Mission-Specific Competencies:

Mass Decontamination

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Objectives (1 of 3)

• Describe the steps required to perform mass decontamination on ambulatory and nonambulatory victims

• Describe three ways to reduce or eliminate contamination on victims

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Objectives (2 of 3)

• Describe the reference sources available for responders charged with performing mass decontamination

• Describe methods for crowd control

• Describe how to evaluate effectiveness of a mass decontamination process

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Objectives (3 of 3)

• Describe the importance of completing reports and documentation of mass decontamination operations

• Describe the importance of evidence preservation during mass decontamination

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Mass Decontamination Is Like Emergency Decontamination

• Important to identify contaminant

• Proper level of PPE must be selected

• Predetermined process to perform decontamination

• Coordinated using Incident Command System (ICS)

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Mass Decontamination Is Unlike Emergency Decontamination

• Same tasks addressed much more quickly

• Often without enough trained personnel

• Inaccurate/incomplete information

• People will be scared and looking for help– Complicates your situation– Effective communication is important

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Priority for Both Emergency and Mass Decontamination

• Life safety is number one priority

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Mass Decontamination Overview (1 of 2)

• Rapid assessment of situation

• Rapid assessment of number of victims

• Attempt to identify contaminant

• Set up process

• Wear proper type and level of PPE

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Mass Decontamination Overview (2 of 2)

• Can take place in:– Street– Parking lot

• Extent required driven by contaminant– Efforts match properties

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Mass Decontamination Procedure Example 1 (1 of 2)

• Placing two vehicles side by side

• Fog-type nozzles

• Victims walk between the two vehicles

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Mass Decontamination Procedure Example 1 (2 of 2)

An example of a simple mass decontamination corridor using two fire engines.

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Mass Decontamination Procedure Example 2 (1 of 2)

• Aerial equipment can be used– Can be ladder device– Complete overhead spray pattern

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Mass Decontamination Procedure Example 2 (2 of 2)

Mass decontamination is often accomplished using fire apparatus.

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Mass Decontamination Methods

• Different for– Ambulatory victims (able to walk)– Nonambulatory victims (unable to walk)

• Some jurisdictions set up separate areas

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Nonambulatory Victims

• Require significant number of emergency personnel to decontaminate

• Slower process

• Physically taxing on responders

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Ambulatory Victims

• Pre-plumbed, rapid-deploy shelters available

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Three Ways to Eliminate Contamination

• Dilution

• Isolation

• Washing

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Dilution

• Adds water (or other substance) to contaminant

• Decreases concentration of contaminant

• Fast and economical

• Will not work for viscous, oily liquids and insoluble substances

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Isolation and Disposal

• Removes items that cannot be properly decontaminated

• Isolates them in designated area

• Tags them

• Can be treated as evidence

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Washing

• Effective for most harmful substances

• Simple

• Douse victims with soap-and-water solution

• Rinse with water

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Reference Sources (1 of 2)

• Information on released material can be obtained from:– Bystanders or witnesses– Placards– Normal occupancy of buildings at the scene– Types of containers involved

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Reference Sources (2 of 2)

Look carefully for indicators of a hazardous material.

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Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) (1 of 2)

• Useful for basis of initial actions

• Not primary source of information after first 15 minutes of response

• For fire fighters, police, and emergency personnel

• Evacuation distances, basic action plans

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Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) (2 of 2)

The Emergency Response Guidebook.

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Placards (1 of 2)

• Diamond-shaped indicators

• Must be placed on all four sides of vehicles containing hazardous materials– Highway transport vehicles– Railroad tank cars– Other forms of transportation

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Placards (2 of 2)

A placard identifies the broad hazard class for materials carried by a transport vehicle.

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Labels

• Relate to potential hazard inside particular package

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Additional Reference Sources

• Online databases, medical references

• Poison control centers

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

• CHEMTREC (U.S.), CANUTEC (Canada), or SETIQ (Mexico)

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NFPA Marking System (1 of 2)

• Labels designed for fixed-facility use

• Found on:– Outsides of buildings– Doorways to chemical storage areas– Fixed storage tanks

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NFPA Marking System (2 of 2)

The NFPA 704 hazard identification system is designed for fixed-facility use.

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Crowd Control (1 of 2)

• Generally more frightened victims than calm responders

• Responders must conduct themselves:– In a way that commands respect– In a way that establishes them as authority

figures

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Crowd Control (2 of 2)

• Use naturally occurring barriers

• Use uniformed officers to direct flow of victims

• Use megaphone or fire engine’s external speaker for commands

• Retain control

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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mass Decontamination

• At end of mass decontamination process

• pH paper for corrosive material

• Monitoring devices

• Radiological detection devices

• Health officials may assist

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Reports and Documentation (1 of 3)

• Prepared after incident has been terminated

• Complete and accurate as possible

• Legal account

• Completed by person responsible for decontamination

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Reports and Documentation (2 of 3)

• Includes:– Names of those decontaminated (if possible)– Information about released substance– Level of protection worn by responders– Actions taken to limit responder exposure– Details of decontamination process– Evidence collected

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Reports and Documentation (3 of 3)

Record the information from the incident in a complete and accurate manner.

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Evidence Preservation

• Life safety is first priority

• Preserve potential evidence

• Attempt to track victims’ valuables and clothing

• Consider using small, tagged bags

• Follow incident plan for securing evidence

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Summary (1 of 2)

• Mass decontamination quickly performs emergency decontamination on large number of victims

• Occurs in street, parking lot, other area• Nature of contaminant drives

decontamination plan

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• Use dilution, isolation and disposal, and washing

• Perform crowd control• Evidence preservation, documentation,

and reporting are important

Summary (2 of 2)

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