Читать книгу Health Service Support in a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Environment - United States. Department of the Army - Страница 18

a. The use of NBC weapons is a condition of battle and HSS personnel must prepare to operate in these environments. Added is the dimension of TIM releases/incidents in the operational area. The importance of preventive medicine (PVNTMED) measures and first aid (self-aid, buddy aid, and combat lifesaver [CLS] support) are even more critical. Heat and stress injuries related to MOPP wear are issues for the HSS leadership as well as the force he is supporting. The stress load on personnel is increased by the concerns of being exposed to TIM releases. Considering that staffing of HSS units is based upon the minimum required to provide support on a conventional battlefield, they will be challenged to provide the same level of HSS in these environments.

b. The HSS leadership must quantify the HSS capability to their commanders. The medical staff must review OPLANS and make recommendations to reduce the number of patients. Medical NBC training programs must stress the essential imperative of immediate decontamination, the need to monitor your buddy for NBC and heat or combat/operational stress injury effects, and the proper use of NBC defense prophylaxis, pretreatments, insect repellents, barrier creams, and immunizations.

c. Maintaining close proximity to the supported force has been a major tenet of HSS doctrine and a critical factor in reducing the mortality rate. Maintaining this proximity and finding a place clean enough to provide necessary care requires intense coordination with the supported force. Alternate casualty collection points, decontamination sites, medical treatment sites, and MEDEVAC routes must be established, coordinated and communicated to the lowest level practical. Communication will be much more difficult, but must be maintained. Timely reports through the HSS technical channels will allow an optimal HSS response. Replacements for HSS front line losses must be rapidly filled after NBC weapons are employed.

d. Contamination (NBC and TIMs) can significantly hinder HSS operations. To maximize the unit's survivability and HSS capabilities and to avoid such contamination, leaders must use—

 Contamination avoidance techniques.

 Alarms and detection equipment.

 Unit dispersion techniques.

 Overhead shelter, shielding material, protective cover, and buildings of opportunity. However, these shelters may not provide protection from chemical vapor or BW hazards.

 Collective protection shelters, if available. See Appendix F.

 Chemical agent resistant coatings on equipment.

e. On the NBC battlefield, as on the conventional battlefield, HSS is focused on keeping soldiers in the battle. Effective and efficient PVNTMED measures, triage, emergency medical treatment (EMT), decontamination, advanced trauma management (ATM), and contamination control in the AO saves lives, assures judicious MEDEVAC, and maximizes the return to duty (RTD) rate.