Building “common knowledge” when responding to major road tunnel incidents: an inter-organisational focus group study

Purpose Major incidents in tunnel environment will pose several challenges for the emergency service organisations terms of heat, visibility and lack experiences from working confined environments. These aspects, turn, could to establish collaboration. This study aims contribute field collaborative responses by exploring how “common knowledge” (Edwards, 2011) is built services organisations, that is, what consider important while on a potentially common problem, their motives interpretations actions if major incident occurs. Design/methodology/approach Participants road traffic control centre, dispatch medical service, rescue police were included study. Data four focus group sessions was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings The revealed presents specific aspects knowledge produced related lifesaving safety. themes structuring mechanisms reduce uncertainty, managing information initial priorities, aligning responsibilities without hampering each other's work adjusting manage distance, illustrated as crucial response. Organising management sites, grasping communicating risks, accessing injury victims, challenged environment, physical distances imbalance access preparedness activities Originality/value offers new insights knowledge, illustrating motive perspective incidents. Creating interoperability calls not just readiness action safety, but also training acknowledging different further develop responses.