Responding to Chemical Releases Essentials of Organisation and Incident Management

Responding to Chemical Releases Essentials of Organisation and Incident Management 

Emergency medical personnel managing toxic trauma in hospitals may be involved in the incident itself either as part of the pre-hospital response teams, as is the case in France and other European countries, or because of the need to manage contaminated casualties who arrive at the emergency department without having been processed through a chemical incident management system (HAZMAT). Such contaminated casualties may pose a serious risk to the hospital personnel and their activities. 

It is therefore important that medical responders understand all aspects of the potential hazards of the release of toxic chemicals. The management of chemical releases is usually done by specialist arms of the fire and rescue services and the police and involves considerable detail about the properties of the agents involved. However, there is a need for medical teams to be aware of the principles of management of chemical incidents, particularly in the provision of emergency life support within a contaminated area. 

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