In this chronology, I have recorded the key events of the emergency response on 22nd and 23rd May 2017. My intention is that this chronology will give a reader an understanding of how the different emergency services’ responses developed over time and in relation to each other.
The considerable assistance given to me by Operation Manteline has meant that many of the timings have been checked and confirmed against the evidence. There are other timings where such a check has not been possible. In relation to these, I have recorded the most likely time based upon the surrounding evidence.
| Key | |
| Colour | Definition |
| British Transport Police (BTP) | |
| Greater Manchester Police (GMP) | |
| Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) | |
| North West Fire Control (NWFC) | |
| North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) | |
| Emergency Training UK (ETUK) |
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Time
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Event
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22nd May 2017
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22:31
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22:32
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The first emergency responder, BTP Police Constable (PC) Jessica Bullough, entered the City Room.3
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Time
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Event
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22nd May 2017
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22:34
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The first BTP patrol vehicle arrived at the Victoria Exchange Complex on Station Approach.4
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The first ETUK medic, Elizabeth Woodcock, entered the City Room.5
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GMP Inspector Dale Sexton became aware of the Attack and simultaneously became GMP Tactical/Silver and Strategic/Gold Commander.6
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22:36
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Director of ETUK, Ian Parry, entered the City Room.9
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22:37
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22:38
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During the call with GMP, NWFC created an incident log which sent a pre‑alert to GMFRS Manchester Central Fire Station.11
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22:39
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GMP Temporary Superintendent Arif Nawaz (Night Silver) was informed of the Attack by GMP Force Duty Supervisor Ian Randall.14
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22:40
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NWFC informed the GMFRS duty National Interagency Liaison Officer (NILO), Station Manager Andrew Berry, of the Attack. Station Manager Berry instructed NWFC to mobilise GMFRS crews to Philips Park Fire Station as a muster point.15
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GMP Inspector Sexton granted Firearms Authority and assumed the role of Initial Tactical Firearms Commander and Strategic Firearms Commander.16
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NWAS Tactical Commander Annemarie Rooney telephoned NWAS Strategic Commander Neil Barnes to notify him of the Attack and left a voicemail message.17
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Time
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Event
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22nd May 2017
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22:41
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First two GMP Armed Response Vehicles recorded on Station Approach.19
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NWAS Tactical Commander Annemarie Rooney informed NWAS Consultant Paramedic Daniel Smith of the Attack.21
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22:42
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GMP PC Troy Tyldesley and PC James Dalton entered the Victoria Exchange Complex. They were the first firearms officers to do so.22
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First NWAS paramedic, Patrick Ennis, arrived outside the Victoria Exchange Complex in a rapid response vehicle.23
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22:43
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22:44
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BTP Chief Superintendent Allan Gregory was informed of the Attack by BTP Senior Duty Officer, Chief Inspector (CI) Antony Lodge.26
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GMP Operational/Bronze Commander, Inspector Michael Smith, arrived at the Victoria Exchange Complex.27
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22:45
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22:46
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22:47
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Time
|
Event
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22nd May 2017
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22:50
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GMP PC Grace Barker approached NWAS Advanced Paramedic Patrick Ennis and advised all NWAS paramedics to go to “the booking office”.34
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NWAS Consultant Paramedic Daniel Smith instructed NWAS Control to maintain Manchester Central Fire Station as the Rendezvous Point.35
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22:51
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22:52
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GMP CI Mark Dexter assumed the role of Ground Assigned Tactical Firearms Commander and agreed that GMP Temporary CI Rachel Buckle would become the Tactical Firearms Commander at GMP Headquarters (GMP HQ).37
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GMP Strategic/Gold Commander, Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Deborah Ford, was informed of the Attack by GMP Tactical/Silver Commander, Temporary Superintendent Nawaz.38
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22:53
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22:54
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First GMFRS Manchester Central Fire Station appliance arrived at Philips Park Fire Station.42
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22:55
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First GMP Tactical Aid Unit of eight officers, led by Sergeant Kam Hare, entered the City Room.44
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Time
|
Event
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22nd May 2017
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22:56
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22:57
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Saffie‑Rose Roussos was carried out of the City Room on a makeshift stretcher.46
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22:58
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First NWAS ambulance arrived at the Victoria Exchange Complex.47
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Saffie‑Rose Roussos was carried out of the Victoria Exchange Complex onto Trinity Way.48
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BTP Force Incident Manager, Inspector Dawson, received a METHANE message from BTP Sergeant David Cawley.49
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22:59
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23:00
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23:03
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23:06
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Six NWAS ambulances at Manchester Central Fire Station set off in convoy for Hunts Bank.56
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First NWAS HART operatives from the HART crew based in Greater Manchester arrived on Hunts Bank.57
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NWAS HART crew covering Cheshire and Merseyside agreed with NWAS Control to mobilise to the incident.58
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Time
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Event
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22nd May 2017
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23:07
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The first casualty arrived at the Casualty Clearing Station following evacuation from the City Room.59
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23:08
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GMFRS Chief Fire Officer Peter O’Reilly was informed of the Attack by GMFRS Group Manager Nankivell.60
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23:10
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GMP Tactical/Silver Commander, Temporary Superintendent Nawaz, arrived at the Silver Control Room in GMP HQ.62
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23:11
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NWAS HART operatives Simon Beswick, Christopher Hargreaves and Lea Vaughan convened on Station Approach.63
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23:12
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BTP Chief Superintendent Gregory notified BTP Superintendent Kyle Gordon of the Attack and appointed him as BTP Bronze Commander.65
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23:13
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Two NWAS HART operatives, Christopher Hargreaves and Lea Vaughan, entered the Victoria Exchange Complex.66
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23:15
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NWAS Tactical Commander Annemarie Rooney was briefed by GMP Tactical/ Silver Commander Temporary Superintendent Nawaz that a suicide bomber was responsible for the Attack, that there were 20 fatalities including the bomber, and that it was not a shooting incident.69
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23:17
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John Atkinson was carried out of the City Room on a makeshift stretcher.70
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23:18
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GMP Tactical Firearms Commander, Temporary CI Buckle, arrived in the Silver Command Room at GMP HQ.71
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Time
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Event
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22nd May 2017
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23:20
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GMP Force Duty Supervisor, Ian Randall, left GMP Control to set up the Silver Command Room at GMP HQ.72
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23:23
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NWAS Ambulance A344 carrying Saffie‑Rose Roussos arrived at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.74
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GMP Ground Assigned Tactical Firearms Commander, CI Dexter, arrived at the Victoria Exchange Complex.75
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23:24
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John Atkinson arrived at the Casualty Clearing Station.76
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23:25
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GMP Ground Assigned Tactical Firearms Commander, CI Dexter, entered the City Room for the first time.78
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23:26
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Georgina Callander was carried out of the City Room on a makeshift stretcher.79
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23:28
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Georgina Callander arrived at the Casualty Clearing Station.80
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23:34
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23:35
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23:39
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The last living casualty was evacuated from the City Room.85
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23:40
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GMFRS duty Assistant Principal Officer, Area Manager Paul Etches, was the first to arrive at the GMFRS Command Support Room.86
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Time
|
Event
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22nd May 2017
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23:41
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23:43
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NWAS Cheshire and Merseyside HART leader Ronald Schanck arrived at Manchester Central Fire Station.89
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23:44
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In a call to NWFC, GMP requested the attendance of a GMFRS NILO in the Silver Control Room at GMP HQ.90
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23:45
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GMFRS Group Manager Levy informed GMFRS Station Manager Berry that he was now the Incident Commander.92
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23:47
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23:48
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23:49
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GMFRS Chief Fire Officer O’Reilly and GMFRS Group Manager John Fletcher arrived at the Command Support Room.95
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23:50
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NWAS Deputy Director of Operations, Stephen Hynes, arrived at the Victoria Exchange Complex on Station Approach.98
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23:54
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GMFRS Station Manager Berry requested a Forward Command Post from GMP and was told it was the Boddingtons car park.99
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23:56
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BTP CI Andrea Graham was identified on CCTV for the first time at the Victoria Exchange Complex, walking along the raised walkway towards the City Room.100
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23:57
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Stephen Hynes replaced Daniel Smith as NWAS Operational Commander.101
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23:58
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GMP Silver Control Room Operators used the proposed multi‑agency control room talk group to see which other agencies were listening. NWFC replied to say that it was.102
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Time
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Event
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23rd May 2017
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00:00
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GMP Temporary Superintendent Nawaz handed over tactical/silver command to GMP Temporary Superintendent Christopher Hill.103
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00:02
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First GMFRS appliance arrived at Manchester Central Fire Station.104
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00:05
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00:06
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00:15
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GMP Tactical/Silver Commander, Temporary Superintendent Hill, informed
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GMFRS Group Manager Levy instructed NWFC to record him as Officer in Charge (Incident Commander) and enquired whether Operation Plato had been declared. NWFC said that it had not.109
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00:18
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GMP Force Duty Officer Inspector Sexton handed over the Tactical Firearms Commander role to GMP Superintendent Thompson.110
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GMP Tactical/Silver Commander, Temporary Superintendent Hill, informed NWAS Tactical Commander Annemarie Rooney that Operation Plato had been declared.111
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00:30
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00:36
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First GMFRS fire appliance arrived at the Victoria Exchange Complex on Station Approach.114
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00:38
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Time
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Event
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23rd May 2017
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00:54
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GMP CI Dexter declared the scene was “warm going cold” in conversation with GMFRS Station Manager Berry and NWAS Operational Commander Stephen Hynes.116
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NWAS Tactical Commander, Annemarie Rooney, informed NWAS Operational Commander, Stephen Hynes, of the Operation Plato declaration.117
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00:57
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01:16
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GMP Strategic/Gold Commander, ACC Ford, agreed with BTP Gold Commander, ACC Robin Smith, that GMP was the lead agency in the response.119
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01:23
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01:53
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02:10
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02:50
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The last casualties were transported from the Casualty Clearing Station to hospital by ambulance.123
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04:15
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A Strategic Co‑ordinating Group meeting was held at GMP HQ following the arrival of all Strategic/Gold Commanders.124
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