Whether the SCCM made the optimal decision in this case or not, some of the discussion and comments above have demonstrated that conceptually, although SOP's may have been developed with best available knowledge at the time, they are not necessarily optimal for certain situations (viz Manchester), and unfortunately following best knowledge SOP's can still lead to tragic outcomes. Sometimes, action outside of SOP's gives a better result. The person who elects not to follow SOP's on the day can just as easily become hero or villain.