Change to terminology for subject matter adviser

Date: 04/08/2025

Product type: Operational Guidance

Product area: Incident command

Link: Specialist advice

The Incident command guidance control measure of Specialist advice contained the following definition for a subject matter adviser:

Subject matter advisers (SMA) are members of the fire and rescue service who regularly work with National Resilience capabilities. The SMA will provide detailed tactical capability advice to the incident commander. They can only be mobilised by the National Resilience Fire Control (NRFC).

This has been checked with National Resilience, who have confirmed that the term should not be reserved for those who work with the NR capabilities. This minor wording change has also been endorsed by the NFCC Operational Guidance Forum and the NFCC Operational Preparedness, Response and Resilience Committee.

The definition has been amended to:

Subject matter advisers are members of a fire and rescue service who can provide detailed tactical advice to the incident commander.