Hazardous materials incidents, emergency medical response

Outside support services (for example, medical surveillance laboratory analyses training consultants emergency response to incidents, injuries, fires, and hazardous materials incident responders or experts as required by site activities). 

EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS... 

VII. Summary. The emergency medical response to a hazardous-materials incident requires prior training and planning to protect the health of response personnel and victims. 

Section I Emergency Evaluation and Treatment Section IT. Acetaminophen Amantadine Carbon Monoxide Oxalic Acid Smoke Inhalation Theophylline Vitamins Section III Oxygen Hyperbaric Oxygen Section IV Emergency Medical Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents The Toxic Hazards of Industrial and Occupationai Chemicais... 

Section II Ammonia Chlorine Section IV Emergency Medical Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents... 

Victims of chemical contamination need prompt and effective treatment, both at the scene of the incident and in hospital. Ambulance or emergency medical services and hospital emergency rooms provide the front line health response and most will already have tried and tested contingency arrangements for accidental chemical releases - often referred to as HAZMAT or HAZCHEM (hazardous materials and hazardous chemicals) protocols. Whether for an accidental or deliberate chemical release contingency arrangements need to address the following key objectives ... 

For purposes of this report, we differentiate four levels of medical intervention, primarily on the basis of proximity to the precipitating event or initial victims. Response to a distinct, immediately recognizable terrorist incident (as opposed to a covert release of an agent whose effects would not be apparent for hours or days) would, in most instances, be initiated by law enforcement or fire and rescue personnel, followed at some point by a hazardous materials (Hazmat) team and emergency medical technicians. This is the group referred to in Table 1-1 as "Local Responders." In the same table, "Initial Treatment Facilities" refers to the fixed-site medical facilities to which victims might initially be transported (or transport themselves) or that might initially be called upon for assistance by victims or personnel on the scene. Under "State" in the table, we... 

CHEMTREC is a 24-hour resource center that provides technical and emergency response information, shipper contact, and medical assistance for incidents involving chemicals and other hazardous materials to first responders, the transportation industry, medical professionals, and others. The Center also provides access to industry mutual aid programs and is involved in prevention by providing training assistance and materials and educational programs. 

CHEMTREC also assists shippers of hazardous materials to satisfy regulatory requirements related to shipping chemicals and assists in chemical incidents and medical emergencies not related to transportation. Anyone with a chemical emergency may call, free of charge, to receive appropriate emergency response advice. 

---