The main idea is that this model starts with building a clear understanding of what’s happening. Collecting information is the initial step because you can’t judge risks, set priorities, or decide on actions without accurate, timely data from the scene, witnesses, dispatch, and other sources. This gathering of facts creates situational awareness, helps identify threats and hazards, and establishes a baseline for analysis. Once you have the information, you can assess it, plan a course of action, and then act, followed by review and reassessment to see what worked and what needs adjustment. Law and policy are essential considerations that guide decisions, but they come into play after you’ve collected information and begun evaluating how to respond; they’re not the first step. Plan follows information gathering and assessment, and the final loop of act, review, and reassess completes the decision-making cycle.