DECONTAMINATION

Decontamination

History

General principles

Different roles
Diff
l off the
h partners
in victimscoverage
victims coverage

Decontamination

History

General principles

Different roles
Diff
l off the
h partners
in victims
victimscoverage
coverage

History

3 hi
historical
t i lE
Events
t
Bhopal India 1984
Goiania Brazil 1984
Tokyo
y JJapan
p 1995

Increase of the threat

AQ
Irak

Bhopal - India
North central India
0,9 Mon Inhabitants in 1984
Juncture of severall railways
l

Bhopal - India
Union Carbide
Built and operate the pesticide
plant,
l t since
i
1969
From 1979,
1979 began to product its
own methyl iso
iso-cyanide
cyanide

Bhopal - India
At night
i ht on December
D
b 23,
23 1984
Release
R l
off 40 ttons off HCN and
d
methyl iso
iso-cyanide
cyanide
Cloud: 40sq km area
500000 exposed,
p
, 6000 dead the
first week

Bhopal - India

Goiania - Brazil
Demolition
D
li i off an old
ld clinic,
li i 1984
Cesium
C i
used
d for
f cancer therapy
th
Pastilles
P till
off salts
lt off cesium
ium
spread by scavangers
250
exposed, 104 internal
contamination, 28 with signs of
radiation sickness, 4 fatalities

Goiania - Brazil
Portions
P
i
off town buried
b i d as
radioactive waste
Widespread panic: people who
want to be controlled
113000 p
people
p in a stadium, 120
positive

Tokyo - Japan

T
Terrorist
i t attacks
tt k b
by A
Aum S
Sectt

Boxes of Sarin gas in the subway

> 5500 casualties,

casualties 12 fatalities,
fatalities
contaminated hospital
p
departments
p

Increase of the threats

Al-Qada

Attacks of chlorine wagons in Irak

Traffics of radiological substances

Decontamination

History

General principles

Different roles
Diff
l off the
h partners
in victims
victims coverage

ITS
YOU TO PLAY !
- 4 groups
- 1 of each group to report

Youre one of the 1st responders,

specialized in decontamination

Situation
You re now known to have followed a
Youre
CBRN training
g course. So,, y
you are
THE ONE WHO KNOWS.
You arrive onsite 30mn after the event
occurred.
occurred

And so what?
15 discussion

Questions?

Decon or not ?

Why,
h iff decon
d
?

How ?

Definition
Refers
R
f
t the
to
th means that
th t reduce
d
th
the
hazard of a contaminant
2 basic methods:

Physical removal (mechanical action with

techniques such as gentle friction, blotting and
washing)
Neutralization (methods and/or materials to
counteract the harmful effects of the contaminant)

Purposes
Removing
R
i the
th agentt from
f
th victims
the
i ti skin
ki
and clothing,
g thus reducing
g further agent
g
exposure and physical effects;
Protecting
P t ti emergency responders,
d
medical
di l
staff and others from secondary
y transfer
exposures;
Preventing
victims from
f
spreading
d
contamination over additional areas

Stages of decontamination

Emergency decontamination
E
d
t i ti
By 1st responders
Dry
y deco
decontamination
ta
at o (ab/adso
(ab/adsorption
pt o w
with
t G
Ground
ou d o
of Foulon,
ou o ,
absorbing products)
Removal of the superficial coats and shoes
from
f
70%
70
0% to 80
80%
% off physical
h
l contamination removed
d
New clothes (pyjamas survival covers)
Detailed decontamination Wet
Not systematic, depend of the contaminant
Using specific modules or local structures (swimming pools,
stadiums)

Basic
synthesis

Questions?
The chief of operation
p
ask y
you to
organize the chemical sector
Suggest a simple organization to offer
the best response for decontamination

15 discussion

Chronology - 1

Chronology - 1

Decontamination

History

General principles

Different roles
Diff
l off the
h partners
in victims
victims coverage

Different roles of the

partners

Fire rescue service

Fi
i
Command and control the global organization, according to the
political decisions
p
Detect so as to perform a safety assessment and attempt to identify
signs/symtoms of exposure
E acuate the victims
Evacuate
ictims to the assembly point of the victims
ictims
Set up and conduct the decontamination process
Health services
Triage of the casualties
1st medical assistance
Monitoring victims during decontamination process
Conduct the contamination process at the entrances of the
hospitals, if equipped

Different roles of the

partners

Police
P
li
Notify and inform
Insure
su e tthee law
aw a
and
do
order
de
Perimeter of isolation
Maintenance of order
Protection of people and goods
Conservation of clues
Road traffic and parking zones
Lead the judicial investigation

Conclusions
Removing clothes is the most critical step in mass
decontamination = less contaminant in contact

Do not delay removal of clothes or application of a

high-volume, low pressure water shower to set up
tents additional equipment or to create a soap-water
solution = gain delays

Conduct decontamination triage prior to

administering a shower = reduce the number of
victims to shower

Conclusions
Rubbing should start with the head and proceed
down the body to the feet = preserve vital functions
(breathe head)
(breathe,

Victim observation area will be used to monitor

victims for signs of delayed symptoms or evidence
of residual contamination = delayed effects

Perform secondary decontamination if necessary =

use local structures and/or specific structures

QUESTIONS ?