It’s almost certain that in a multiple casualty incident (MCI) the needs of the casualties will exceed the initial availability of medical resources. Due to the considerable disparity in the severity of injuries, ranging from casualties who are critically hurt to those with superficial trauma, multiple casualty triage guidelines are a crucial element of the emergency response. Effective triage ensures that those most at risk of death or disablement are treated first, thereby preserving limited resources for casualties who most depend on them.

The Manchester Arena bombing, which claimed the lives of twenty-two people in 2017, was the subject of a lengthy and detailed public inquiry. Numerous recommendations to assist event security and the emergency response were highlighted in the subsequent report, while a key piece of legislation, Martyn’s Law, is expected to come into force imminently.

What is Martyn’s Law?

Martyn Hett was a 29-year-old PR manager who lost his life in the Manchester Arena bombing. The Terrorism Protection of Premises Bill, also known as Martyn's Law, aims to rectify some of the issues highlighted by the public inquiry by ensuring that high-capacity venues are better prepared for terrorist incidents and that security measures are more consistent and effective.

Under the Martyn’s Law legislation, UK public venues will be required to:

• Consider the potential for a terrorist attack by conducting detailed risk assessments.
• Implement appropriate measures to the risk of a terrorist attack, dependent upon the size and nature of the venue.
• Ensure that there is sufficient preparation to facilitate an effective response should a terrorist incident occur.
• Improve protection by enhancing security systems, processes and staff training.

Venues will need to comply with one of two tiers, standard or enhanced, according to their maximum capacity.

Which venues does Martyn’s Law apply to?

The Terrorism Protection of Premises Bill will apply to all venues where qualifying activities take place in the leisure, food and drink, entertainment, sports and culture sectors. Venues will be required to comply with the legislation if:

• They are a building, or a collection of buildings, that have a defined boundary.
• Qualifying activities take place on the site.
• The maximum occupancy of the venue is one hundred or more people (at the standard tier) or eight hundred or more (at the enhanced tier).

What is the aim of Martyn’s Law?

The aim of the Terrorism Protection of Premises Bill is to enhance safety and security at crowded UK venues by:

• Improving the preparedness of high-capacity venues to respond effectively to potential terrorist incidents.
• Ensuring consistent and proportionate security measures are implemented to reduce the risk of terrorist attacks.
• Enhancing overall protection for patrons, staff and assets through improved security systems, processes, and staff training.

Contact TSG Associates

At TSG Associates, our SmartTriage™ and Xtract™SR stretchers enable first responders and medical staff to provide targeted care for casualties and to effectively deploy limited resources in multiple casualty incidents. To find out more, please get in touch.

Image Source: Canva