ENHANCING“STREET-LEVEL”FIRST RESPONDER TRAINING AND COMMUNICATION WHEN ENCOUNTERING BIOLOGICAL,CHEMICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL AGENTS

摘要

Following an emergency such as a fire,a vehicle rolling over and spilling its contents,or encountering chemical incompatibilities,first responders(FRs),usually employed by a local police or fire department, are trained to respond to the event and mitigate the hazards accordingly.However,after the events of September 11,2001,FRs are now faced with the possibility of encountering a Weapon of Mass Destruction(WMD)that combines conventional explosives,such as dynamite,with radioactive materials. rnSince radiation cannot be detected by the human senses,even experienced FRs may be hesitant to proceed because of encountering radioactive materials yielding a high dose rate.Although external and internal monitoring is performed,a combination of engineering,administrative(e.g.,Protective Action Guides) and personal protective equipment(PPE)controls can reduce exposure to all three agents.In addition, decontamination is an important precaution to remove any contamination that may have accumulated on the outer layer of PPE or clothing.Radioactive material shipments must follow Department of Transportation regulations using institutions that are authorized to receive and possess radioactive material.This paper provides information to enhance“street-level”FR training and communication when encountering biological,chemical and radiological agents,specifically,the“dirty bomb”scenario which is most unique to FRs.In addition,protecting FRs and the general public against a“dirty bomb”scenario will provide equal,if not greater,protection against chemical and biological weapon scenarios. Therefore,threats from a WMD can be quantified and mitigated accordingly without putting the FR or the general public in any unnecessary danger.