Hazardous Materials

Decontamination Team

Standard Operating Procedures

September 4, 2022
 Table Of Contents
Introduction Page 2
Forward Page 3

Mission Statement Page 4

Minimum Training Requirements Page 5

List of Acronyms Page 6

Decontamination Terms Page 7

Control Zones Page 9

Contamination Page 10

Standard Operating Procedures Page 12

The Decon Officer Page 14

Decon Safety Officer Page 15

Accountability Officer Page 17

Selecting Levels of PPE Page 18

Chemical/Biological Ensembles Page 22

Set-up of the CRZ Page 23

Decon Truck Operations Page 25

Patient Decontamination Page 27

Mass Decontamination Page 29

List of Appendix's Page 34

1
 INTRODUCTION
As part of the effort to control hazardous materials, emergency action must be
taken to make victims, personnel, their equipment and the environment as safe as
possible, by the removal, neutralization or isolation of hazardous materials. This
process is called decontamination (DECON). This process is one of the most
important steps in ensuring personal safety at a hazardous materials emergency, yet
few fire departments devote proper attention to this subject. Consequently, we have
experienced injuries and confusion during emergency operations. These guidelines
will outline a complete decontamination process that can be implemented at the
scene of a hazardous materials incident. Scientific research and practical experience
with various contaminants are sometimes limited, thus making these guidelines
necessarily flexible.

The detail of decontamination operations required at an incident depends on the

safety and health hazards of the contaminants. An uncontaminated light oil for
example, that presents a minimal hazard, can be partially decontaminated by
flushing it from protective clothing. In contrast, a poisonous material will require a
careful and detailed course of action.
Several intermediate cleaning steps may be necessary, as outlined by the US EPA
9 step decontamination process, before the contaminated person is clean enough to
leave the DECON area safely.

We limit our involvement in the hazardous materials incident to

decontamination, victim extraction and back up to DNREC when needed. When
the emergency is over (incident stabilized) our DECON team will terminate
involvement. Any further DECON will be managed by DNREC ERB, or a private
contractor

2
 FORWARD
These guidelines have been prepared for the New Castle County Hazardous
Materials Decontamination Team to be followed at the scene of a hazardous
materials incident. Its scope is limited to decontamination, victim extraction and
special operations at the scene of hazardous materials, Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMD) or terrorist type incidents.

Information contained in these guidelines was assembled from over 20 research

documents, texts, journal articles, fire department standard operating
procedures and over 40 years of actual experience by the team.

3
 MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the New Castle County Hazardous Materials Decontamination

Team is to provide emergency, technical and mass decontamination, from the
threat of chemical, biological or radiological contamination. To assist the State in
incidents involving Hazardous Materials or Weapons of Mass Destruction with
extraction of victims, identification of the product, and assistance to the
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control when necessary, so
we may protect our First Responders, the hazardous materials response
community and the public at large.

4
 MINIMUM TRANNG FOR DECON TEAM MEMBERS

Course Facility Hours

Basic Firefighting Skills DSFS 36

HAZMAT Response Skills DSFS 24

Decon Operations DSFS/Team 8

Personal Protective Equipment DSFS/Team 4

Patient Decontamination DSFS/Team 4

Decon Equipment Operations DSFS/Team 8

Optional - Monitoring and Chemistry Team 9

TOTAL 84 (93)

In addition, each member is required to take an annual 8-hour refresher course.

Specialized training will be held quarterly or as needed on new equipment,

techniques and changes in policy or guidelines.

5
 COMMON ACRONYMS IN HAZMAT

AEL Acceptable Exposure Limit

CAMEO Computer Aided Management of Emergency Operations
CAT Chemical Advisory Team
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CPE Chemical Protective Equipment
CRZ Contamination Reduction Zone
DEMA Delaware Emergency Management Agency
DHSS Delaware Health and Social Services
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
DNREC ERB
Environmental Response Branch
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
DNREC EPO
Environmental Protection Officer
DPH Delaware Public Health
DSFS Delaware State Fire School
DSP Delaware State Police
EAS Emergency Alerting System
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
FOIC Fire Officer in Charge
HAZMAT Hazardous Materials
HAZMAT TL Hazardous Materials Team Leader
IC Incident Command
IDLH Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health
LEPC Local Emergency Planning Committee
NFPA National Fire Protection Association
NIOSH National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
OSC On Scene Coordinator
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PAPR Powered Air Purifying Respirator
PEL Permissible Exposure Limit
PIO Public Information Officer
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
SCBA Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
SDS Safety Data Sheet
SERT State Emergency Response Team
WMD Weapons of Mass Destruction

6
 DECONTAMINATION TERMS
1. Absorption Materials — Any material used to soak up hazardous substances
for the purpose of reducing the surface area of the material. Examples
include soil, sand, clay or commercially produced products.

2. Decontamination — The process of making personnel, equipment and

supplies safe by eliminating harmful substances.

3. Decontamination Area — Designated area where personnel, equipment and

supplies are made safe. This typically involves disposal of contaminated
materials, tools and clothing.

4. Degradation Chemicals — Chemicals used for decomposition of a

hazardous material by stages, to a point where the material is no longer
harmful to workers. Examples include sodium hypochlorite, sodium
hydroxide and hydrated lime.

5. Dilution — To reduce the concentration of a hazardous material to a point

where it is no longer harmful to workers. This normally is accomplished
through the application of water by showers or hose streams,

6. Entry Control Point — The point where workers enter the contaminated
area.

7. Exit Point — The point where workers depart the decontamination area in
preparation to be evaluated by medical personnel.

8. Isolation Area —The area where suspected or known hazardous materials

exist. This generally includes the accident site and all areas leading up to
the decontamination point and the perimeter (consists of the hot and warm
zone).

7
 9. DECON Officer — That person who oversees the entire operation of the
Decon Team. He/she will be responsible for delegating and briefing of the
Decon Liaison, Research, Safety, Accountability and Entry Officers.

10. Safety Officer (DECON) —The individual delegated the responsibility for
the safe operations of the decontamination area. He/she ensures the health
and safety of the DECON team and Ensures that all personnel coming out
of the hot zone are properly decontaminated.

11. Accountability Officer The individual responsible for accounting for Team
personnel at all times. This position can be divided into two Officers, Team
and Patient. They will also be responsible for the proper documentation and
security of the personal belongings of both the Team members and the
patients.

12. Liaison Officer — The individual responsible to communicate between the

IC and all other agencies involved at the Incident site.

13. Entry Officer — The individual responsible to keep account of everyone

entering the warm or hot zone. This person shall keep accurate times of
personnel in chemical protective suits and coordinate with the Safety
officer.

14. Incident Commander — Responsible for command and control of the entire
HAZMAT incident and all personnel.

15. Medical Officer — Responsible for control of all EMS functions at the
incident site.

16. Remote DECON Site - DECON site that is away from the HAZMAT
incident, because of weather or other extenuating conditions.

8
 CONTROL ZONES

HOT Zone — (see appendix A) The Hot Zone is the area of the incident where
significant contamination is present. No one is to enter this area unless they are
authorized and are in the proper Chemical Protective Equipment (CPE). All
personnel exiting the Hot Zone MUST go through the decontamination process
before entering the cold zone. Constant air monitoring of the Hot Zone must be
done to ensure that the contaminant is not spreading beyond the isolated area.

WARM Zone — (see appendix A) The area where the contamination reduction
zone (CRZ) is located and decontamination takes place. This zone will start at the
edge of the Hot Zone and will be as long as the length of the CRZ. This area shall
be upwind and uphill of the incident site. This area should be in line of sight of the
work area and on a hard surface such as concrete or blacktop. This is also the point
where any personnel that enter the Hot Zone, will pass through for accountability.

COLD Zone — (see appendix A) This is the area where all other ancillary agencies
will operate such as the command post, EMS, rehab, staging, media etc. This is the
safe area.

9
 CONTAMINATION

Prevention of Contamination — The first step in decontamination is to establish

standard operating procedures (SOP's) that minimize contact with chemicals and
the potential for contamination. These SOPs are:

To avoid unnecessary contact with potentially hazardous substances. For

example, members should not walk through areas of obvious
contamination, should avoid puddles and vapor clouds, and should not
directly touch unknown substances.

Use remote sampling and safe handling techniques.

Protect monitoring and sampling instruments by bagging. Make openings in

the bags for sampling ports and sensors to the atmosphere.

Wear disposable outer garments and use disposable equipment where

appropriate.

Types of Contamination — Contaminants can be located either on the surface of

personal protective equipment (PPE) or they may have permeated into the PPE
material. Surface contaminants may be easy to detect and remove. Contaminants
that have permeated a material are difficult or impossible to detect and remove. If
contaminants that have permeated a material are not removed by decontamination,
they may continue to permeate from the outer surface to the inner surface. This is
called permeation and can cause an unexpected exposure.

Five major factors affect the extent of permeation:

1. Contact Time — The longer a contaminant is in contact with an object, the

greater the probability and extent of permeation. For this reason, minimizing
contact time is one of the most important objectives of a decontamination
program.

2. Concentration — A term used to indicate the amount of an active ingredient

that is contained in a given solution. The amount of one substance mixed or
dissolved in a specified amount of a second substance. The amount of a
product in a certain volume or weight. By moving from a high concentration
area to a low concentration area, you decrease the potential for permeation of
PPE.

10
 3. Temperature — An increase in temperature generally increases the
permeation rate of the contaminants.

4. Physical State of Chemicals — As a rule, gases, vapors, and low viscosity

liquids tend to permeate more readily than high viscosity liquids or solids.

5. Type of Material — The type of material that is exposed or contaminated,

i.e., PBI, Nomex, Tyvek, etc.

For general characteristics and examples of hazardous materials (see

appendix B)

11
 STANDARD OPERATNG PROCEDURES

When Decontamination is required, some on-scene strategy is necessary to help

Ensure the best outcome and a safe operation. The basic building block of any
response plan is daily operating procedures. Each emergency response agency
should develop its own operating procedures. The following guidelines have been
developed based on practical application of established basic operating principles.
While there are "ideal" conditions regarding weather, topography and other factors,
you should never expect to encounter them in a typical hazardous materials
incident.

In many situations it will not be necessary to go through the entire procedure.

The decision to implement all or part of the decontamination process should be
based on a field analysis of the hazards and risks associated with the hazardous
materials involved. This generally consists of consulting with technical reference
sources to determine the general hazards, such as flammability, toxicity and an
evaluation of the relative risks of the conditions at the incident. It should be pointed
out that the usual reference books and reference materials available to emergency
response personnel will not spell out how to decontaminate either personnel or
equipment. In some cases, technical data and advice from specialists may be
conflicting and difficult to obtain. In either case, joint decision-making should be
used. (Decon Officer, Incident Commander, DSFS Representative, DNREC
HazMat Officer, and Industrial Team Safety Officer if present).

Reference guide data combined with general on-scene reconnaissance will

normally provide sufficient information necessary to make some immediate
decisions on how to safely decontaminate personnel. Some examples of available
resources carried by the Decon Unit are listed below
• DOT Emergency Response Guidebook (Most recent version)
• NFPA Hazardous Materials Guidebook
• CHRIS Manual
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Hazardous Materials
• Assorted SDS Sheets
• Farm Chemicals Guidebook
• Airline Industry Hazardous Materials Guidebook

12
 It is generally agreed by experienced personnel that THERE IS NO SINGLE
REFERENCE SOURCE THAT WILL PROVIDE THE INFORMATION
NECESSARY TO EVALUATE THE HAZARDS AND RISKS OF HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS. Always consult with more than one source. Response personnel
need to know how to handle conflicting information on physical characteristics
data, water solubility, flash point, threshold limit value, LEL and UEL, general
health hazards, PPE and Decon procedures.

The New Castle County Hazardous Materials Decontamination Team Incident

Command System Structure (see appendix C)

13
 THE DECON OFFICER

The Decon Officer is the person in charge of the Decon team at the scene of a
hazardous materials incident and has the following duties:

• Consult and work closely with the Incident Commander

• Consult and work closely with the DNREC HazMat Officer, the Industrial
HazMat Team Leader, the EMS Team Leader and any specialists on site.

• Select a proper DECON site and supervise its implementation.

• Select the proper PPE and equipment used by the Decon Team in concert
with the DNREC HazMat Officer and the IC.

• Select the proper DECON solution.

• Brief each entry team on the type of DECON that will occur upon their exit
from the Hot Zone.

• Document the contaminants that the team is involved with.

• Verify that agreed upon DECON procedures are being followed.

• Ensure that accountability of all personal belongings of decontaminated

victims and response personnel are being properly handled.

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 DECON SAFETY OFFICER

The Decon Safety Officer is designated by the Decon Officer. The Decon Safety
Officer will remain at the edge of the Cold/Warm Zone at the exit of the CRZ on
the clean side of the line. His/her responsibilities include:

• Working closely with the Incident Safety Officer, the Industrial Team safety
Officer and the DNREC ERB safety Officer.

• Concern for the welfare and safe practices of all personnel operating in the
Hot and Warm Zones.

• Ensure that the Access Control Point into the Hot Zone is restricted to
authorized entry personnel in proper CPE.

• Safety checks of all respiratory and chemical protective equipment.

• Ensure that proper decontamination procedures are being followed and are
in place before any entry into the Hot Zone.

• Coordinate entry, exit and airtime of all DECON personnel and keep a log of
same.

• The authority to cancel entry operation into the CRZ at any time if the
situation has escalated, or if an entry or Decon person's physical condition
has deteriorated to a point of unacceptable risk, or if the task is not safe.

• Maintain constant communications with the Decon Officer and any other
Safety Officers.

• When the Decon Team is in SCBA, he/she will keep track of airtime to allow
the Decon personnel time to be decontaminated to either be relieved or to
have their bottle changed.

• Document the length of exposure or possible exposure to team members.

15
 ACCOUNTABILIY OFFICER
The Accountability Officer will be designated by the Decon Officer and is
responsible for the following:

• Obtain the black box that contains the accountability packs and forms and
bring it to the clean side of the CRZ.

• Record the name of every individual that enters the CRZ on the form
provided (see appendix D), the appropriate bar code label will be attached to
this form and documented.

• Place the wristband with the same bar code number, on each victim's wrist.

• Ensure that all valuables of any person entering the Decon Area are collected,
placed in the zipper lock plastic bag and put into the valuables safe.

• Place the victims' clothing into the appropriate clear plastic bags and place in
a secure area.

• Maintain communications with the Decon Officer

16
 SELECTING LEVELS OF PROTECTION

Chemical Protective Equipment (CPE) that safeguards the body against

contact with known or anticipated toxic chemicals has been divided into four
categories according to the degree of protection needed.

• Level A — The highest level of protection. The Level A suit is a fully

encapsulated vapor proof suit, which provides the wearer with the highest
level of respiratory and skin protection.

• Level B — Level B is a one-piece chemical resistant suit with a built-in

hood and booties. This level of protection provides the highest respiratory
protection but only provides splash protection for the skin.

• Level C — Level C is a one or two-piece chemical resistant suit with a built-

in hood and booties. This level of protection provides less respiratory
protection than Level B and splash protection for the skin.

• Level D — Level D is the lowest protection. Level D is usually a work

uniform with safety protection. Firefighters gear is considered Level D.

NOTE: As a rule of thumb, Decon personnel wear one level of CPE below the
level of the Entry Team. However, when circumstances dictate, the same level of
protection, as the Entry Team will be worn.
The HazMat Officer, the Decon Officer and the Decon Safety Officer will
determine the level of protection needed for the Decon Team.

17
 LEVEL-A CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Level A Protection

• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

or Supplied Air Respirator (SAR)
• Fully-encapsulated vapor proof suit with
attached gloves
• Chemical resistant inner gloves
• Chemical resistant boots with steel toe and
shank worn over the suit.
• Two-way radio communications

Optional:

• Coveralls
• Long cotton underwear
• Hard hat
• Cooling vest
• Kevlar gloves worn over suit gloves
• Disposable boot covers

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 LEVEL-B CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Level B Protection

• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus or

Supplied Air Respirator
• One-piece chemical resistant suit with built in
hood and booties. This suit can be fully
encapsulated.
• Chemical resistant inner gloves
• Chemical resistant outer gloves (taped to suit)
• Chemical resistant boots with steel toe and
shank (taped to suit)
• Hard hat

Optional:

• Long cotton underwear

• Coveralls
• Cooling vest
• Splash hood
• Disposable boot covers

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 LEVEL-C CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Level-C Protection

• Hooded PAPR or Full face or half face canister or cartridge type respirator
(NIOSH approved eye protection if half face)
• Chemical resistant one piece or two-piece suit with
hood
• Chemical resistant inner gloves
• Chemical resistant outer gloves(Taped to suit)
• Chemical resistant boots with steel toe and shank (taped
to suit)
• Hardhat

Optional:

• Face shield
• Chemical resistant boot covers
• Coveralls
• Splash hood
• Cooling vest

20
 LEVEL-D PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

Level-D Protection:

• Coveralls, one piece jump suit

• Firefighters Turn-out gear
• Chemical resistant inner gloves
• Chemical resistant outer gloves
• Eye protection

Optional:

• Face shield
• Chemical resistant apron
• Chemical resistant boot covers

21
 Protective Ensembles
For
Chemical/Biological Terrorism Incidents
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) set the following classes
of PPE as standards. Standard 1994 is the NFPA code that covers these
ensembles.

Class 1 — The requirements for Class 1 (same as Level-A) ensembles shall apply
to vapor-protective ensembles and liquid-protective ensembles designed to
protect personnel at chemical/biological terrorism incidents where a risk analysis
of the incident indicates one of the following:
1. The identity or concentration of the vapor or liquid is unknown.
2. Liquid contact is expected and no direct skin contact can be permitted, as
exposure of personnel at these levels will result in the substantial possibility
of immediate death or immediate serious injury or illness, or the ability to
escape will be severely impaired.

Class 2 — The requirements for Class 2 (same as Level-B) ensembles shall apply
to ensembles that provides protection from vapors and liquids and are designed to
protect personnel at chemical/biological terrorism incidents where risk analysis of
the incident indicates the following:
1. Victims are non-ambulatory and symptomatic.
2. Potential for direct liquid droplet or aerosol contact is probable.

Class 3 — The requirements for Class 3 (same as Level-C) ensembles shall apply
to ensembles that provide protection from liquids and are designed to protect
personnel at chemical/biological terrorism incidents where a risk analysis of the
incident indicates the following:
1. Victims are ambulatory and symptomatic.
2. Potential for direct liquid droplet or aerosol contact is possible.

22
 SET-UP OF THE CONTAMINATION REDUCTION
ZONE
The set-up of the CRZ will vary due to the health, safety and environmental
hazards associated with every hazardous substance. Once the Decon Officer,
HazMat Officer and Decon Safety Officer determine the proper plan for DECON.
If it is determined that the U.S. EPA 9 step process will be used, the CRZ will be
set-up in the following manner.
(See appendix E)

1. Make sure that the Decon area is up-hill and up-wind of the Hot Zone. Place
a small tarp in the Hot Zone at the edge of the CRZ to serve as a tool drop.
2. Roll out the inflatable or fold up side berm, placing the end of it at the edge
of the Hot Zone. If using the inflatable berm; use a 30-minute SCBA bottle,
take the berm's fill hose (located in a pouch at the end of the berm) connect
it to the berm. Hold the hose against the opening in the valve of the SCBA
bottle and slowly open the bottle allowing the pressure to start filling the
air pouches. (There is no connecting device from the bottle to the fill hose)
3. Place tall orange traffic cones (carried in the Decon Unit) along both sides
of the CRZ and string barrier tape between them creating a corridor. Leave
an opening in each side of the CRZ to allow Decon personnel to pass into
the clean and dirty side of the CRZ.
4. Place the first Decon pool on the end of the inside of the containment berm
area closest to the Hot Zone. This pool will contain the gross shower. Put a
plastic skid inside the pool with the longest side pointing toward the end of
the CRZ. Place the PVC shower in this pool. Place a rubber mat and walker
between this pool and the next pool.
5. Place the second Decon pool at the edge of the rubber mat. This pool will
be the wash/rinse pool. Put a plastic skid inside this pool the same way as
the gross shower pool. Place two 5-gallon buckets one on either side of the
pool and put the proper Decon solution in them. Place a scrub brush in each
bucket. Place 2 rinse wands, one on each side of the pool. If a third pool is
necessary repeat this step.
6. Place another rubber mat and walker at the edge of the second pool.
7. It may be necessary to place an additional pool next to the gross shower
pool. This pool will have 2 sawhorses in it. This would be utilized if a
victim on a backboard were brought to the CRZ. This will be for gross

23
 Decon only, the victim will then be brought directly into the Decon Shower
Truck for further decontamination.
8. Designate the clean side and the dirty side of the CRZ.
9. On the clean side, set up a folding table. Place the water manifold on the
table. Connect a 1 ¾” Fire Department hose line to the water manifold. The
pump operator should be advised not to pump higher than 90 psi into the 1
¾” hose line. The black 1" hose carried on the HazMat Truck goes to the
gross shower and the gray 5/8" hoses go to the rinse wands. Open the valves
on the water manifold and bleed all the air out of the water lines and the
PVC shower before the Decon process starts.

10. Place the metal bag holders at the edge of the berm on the dirty side of the
CRZ, and 3 folding chairs opposite the holders on the clean side of the berm
past the last Decon pool. Bags for these holders will be given to the Decon
personnel from the Accountability Officer. It is very important that the bar
code number on the tag on the wrist of the person being decontaminated
matches the bar code number on the bag that you are putting their clothes
or bunker gear into
11. Depending on the number of victims to be decontaminated, it may be
necessary to set up the submersible pump to drain the contaminated water
from the Decon pools into another pool, bladder or drum on the dirty side of
the CRZ.

24
 DECON TRUCK OPERATIONS
When the need arises for the contaminated victims to take a personal shower,
the Decon truck will be put into operation. While the set-up of the truck is not
difficult, it is necessary to do it properly for the safety of the Decon personnel as
well as the victims.

The truck will be positioned at the end of the containment berm area of the
CRZ, leaving enough room for the lift gate or stairs if utilized to be placed at the
door opening at the entrance to the truck. After the driver has parked the truck the
following steps will be followed:

1. The driver will ensure that no one else opens or approaches the truck.

2. The driver will ensure the generator and high idle are running.

3. The driver will then activate the Big Foot Leveling System. While the system
is operating, no one can enter or exit the truck including the driver. Once the
“Green Level Foot” light is illuminated, the driver can continue the setup.

4. Make sure that the breakers are tuned on at the panel in the closet on the driver’s
side of the truck. Ensure the interior lights are on, and the interior HVAC is
activated and appropriate for the operating weather.

5. Connect a 1 ¾” hose line to the connection on the street or curb side of the truck
Tell the pump operator to pump the line at 100 psi max. NOTE: It is important
that all the drain valves, tank fill valve and the tank drain valve, street side
shower arm drain valves, are closed before opening the water valve where the
hose line comes into the truck.

6. The water heaters come on automatically once water starts flowing. The
temperature settings are preset. You must run the water in the shower
compartment to get it warm before you send people through the truck.

8. When possible two Decon members will be in the shower compartment of the
truck to assist the victims. Preferably there will be a male in the male side and
a female in the female side. When not possible one person will utilize the
Intercom system to give instructions to the victims prior to the victim entering
the shower compartment.

25
9. ALS personnel will be in the clean room of the truck for medical monitoring
of the victims. It may be necessary to move the ALS into an inflatable tent if
a large number of victims have to be decontaminated. EMS Treatment
vehicles such as MEDCOM or PA-200 may be used if available.

10. At the end of the Decon process, the inside of Decon 1 must be
decontaminated and the dirty water tank emptied before the truck leaves
the incident.

26
 PATIENT DECONTAMNATION

In addition to the routine 9 step decontamination procedures, emergency

decontamination procedures must be established. In an emergency, the primary
concern is to prevent the loss of life or severe injury to all victims. If emergency
treatment is required to save a life, complete Decon may be delayed until the patient
is stabilized and those providing care must be in the appropriate protective clothing.
If decon can be performed without interfering with essential lifesaving treatment,
or if a worker has been contaminated with an extremely toxic or corrosive material
that could cause severe injury or loss of life, decontamination must be performed
immediately. If an emergency due to a Hazmat-related illness develops, protective
clothing should be removed from the patient as soon as possible to reduce heat
stress. During an emergency, provisions must also be made for protecting medical
personnel (same PPE as the Decon team)

Patients affected by hazardous materials may also have traumatic injuries, or

other illnesses, due to other causes or the effects of the incident. These patients
must be managed so as to minimize the injuries resulting from chemical exposure
without aggravating the traumatic injuries or illnesses.

The most frequent problem will be to determine whether a traumatic, medical

condition or chemical hazard requires priority. Furthermore, measures to control
hemorrhage, shock, respiratory or other medical difficulties, resulting from causes
other than exposure to certain hazardous substances, may be of equal or greater
urgency than the treatment for chemical agent poisoning. All required treatment
and emergency care measures might, therefore, have to be performed in rapid
sequence or by simultaneous team action.

For patients exposed to certain types of hazardous materials, e.g., radiological,

biological and certain chemicals, who have traumatic injuries or other medical
illness, decontamination should be accomplished as soon as the situation permits.
The general principle "BETTER BLISTERED AND LIVING THAN
DECONTAMINATED AND DEAD" must be followed. Lifesaving measures for
traumatic Injury or some illnesses must be given priority over Immediate
decontamination despite the increase in chemical injury caused by the delay.

When a contaminated patient has another injury or illness resulting in

respiratory difficulty, hemorrhage, or shock, the recommended order of priority
in which emergency action should be taken is as follows:

27
 1. Control of respiratory failure (assisted ventilation) and massive hemorrhage.

2. Administration of antidote, such as atropine for certain pesticides.

3. Decontamination of the face.

4. Removal of contaminated clothing as soon as possible, and always before the

patient is moved indoors (including into the ambulance). Clothing should be
cut off while disturbing the patient as little as possible.

5. Decontamination of skin where required. Patient decontamination should be

done with the rescuer protected against the agent involved. When the
contaminant is a dry agent, do not wet it, or wash the patient, until you have
removed all of the dry agent possible by lightly brushing the material from
the surface. Removal of the clothing by cutting, often will suffice to remove
the majority of material. The remainder can then be removed by washing
several times, controlling the wastewater. The Decon team member should
be careful not to abrade the skin of the patient, as this will allow for easier
absorption of the material involved.

6. Additional emergency medical care for treatment for shock, wounds, and
illness, which is so severe that delay may endanger life.

7. Transport to appropriate medical facility.

NOTE: Always alert the receiving facility of the type of material, the amount of
exposure or contamination and the degree of decontamination that was
accomplished on site.

For liquids materials or toxic gases, rapid removal of the clothing should be
accomplished followed by washing with copious amounts of water, then with soap.
Clothing will tend to trap the liquid or gas close to the skin if allowed to remain on
the patient.

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 Mass Decontamination

What is mass decontamination Hazmat?

Mass Decontamination is the physical process of reducing or removing surface

contaminants from large numbers of victims in potentially life-threatening situations
in the fastest time possible.

Mass decontamination is performed by way of decontamination tents, trailers, or

fixed facilities (car wash, swimming pools, gyms). Depending on weather
conditions, mass decontamination may also be accomplished by use of fire
apparatus. Most hospitals have at least one mass decontamination facility or portable
tent system.

Using soap and water as a

mass decontamination
method is called: washing.
This is usually the
preferred solution
depending on the type of
contamination.

The primary focus of mass

casualty decontamination
should be on physical
removal of the
contaminant using a water
shower deluge. .

If the likelihood of adverse consequences from water-based decontamination

methods outweighs the likely health outcome gains, then patient decontamination
should be performed using alternative practices. Considerations: • Patient
decontamination is not without risk to the patient; appropriate measures should be
taken to mitigate these risks and to reduce the negative impact on patients. • Adverse
consequences might be caused by severe weather (e.g., hypothermia due to cold

29
temperatures), chemical reactivity (e.g., water-reactive chemicals or metals, such as
lithium or sodium), delay in lifesaving care, or psychological trauma.

During mass decontamination the main objective is to get the contaminate off the
victim as quickly as possible using large amounts of water. With large amounts of
contaminated people, technical decon is not practical. Time is of the essence to stop
health problems which will occur.

30
Mass Decontamination is very close to Emergency Decontamination Certainly not
the best decon but vital when dealing with large numbers of victims. “Large” is in
the eye of the Responder based on available resources.

Mass decontamination is initiated where the number of victims and time constraints
do not allow the establishment of an in-depth decontamination process. Mass
decontamination is a gross decontamination process utilizing large volumes of low-
pressure water to reduce the level of contamination. Personnel, equipment and time
are huge factors in determining the process. There are some very simple processes
to the complex, cheap to the astronomically expensive. The above picture shows a
commonly accepted set up using pumpers’ and aerial if available making a large
“Shower” type set up. Contaminated Personnel should be funneled through the water
spray area(disrobe first, shower and sent to medical triage and evaluation before
being sheltered or transported.

Anticipate self-evacuation from the scene prior to decontamination and develop a

coordinated whole community response plan to manage the entire spectrum of
patients, which include: • At scene: ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients who
remain at the scene; individuals other than responders who arrive at the scene after
the release and become exposed (e.g., news reporters, bystanders); • Self-evacuated:
patients who travel without the assistance of responders to a health care facility (e.g.,
hospital, physician’s office, or urgent care center); and • Left scene: patients who
leave the scene and do not seek care (e.g., return home or travel elsewhere), or seek
care later due to delayed onset of signs and symptoms.

Exposure vs. Contamination A key determinant for estimating risk is distinguishing

chemical exposure alone from chemical contamination, during a mass
decontamination event. A chemical exposure may occur without deposition on
clothing or body surfaces. For example, a person engulfed in a cloud of gas (e.g.,
carbon monoxide) will not become contaminated with carbon monoxide depositing
on the clothing or body surfaces. On the other hand, an aerosol cloud of a toxic
chemical (e.g., hydrofluoric acid) can condense on clothing and skin, contaminating
the person. Therefore, a patient can be exposed to a chemical without contamination

31
or be exposed as well as contaminated. Through risk-based assessment, responders
and receivers can identify people who were near the release and potentially exposed,
but not likely to be contaminated. This will be determined by the DNREC ERT rep
on scene with coordination with the Incident Commander and the Decon Officer.
Chemtrec and the Poison Control Center may also be involved in the planning.

Mass Decontamination Procedure:

1. Determine the type of decontamination needed (wet, dry), in coordination

with the IC, DNREC.ERT, NCC Hazmat/Decon and EMS. The EMS On-
Scene Commander will notify area hospitals of the type of incident, and the
involved product(s) before any transport takes place , this will allow the
hospitals to initiate their internal hazmat procedures before the patients start
arriving).
2. Select a large enough area to accommodate the resources needed to perform
the mass decon. Typography of the area is important, this is to ensure that
the water run-off does not go into any nearby streams or waterways, or flows
to any part of the Safe/Green zone of the incident.
3. Leave room between the decon area and the EMS triage/treatment area so
there will not be a back-up of patients back to the shower area.
4. Position engines, ladder, tower or squrt to form the mass decon shower area.
5. Engines should be placed side to side with pump panels facing the outside.
The engines should be 20 feet apart with fog nozzles connected directly to
the pumps discharge. A 1 3/4” hand line(s) may also be used for temporary
decon until the engines are set-up, or for emergency decon of First
Responders exiting the hot zone.
6. Ensure adequate water supply. Water supply lines should be laid out to every
engine or aerial device in the mass decontamination area.
7. Have victims disrobe all outside clothing before entering the decon (shower)
area. If adequate personnel are available, bag clothing and valuables and
mark the bags with victim’s name. This equipment is carried on Hazmat16.
8. Victims will enter the shower area walking slowly, they will turn around a
couple of times while in the water spray. This should be explained to them
before they enter the shower area.
9. Victims exiting the shower area should handed a towel and or blanket.
10.Victims then should be directed to the EMS triage and treatment area.
11.If needed, the victims will be directed to transportation area for transport to a
medical facility or brought to a holding area for further instructions.

32
 12.Mass decon may be performed in conjunction with Technical decon, for the
entry teams working the incident.
13.Non-ambulatory patients will be brought to Hazmat unit Decon 1, to be
decontaminated using the roller system which is mounted on the unit.
14.During mass decon events, decon personnel may wear bunker gear with eye
protection and double nitrile exam gloves if approved by the Decon Safety
Officer.

33
 List of Appendices

A Hazardous Materials Control Zones

General Characteristics of Hazardous

B
Materials

C HazMat Incident Command Structure

D Accountability Forms

Contamination Reduction Zone/Setup

E
Diagram

34
 Appendix A
Control Zones

35
 Appendix B

36
 Appendix C

Incident Command Structure

IC

Operations

Hazmat
Operations

DNREC DECON EMS

Hazmat Response Decon Officer EMS Command

Team Staff

Hazmat Specialists Safety Officer EMS Supervisor

Environmental Technical Advanced Life

Enforcement Advisors Support

Clean-Up Team Members Basic Life Support

Contractor

37
 Appendix D

Team
Operations
Forms

38
 Incident: _______________________
Date: _________________________

Accountability Form
Barcode Sticker Name

39
 PAGE #: ___________

Incident: _______________________
Date: _________________________

Identification of Personal Belongings Form

Name Company/Address

PAGE #: ___________
40
 DECON OFFICER
Duty Position: Report to the DNREC On-Scene Coordinator or Hazardous Materials Branch Officer
You are responsible for the establishment and operations of Decontamination Operations. Ensure
the safety of your personnel. Work closely with the DNREC On-Scene Coordinator and Incident Commander
Duty Check List: Read Entire Duty Check List
 Obtain situation briefing from the (IC and work closely with them and the DNREC On-Scene Coordinator)
 Don position identification vest (Decon Officer)
Your Duties include but not limited to the following:
 Assess situation
 Confer and work closely with DNREC, NCCIHMRA, SAFETY, EMS
 Appoint and brief staff as necessary:
 DECON LIASON
 DECON RESEARCH
 DECON SAFETY
 DECON ACCOUNTABILITY
 DECON ENTRY
 Confirm Product ID
 Confirm Zones
 Identify area for C.R.Z. and Decon apparatus [Upwind and Uphill, Size (approx. 50’ W by 200’ L), Water supply]
 Confirm proper setup of C.R.Z.
 Confirm proper setup of Decon 1 or Personal Shower if being utilized
 Select proper PPE, in concert with DNREC and IC
 Select appropriate DECON process: Wet vs Dry, # of steps, etc.
 Select appropriate DECON solution
 Brief each entry team of the type of DECON that will occur upon their exit.
 Document the contaminants that the team is involved with.
 Verify agreed upon Decon procedures are being followed.
 Ensure that accountability of team member is being maintained
 Ensure Secondary Egress Decon is addressed
 Ensure Hospital has been advised of type of product and DECON of the patients
 Ensure that Accountability of Patient and responders belongings are handled properly.
 Ensure Runoff and Grey Water issues are delt with properly.
 Incoming water pressure for manifold and trailer max. 90 psi.
 Coordinate with the EMS Officer, Suppression Officer, Back-up teams, Entry teams
 Project future on scene needs [Equipment, Personnel, Resources, Consumables, etc.]
 Collect all documentation forward as appropriate to the DNREC OSC, HM Officer, and/or IC
Revised: 090422 JL/TS

41
 Appendix E

Contamination
Reduction Zone
Decon Setups

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