Last week, the Office of Civil Contingencies delivered a Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP) Command Training Course to operational and tactical commanders drawn from across the Emergency Services and other responding agencies including the military. Three JESIP Command courses are delivered throughout the training year and the course forms a key component of HM Government of Gibraltar’s commitment to enhancing multi-agency interoperability in response to major incidents. 

JESIP, developed in the United Kingdom following lessons identified from multi-agency incident reviews and enquiries, has become the national standard for interoperability between emergency services. The doctrine provides a consistent approach to joint working and is supported by comprehensive training and exercising programmes. 

Delegates from the Royal Gibraltar Police, Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service, Airport Fire & Rescue Service, Gibraltar Health Authority, Gibraltar Ambulance Service, HM Customs, Borders & Coastguard Agency, Gibraltar Port Authority, HM Prison, Ministry of Environment, Environmental Agency Gibraltar, Department of Education, St. John Ambulance, Gibraltar Electricity Authority, Gibraltar Defence Police and the Ministry of Defence completed this command training. The course provided a structured framework for joint working, focusing on the need to work together effectively and seamlessly to contain and respond to emergencies, protect the public and save lives. 

In today’s increasingly complex and unpredictable operating environment, which is characterised by emerging risks such as terrorism, climate-driven natural disasters, public health emergencies, major accidents and large-scale technological failures, effective multi-agency collaboration is critical. Interoperability between responding organisations enables more efficient use of finite resources, reduces operational friction, and supports faster restoration of public safety and essential services during high-impact incidents. 

Minister for Civil Contingencies, Leslie Bruzon, said: “The delivery of this JESIP course represents a significant enhancement in Gibraltar’s operational readiness. By embedding a common doctrine across responder organisations, we are building a resilient and agile response capability that is better equipped to deal with the complexity and uncertainty of modern emergencies across the land, maritime and air domains. Multi-agency interoperability is no longer just best practice, it is a strategic imperative. I am enormously grateful to the Civil Contingencies Coordinator Ivor Lopez and Civil Contingencies Officer Ernest Danino for delivering such an essential command course. The Office of Civil Contingencies continues to drive multi-agency training and exercising and this is yet another example of how the department, through the Gibraltar Contingency Council, seeks to build whole-of-government resilience through planning, capability development, and the continuous training of the responder community.”