Cordons

Question 1

What are the three types of cordons used on the incident ground?

Answer 1

Inner Cordon
Outer Cordon
Traffic Cordon

• inner cordon is established around the immediate scene of operations in order to restrict
  or even to exclude access to an area of hazard.
• outer cordon is generally wider, separating the public from areas used by the
  Emergency Services for support activities.
• traffic cordon is set up by the police at or beyond the outer cordon to prevent
  unauthorised vehicle access to the surrounding area

Question 2

What is the inner Cordon designed for?

Answer 2

To restrict or even exclude fire service or other services from entering the hazard zone - yellow barrier tape with ‘ Hazard Zone - Do Not Cross’ should be used as it is specifically designed for this purpose and should not be used
in any other circumstance

Question 3

What is the outer Cordon designed for?

Answer 3

This boundary surrounds the inner cordon, separating the public from areas used by the
emergency services for support activities. It may be designated using the white barrier tape,
marked in red with ‘Fire Service - Do Not Cross’

Question 4

Who is responsible for controlling entry and exit points of the outer cordon, when resources are available?

Answer 4

Police

The police will control entry and exit points of the outer cordon. However, it may take some time
for the police to establish a large enough presence on the scene to carry out this role. The IC may
need to order additional resources to control the outer cordon whilst awaiting the police

Question 5

What 3 tools are available to the IC to identify the actual position of the cordon?

Answer 5

• Atlas and acetate
• Command and support systems CSS
• Mobile data terminal (MDT)

• Atlas and acetate: Each Brigade atlas should have a clear acetate overlay, identifying a
range of cordon sizes. these are designed for use at cylinder incidents.

• Command Support System (CSS):The operators on the Command Units have access to the computer-based CSS, which is able to plot scaled cordons onto maps. These can then be
printed for reference and to assist briefings.

• Mobile data terminal (MDT): The MDT on all pumping appliances are able to plot the
required cordon within the OPS tab – map. The boundary will usually be easier to establish
and maintain if it follows existing barriers and roadways beyond the minimum distance,
rather than the exact minimum distance.

Question 6

A written record of what? should be recorded with regards to the inner cordon?

Answer 6

All personnel working with the inner cordon who cannot be consistently monitored/seen. This will include other agencies

Question 7

At a Major incident, In accordance with LESLP (London emergency Services Liaison panel), where the Fire brigade have the prime role at a incident, who is responsable for the safety of all the emergency services working within the inner cordon?

Answer 7

The fire brigade

Fire Silver will nominate a senior officer as Fire Bronze
to maintain the cordon.

To monitor the safety of personnel inside the cordon, a level of control is required over all 
personnel within it. Fire Bronze will be responsible for designating sufficient officers as Inner 
Cordon Controllers (ICC) and Inner Cordon Recorders (ICR) to achieve this.

Question 8

At a Major incident where by the fire brigade have the prime role at the incident an ICC (inner Cordon Controller) and ICR (inner Cordon Recorder) need to be appointed. What is the minimum rank for these roles? and what is used to help identify differing agencies

Answer 8

ICC - Minimum level of Station Officer for each exit/entry point. with a FF to assist.

The ICC will issue armbands and record all personnel entering the inner cordon. this will include other agencies. There are 5 different coloured armbands to help differentiate between agencies.

The ICR will also be a min rank of station officer and their role will be check for personnel within the inner cordon who were not allocated an arm band (poss during early stages of the incident, before cordon) and check for PPE compliance, etc..

Question 9

Where would you find the Major incident box?

and what is in it?

Answer 9

On the Command Unit

It contains equipment that is needed for inner Cordon management, tabards and two types of inner cordon entry/exit point record forms