
and responsibilities
they have different
response policies.
•

6. Incident grading
• Emergencies are
graded according to
their seriousness.
• They are graded by
the person who
receives the call at
the incident grading
control center.
•

7. Incident grading
• They are graded by a
call handler,
according to the
information provided
by the caller.
• Not by the means of
reporting the
incidents, for instance
by dialing 999.

8. Incident grading
Police:
• Grade 1: Emergency
• Grade 2: Priority
• Grade 3: Scheduled
response
• Grade 4: Resolution with
deployment
Ambulance:
• Category A
• Category B
• Category C
Fire and Rescue
• Risk Category A
• Risk Category B
• Risk Category C
• Risk Category D
• Remote Rural
• Read more about this on
Pg 30 – 31 bc2.

9. Incident grading
• Using the resources in the college
research how emergency incidents are
graded for a selected public service. You
can select one yourself or research the
Police Service. Find information on ‘call
grading protocols’ ‘emergency service
response times’
• Process your research into a document
ready to hand in next week.

10. Summary:
• In this session we have explored :

11. Look forward
• Our next session will focus on:
– Why emergency services need to work
together
– Role of call centres and incident managers
– Emergency incident policies and procedures