Читать книгу Health Service Support in a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Environment - United States. Department of the Army - Страница 14

Operations in a contaminated area require the HSS commander/leader to operate with contaminated or potentially contaminated assets. The following provides guidance in determining how to operate with contaminated facilities:

a. Fulfill Health Service Support Principles. In making his decision to move or continue to operate with contaminated facilities, the commander/leader must apply the principles of conformity, proximity, flexibility, mobility, continuity, and control. The unit's operation must conform to the tactical commander's operation plan (OPLAN). Health service support must be provided to the tactical unit as far forward as possible; this ensures prompt, timely care. Additionally, the HSS commander/leader must be flexible; his support must be tailored to meet the supported commander's OPLAN requirements. Therefore, HSS assets must be as mobile as the unit they support. Finally, the HSS commander/leader must control his assets. Dispersion on the integrated battlefield may enhance unit survivability; but the HSS commander/leader may not be able to maintain control of his assets, they may become compromised.

b. Decision to Move. The HSS commander/leader (when deciding to move his unit to an uncontaminated area or in support of the tactical commander's plan) must base his decision to move on several factors.

(1) Protection available. What type of protection is available in the new area? Will he need to establish the units' collective protection shelter (CPS) systems, or are indigenous shelters available (for example, buildings, tunnels, caves)? Does the unit have sufficient individual protective equipment for unit personnel?

(2) Persistency. If his unit has been in a contaminated area, is the contamination persistent or nonpersistent? Is the area he will move to contaminated or clean? Persistency determines the MOPP level; the degree of threat; and performance decrement caused by the protective measures used. The level of contamination will determine whether employment of CPS is viable. The MTF may be able to continue to operate at the location by employing CPS. Personnel and patient decontamination must be accomplished before processing into the CPS.

(3) Patients. Before moving the entire facility, the HSS commander/leader must consider the number and types of patients at the MTF; his ability to redirect en route patients to the new MTF location; and his ability to evacuate the patients currently on hand. All patients should be stabilized before movement; but, MEDEVAC must be continued.

(4) Alternate facilities. Alternate facilities may be used (if the facility can be configured to ensure continuity of care or provide a protected area for patients) until the relocating activity is up and operating. This is a viable consideration when CPS is not available or the current location is contaminated with a persistent agent. Patient decontamination cannot be performed in an area heavily contaminated with a persistent agent.

(5) Medical evacuation. Consideration must always be given to the patient. Routes of MEDEVAC must be disseminated to supported and supporting units. The ability to evacuate patients during the move must continue. All MEDEVAC considerations must be addressed before any move.

(6) Mobility. An MTF that is not 100 percent mobile requires movement support. Thus, the commander/leader must coordinate movement support requirements with higher headquarters.

(7) Mission. The primary consideration is the support mission of the MTF. The tactical commander requires continuous HSS for his personnel; when a move jeopardizes the quality of care, the move may be delayed.

(8) Sustainability. Hand-in-hand with the mission is sustainability (the ability of the unit to continue its support mission). If the current location of the MTF hinders the unit's ability to sustain its support mission, then the MTFs support to the unit is in question. Similarly, if moving the MTF will result in a disruption of support, then the move may not be viable.

(9) Decontamination. When a nonpersistent agent hazard exists and a CPS is not available, patients may be directed to another MTF until the hazard is gone; or the MTF can move to a contamination free area. Certain facilities may be decontaminated, patient protection procedures applied, and the operation continued. However, an MTF contaminated with a persistent agent requires time-consuming and resource-intensive decontamination operations; it may include replacement of contaminated shelters.

c. Management of Contaminated and "Clean" Facilities. Facilities contaminated with a persistent agent may be too resource intensive to decontaminate. Operating with a combination of contaminated assets and "clean" assets may be necessary. Mark contaminated assets with standard warning tags. Use these assets in contaminated environments and along contaminated routes. Keep clean assets in operation in clean areas. Of primary importance is proper marking and the avoidance of cross contamination.

d. Medical Supplies and Equipment for Patient Treatment. Are sufficient medical supplies and equipment available to perform the anticipated mission? Does the unit have special medical equipment sets available (chemical agent patient decontamination and chemical agent patient treatment medical equipment sets)?