Major Incident Medical Management and Support

Advanced Life Support Group (ALSG) improves outcomes for people in life-threatening situations, anywhere along the healthcare pathway, anywhere in the world. ALSG is a leading medical education charity and have delivered advanced life support training to over 225,000 clinicians in 44 countries, across 5 continents, for over 25 years.

UK working group vii

International reference group viii

Contributors to fourth edition ix

Contributors to previous editions x

Foreword to fourth edition xii

Preface to fourth edition xiii

Preface to first edition xiv

Acknowledgements xv

Contact details and further information xvi

How to use your textbook xvii

Part I: Introduction 1

1 Introduction 3

2 The structured approach to major incidents 13

Part II: Organisation 19

3 Health service structure and roles 21

4 Emergency service organisation and roles 35

5 Support service organisation and roles 39

Part III: Preparation 41

6 Planning 43

7 Personal equipment 47

8 Medical equipment 53

9 Training 61

Part IV: Management 63

10 Command and control 65

11 Health service scene layout 75

12 Safety at the scene 79

13 Communications 83

14 Assessment 89

Part V: Medical support 93

15 Triage 95

16 Treatment 109

17 Transport 115

18 Responsibility for the dead 121

Part VI: Special incidents 125

19 Hazardous materials and CBRNe incidents 127

20 Incidents involving large numbers of children 133

21 Incidents involving multiple casualties with burns 139

22 Mass gatherings 141

23 Natural disasters 145

24 Uncompensated major incidents 149

25 Marauding terrorist attacks 155

Part VII: Appendices 157

A Psychological aspects of major incidents 159

B The media 161

C Logs 165

D Radio use and voice procedures 169

E The hospital response 179

F Human factors 185

Template annexe of local highlights 193

Glossary 207

Index 209