Читать книгу Health Service Support in a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Environment - United States. Department of the Army - Страница 28

a. Select sites for the BAS and DCS that are located away from likely enemy target areas. Cover and concealment is extremely important; they increase protection for operating the MTF.

b. Operating a CBPS System in the CB mode at the BAS requires at least eight medical personnel. The senior NCO performs patient triage and limited EMT and minor injury care in the patient decontamination area. One trauma specialist supervises patient decontamination and manages patients during the decontamination process. Two trauma specialists work on the clean side of the hot line and manage the patients until they are placed in the clean treatment area or are sent into the CBPS for treatment. They also manage the patients that are awaiting MEDEVAC to the DCS. The physician, physician assistant, and two trauma specialists provide ATM in the clean treatment area or inside the CBPS. See Appendix F for CPS entry/exit procedures.

c. When the BAS or DCS are receiving NBC contaminated patients, they require at least eight nonmedical personnel from supported units to perform patient decontamination procedures. These facilities are only staffed to provide patient care under conventional operational conditions. Without the augmentation support, they can either provide patient decontamination or patient care, but not both.

d. A patient decontamination station is established to handle contaminated patients (see Appendix G). The station is separated from the clean treatment area by a "hot line" and is located downwind of the clean treatment area or CPS. Personnel on both sides of the "hot line" assume a MOPP level commensurate with the threat agent employed (normally MOPP Level 4). The patient decontamination station should be established in a contamination-free area of the battlefield. However, it may be necessary to establish a patient decontamination station that is collocated with an MTF that is employing a CBPS, in a chemical vapor hazard area in order to decontaminate patients and clear the battlefield before moving the MTF to a clean area. When CPS systems are not available, the clean treatment area is located upwind 30 to 50 meters of the contaminated work area. When personnel in the clean working area are away from the hot line, they may reduce their MOPP level. Chemical monitoring equipment must be used on the clean side of the hot line to detect vapor hazards due to slight shifts in wind currents; if vapors invade the clean work area, HSS personnel must re-mask to prevent low-level CW agent exposure and minimize clinical effects (such as miosis).