MAJOR INCIDENTS

CORDONS. Inner Cordon. The inner cordon provides immediate security of the rescue zone and potential crime scene. The Police or Fire Service will often mark the inner cordon with red tape.

Outer Cordon. The outer cordon seals off an extensive controlled area surrounding the rescue zone. All access and exit points will be controlled, and persons requesting access will be vetted. The command and control vehicles of the emergency services will be positioned within the outer cordon, but outside the inner cordon.

Traffic Cordon.

The traffic cordon may be deployed at or beyond the outer cordon. Vehicular access to the area surrounding the scene is controlled or prohibited. It is common practice to set up a temporary one-way system to facilitate access and egress to the marshalling area and the ambulance loading point. Within the Metropolitan Police Area, a supervisor from the Traffic Patrol will ordinarily attend and deal with traffic cordons, taking on the function of 'Bronze Traffic'. Traffic units can also supply supervisors who have attended the National Police Transportation of Dangerous Goods course.

Scene Access Control (SAC).

A Scene Access Control centre (SAC) is established by Police outside the outer cordon. It should, wherever possible, be adjacent to the rendezvous point. The SAC will verify the authenticity of non-emergency service personnel and issue passes permitting access beyond the outer cordon. The SAC must establish full communications links with the JESCC. SAC personnel will escort persons permitted access to the scene to the JESCC.

General.

Every major incident is different and no detailed general plan can be formulated. As previously mentioned, Police have overall command and control responsibility. The Fire and Rescue Service have responsibility for safety and rescue within the inner cordon, including control of Hazchem incidents. The Ambulance Service, as one would expect, has responsibility for the care and treatment of the injured.

Given the non-specific and all-encompassing nature of the police role at major incidents, the immediate priorities for the first police units in attendance are to assess and inform control, and ensure that the other services required have been informed if not already in attendance.

The following mnemonic has been devised to assist the first police units attending a major incident.

C Casualties - approximate numbers of dead, seriously injured, and minor/uninjured victims.

H Hazards - present and potential.

A Access (and egress) - best access routes for emergency service vehicles, nominate RVPs.

L Location - exact location using map references if possible.

E Emergency Services - those present, and required.

T Type of incident - details of exactly what is involved, e.g. aircraft, buildings, vehicles etc.

Command Callsigns - Unified Structure.

Command Callsigns at a major incident for all emergency services follow a unified structure for convenience and ease of liaison.

The senior officer in charge uses the callsign GOLD, followed by the appropriate suffix.

The Ground Commander - the senior officer AT THE SCENE, uses the callsign SILVER, followed by the appropriate suffix.

Officers in charge of specific areas use the callsign BRONZE, followed by the appropriate suffix, followed by the area of responsibility.

The relevant suffixes are Police, Fire, and Medic (for the ambulance service). Police Bronze callsigns may omit the word Police.

Examples:

Gold Police - the senior police officer in overall charge of the incident.

Silver Medic - the senior LAS officer at the scene.

Bronze Fire Water, Bronze Fire Safety etc. - Fire Service sector commanders.

Bronze 1,2,etc., Bronze Traffic, Bronze Mortuary etc - Police Sector Commanders.

Bronze Medic Triage, Bronze Medic Loader, etc. - Ambulance Service Sector Commanders.

Emergency Evacuation Signal. During the initial stages of an incident, members from all three emergency services are likely to be employed within the inner cordon. The Fire Service, which has responsibility for safety within the inner cordon, has an emergency evacuation which all personnel need to be aware of. At the signal, which consists of several short blasts on an Acme Thunderer whistle, all personnel will immediately withdraw to a safety point nominated by the Fire Brigade Safety Officer.
HazMat Officer. Fire Brigade officers who have attended the Hazardous Materials Course at the Fire Service College are nominated as HazMat officers. A HazMat officer is sent by the Fire Brigade to any confirmed chemical or radiation incident.
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