In the initial stages of an incident, pass information between emergency responders and control rooms using M/ETHANE mnemonic

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M
Major incident

Is this a Major Incident – yes or no?

Decide whether the situation should be declared a major incident. It may be a Major Incident for your service but not others.

If no, continue complete an "ETHANE" message but regularly review the situation in case the incident escalates and becomes a Major Incident at a later stage.

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E
Exact location

Where possible, the grid reference or GPS coordinates should be included, along with any landmarks.

T
Type of incident

Define the exact nature of the incident, for example, road traffic collision, explosion, building collapse, etc.

H
Hazards

Include the hazards that are known to be present or suspected, and those that could potentially arise.

A
Access to scene

Describe routes that are safe to use provide access to the incident. This should also include access to any relevant Rendezvous Point (RvP)

In the case of a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) incident, it may also include areas to avoid.

N
Number and Severity

Determine the number of casualties and if possible the level and severity of injuries.

E
Emergency Services

Which, and how many, emergency responder agencies are required or are already on-scene?