©2014 skcftc operations level emergency decontamination

©2014 SKCFTC

Operations Level

EMERGENCY DECONTAMINATION

©2014 SKCFTC

Emergency Decontamination- Is the physical process of immediately ridding dangerous contaminates from individuals. Emergency decontamination is required for the following conditions:

• Special protective clothing fails.

• First responders accidentally become contaminated.

• Victims need IMMEDIATE medical attention.(IFSTA Hazardous Materials for First Responders 2nd Edition)

If the victim(s) is/are contaminated but not showing any signs or symptoms of distress, await the arrival of additional resources to provide more effective and private decontamination resources. For example DECON61 from SKFR.

Definintion

©2014 SKCFTC

1. Park up hill, up wind, up stream.

2. Ensure that your crew is in Bunker Gear and SCBA, on air. Don’t make yourself part of the problem.

3. Retrieve PT from the Hot Zone, if safe to do so.

4. DO NOT waste time to mitigate runoff from your decontamination effort. You are in life saving mode; any environmental damage is secondary.

Initial Actions

©2014 SKCFTC

There is a difference between being exposed to a chemical release and contaminated by the product.

Exposure: The process by which people, equipment and the environment are subjected to or come in contact with a hazardous material. Being exposed to a hazardous material does not mean the exposed person or object is contaminated-it depends on the magnitude of the exposure.

Contamination: The transfer of a hazardous material to persons, equipment or the environment in greater than acceptable quantities.

(IFSTA Hazardous Materials for First Responders 2nd Editon)

Exposed vs Contaminated

©2014 SKCFTC

If you have large number of PTs contaminated AND they need immediate decontamination consider an aerial master stream or creating a corridor with two engines. Keep the pressures low. We are removing contamination not skin!!

Remember to:

1. Don proper PPE and be on air.

2. Develop a plan on where to shelter the PTs. They will come out the other side cold and wet. If possible, find a place that is warm and dry. If you cannot, think about delaying decontamination until more resources arrive.

3. Have PTs remove any contaminated clothing and leave it in the hot zone. They do not have to remove all clothing, just what is visibly contaminated.

4. Use crews to manage movement of PTs. Have them move through the corridor in a slow, methodical manner.

5. If people do not want decon, don’t force them, they probably haven’t been exposed. Exposed PTs who are exhibiting symptoms of the exposure should be first in the queue, then all others who have been contaminated and lastly, those requesting decontamination.

Conscious Multiple Patients

©2014 SKCFTC

AERIAL MASTER STREAM ENGINE CORRIDOR

Conscious Multiple Patients

Hot Zone

Cold Zone

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Unconscious and Viable Patient

Step 1 While wearing proper PPE,

remove PT from the Hot Zone

to the Warm Zone.

©2014 SKCFTC


Step 2 Rinse PT with large amounts

of water. Use a fog stream and

low pressure. The goal is to

remove the contamination NOT

their skin.

©2014 SKCFTC


Step 3 Drag PT out of runoff and

towards the Cold Zone. It is

preferable that the PT be

dragged uphill away from the

runoff if possible.

©2014 SKCFTC


Step 4Cut PT clothing/PPE to remove.

IF PT is a FF, remove air pack

but DO NOT remove facepiece

or disconnect air supply.

©2014 SKCFTC


Step 9 Drag PT out of runoff, uphill

and toward the Cold Zone. At

this point, if the PT is a FF, the

facepiece can be removed.

Step 10Initiate BLS/ALS treatment.

©2014 SKCFTC

Please direct any questions/comments to CPT Sean

Penwell

[email protected]

Office: 253-856-4332

Questions???

mailto:[email protected]

©2014 skcftc operations level emergency decontamination

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