Medical treatment facilities decontamination procedures

Second, the risk of chemical contamination of medical equipment and medical treatment facilities is an added threat, and precautions need to be taken to ensure that patients are properly decontaminated before being brought into designated uncontaminated treatment areas. Frontline medics faced with many casualties can only be expected to administer lifesaving procedures, such as opening the airway or preventing further hemorrhage decontamination can be expected to be minimal. 

The possibility of contamination of patients may be determined in the field, en route to a treatment facility, or at a treatment facility, depending on the condition of the patients. The facility receiving the patients should be informed of the estimated number of casualties, the natures of their injuries, and details on any suspected contamination that may be present. Injured personnel should be sorted and treated according to standard medical guidelines. If possible, individuals suspected of being contaminated should be separated from other patients and receive preliminary decontamination prior to treatment (see Section 7.3 for decontamination procedures). 

Personnel and Medical Unit Requirements. Medical assets must apply NBC protection, detection, and decontamination procedures to maximize and sustain unit capabilities. However, NBC threat conditions may necessitate preparation of medical support to regenerate or reconstitute supported units severely debilitated by NBC attacks. Hospitals should be dispersed away from potential target areas to improve the survivability of these facilities. This mitigation technique, however, cannot be relied upon to prevent significant loss of medical treatment capability. Planning for whole unit replacement must be considered. 

In the event of an enemy attack with chemical agents, those in the military medical departments must consider first aid, treatment, evacuation, and decontamination procedures of contaminated casualties—some of whom may have injuries made by conventional weapons in addition to their chemical injuries. The ultimate objective in the management of all contaminated casualties is to provide the earliest and most effective treatment without compounding injuries or contaminating medical personnel and treatment facilities. 

Clinics located at depots with a chemical surety mission should have an area designated for the decontamination of exposed patients. Generally the treatment area for these patients is separate from the normal patient treatment areas. These facilities are rarely used for an actual chemically contaminated patient, however. A conscious effort must be made to keep these rooms at 100% operational capability. To maintain this capability, the medical staff must develop standing operating procedures (SOPs) that are comprehensive and detailed. 

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