Casualty arrival point

A. General. Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs) will establish decontamination areas. When casualties arrive at the MTF, they must be seen at a triage point and evacuated to the proper area. The triage officer must determine if the patients have a surgical or medical condition that requires priority over decontamination. Ninety to ninety-five percent of all decontamination can be accomplished by removing the outer clothing and shoes. This can usually be accomplished before admission without interfering with medical treatment. Several unique aspects must be considered. 

The entry point is a clearly demarcated area into which all casualties arrive. Ambulances unload casualties at this point, and ambulatory casualties report to this point. The entry and exit roads must also be clearly marked. Organic (ie, intrinsic) staffing in this area may be minimal, and all casualties arriving at this area will be sent to the triage station. The Triage Station... 

When a patient presents to the ED, the nurse must ascertain that an exposure has taken place. Nurses should suspect chemical exposures for any mass casualty incident in which multiple ill persons with similar clinical complaints (point-source exposure) seek treatment at about the same time or in persons who are exposed to common ventilation systems or unusual patterns of death or illness. The ED may or may not receive notification in advance that a chemical explosion or leak has occurred. In either case, ED health care providers have the following three primary goals in treating a patient who has been exposed to a hazardous material and may be contaminated or who has not undergone adequate decontamination before arrival at the hospital ... 

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