Читать книгу Health Service Support in a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Environment - United States. Department of the Army - Страница 34

Enemy employment of NBC weapons or TIMs in the extremes of climate or terrain warrants additional consideration. Included are the peculiarities of urban terrain, mountains, snow and extreme cold, jungle, and desert operations in an NBC environment with the resultant NBC-related effects upon medical treatment and MEDEVAC. For a more detailed discussion on NBC aspects of urban terrain, mountain, snow and extreme cold, jungle, and desert operations, see FMs 3–06.11, 31–71, 90–3, 90–5, and 90–10.

a. In mountain operations, passes and gorges may tend to channel the nuclear blast and the movement of chemical and biological agents. Ridges and steep slopes may offer some shielding from thermal radiation effects. Close terrain may limit concentrations of troops and fewer targets may exist; therefore, a lower patient load may be anticipated. However, the terrain will complicate patient evacuation and may require patients to be decontaminated, treated, and held for longer periods than would be required for other operational areas.

b. The effects of extreme cold weather combined with NBC-produced injuries have not been extensively studied. However, with traumatic injuries, cold hastens the progress of shock, providing a less favorable prognosis. Thermal effects will tend to be reinforced by reflection of thermal radiation from snow and ice-covered areas. Care must be exercised when moving chemically contaminated patients into a warm shelter. A CW agent on the patient's clothing may not be apparent. As the clothing warms to room temperature, the CW agent will vaporize (off-gas), contaminating the shelter and exposing occupants to potentially hazardous levels of the agent. A three-tent system is suggested for processing patients in extreme cold operations. The first tent (unheated) is used to strip off potentially contaminated clothing. The second (heated) is used to perform decontamination, perform EMT and detect off gassing. The third (heated) is used to provide the follow on care and patient holding.

c. In rain forests and other jungle environments, the overhead canopy will, to some extent, shield personnel from thermal radiation. However, the canopy may ignite and create forest fires and result in burn injuries. By reducing sunlight, the canopy may increase the persistency effect of CW agents near ground level. The canopy also provides a favorable environment for BW agent dispersion and survival.

d. In desert operations, troops may be widely dispersed, presenting less profitable targets. However, the lack of cover and concealment exposes troops to increased hazards. Smooth sand is a good reflector of nuclear thermal and blast effects; generating increased numbers of injuries. High temperatures will increase the discomfort and debilitating effects on personnel wearing MOPP, especially heat injuries.