MAJOR INCIDENTS

 

Any incident involving Hazardous Chemicals or Dangerous Goods has the potential to become a Major Incident.

In London, Major Incident Policy is agreed by the London Emergency Services Liaison Panel (LESLP), a committee with representatives from The Metropolitan, City of London and British Transport Police forces, the London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade and the London Boroughs (local council authorities).

 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EMERGENCY SERVICES.

POLICE.

The primary responsibilities of the Police at a major incident are:

  • The saving of life in conjunction with the other emergency services.
  • The co-ordination of the emergency services, local authorities and other organisations acting in support at the scene of the incident.
  • To secure, protect and preserve the scene, and to control traffic and sightseers through the use of cordons.
  • The investigation of the incident and obtaining and securing evidence in conjunction with other investigative bodies where applicable.
  • The collation and dissemination of casualty information.
  • The identification of the dead on behalf of HM Coroner.
  • The prevention of crime.
  • Short-term measures to restore normality after all necessary actions have been taken.

 

FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE.

The primary areas of Fire Brigade responsibility at a major incident are:

  • Life-saving through search and rescue.
  • Fire-fighting and fire prevention.
  • Rendering humanitarian services.
  • Controlling chemical incidents.
  • Salvage and damage control.
  • Safety management within the inner cordon.

 

AMBULANCE SERVICE.

The primary responsibilities of the Ambulance Service at a major incident may be summarised as follows:

  • To save life in conjunction with the other emergency services.
  • To provide treatment, stabilisation and care of those injured at the scene.
  • To provide sufficient ambulances, medical staff, equipment and resources.
  • To establish effective triage points and systems, and determine the priority evacuation needs of the injured.
  • To provide a focal point at the incident for National Health Service and other medical resources.
  • To provide communication facilities for NHS resources at the scene, with direct radio links to hospitals, control facilities and other agencies as required.
  • To nominate and alert casualty receiving hospitals.
  • To provide transport for the Medical Incident Officer (MIO), mobile medical and surgical teams and their equipment.
  • To arrange the most appropriate means of transporting the injured to the receiving and supporting hospitals.

 

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