Photos of Decontamination Facilities and Procedures

Photo 1: Decontamination (Decon) Tent Staff removes patient clothes first, then slides litter patient across rollers from entrance to exit, while performing shower Separate lanes for adult males (left) and for adult females and children (right) inside closed left and right tent flaps on either side of the litter rollers	Photo 2: Responders in Portable Decon Tent Mock litter patient rolled across platform inside tent where showering is performed Responders wearing full military chem/bio/rad protective gear (Military MOPP 4 gear)
Photo 3: Responders and mock patient in decontamination area of fixed facility Responders wearing Tyvek® body suits as mass casualty exercise for contamination only	Photo 4: Responders and mock patient in radiation decontamination decon tent Millitary staff during exercise use water hoses to decontamination non-ambulatory patient. Staff is wearing full military chem/bio/rad protective gear (Military MOPP 4 gear)
Source: CAPT Judith L. Bader, MD, USPHS, 10/21/2004

Summary of decontamination procedures
(see Decontamination Procedures for details)

Key Info: 1. Decontamination should not delay or impede stabilization of any patient. 2. Removal of all clothing can reduce contamination on the patient up to 90%.

• Survey patients/victims with radiation survey meter prior to decontamination to document location and level of contamination
  • Where possible, note location of contamination on radiation survey chart (PDF - 49 KB)
• Non-ambulatory victim decontamination
  • Medical triage officer is stationed close to tent entrance to be sure needed lifesaving procedures are begun before decontamination
  • Decon staff rolls non-ambulatory contaminated litter patient along center ramp from entrance to exit while performing decontamination shower (see coiled, red hoses hanging from tent ceiling, Photo 2)
  • Carefully remove clothing from patient/victim
    • Property of each individual should be bagged individually in airtight container
    • Label property bags with patient/victim's name, date, and time
    • Storage of property must be secure, particularly if forensic inquiry is likely
    • On the exit side of the decontamination line, provide warm, clean clothes (or sheets/blankets)
  • See decon cycle description below
• Ambulatory victim decontamination
  • Victims pass through sides of decon tent behind tent flaps
  • Hanging shower lines inside side panels (not shown Photo 1 and Photo 2) facilitate showering with warm water, soap, shampoo
  • After each decon cycle through tent
    • Medical triage officer reassesses patients, especially litter patients, to be sure they are still stable
    • Radiation safety personnel re-scans patient/victim with radiation survey meter and records information on radiation survey chart (PDF - 49 KB)
    • Radiation counts in excess of 2-3 x background levels may indicate need for additional decon cycles
    • Cease decontamination of skin and wounds when
      • Radiation survey reveals less than twice background
      • When there is no significant reduction between decontamination efforts, and before skin becomes abraded
• Practical decon considerations
  • In mass casualty events, decon facilities should be set up away from primary medical facility and hospital to avoid cross contamination
  • Throughput for decontamination in facilities shown above in Photos 1-3 is likely not to exceed 100 patients/hour
  • Although not recommended in large mass casualty events, capturing effluent water from shower in bladders may be considered in smaller events.

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