Victoria Television Group 3808 N. Navarro
Victoria, TX 77901
Phone: 361 575-2500
Fax: 361 575-2255
Search Site
Local Hospital Prepares For Hazardous Material Emergencies
Written by Steve Broussard
Thursday, 04 September 2008
WITH PROTECTIVE SUITS, THIS TEAM IS GETTING READY FOR TRAINING FOR PATIENTS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
THE SUIT IS CALLED A TE-CAM BR...A SUIT THAT PROTECTS WORKERS FROM HARMFUL CHEMICALS.
THE BREATHING DEVISE THAT THEY ARE WEARING, PURIFIES THE AIR, AND FILTERS THE AIR OVER THEIR HEAD AND INTO THE SUIT ITSELF.
THE TRAINING IS BEING CONDUCTED BY ENVIROMED RESOURCES FROM SAN ANTONIO.
<"An incident or accident can happen at any time. a lot of hospitals may not be ready or may not think can happen to them. So what were doing, is being proactive with team training a team, should an accident occur.">John Wingate\Environmed Resources
AS THE TEAM WALKS DOWN THE HALL WAY OF DETAR HOSPITAL, PREPARING FOR THE EXERCISE, A TRIAGE UNIT IS OUTSIDE WITH RUNNING WATER TO CLEANSE THE VICTIMS OF A CHEMICAL SPILL.
THE SCENARIO IS 2 ADULTS WHO HAVE DRIVEN THEMSELVES TO THE HOSPITAL. THE PATIENTS HAVE ORGANA PHOSPHATE CONTAMINATION, BUT MUST BE DE-CONTAMINATED BEFORE THEY CAN GET TREATMENT AT THE HOSPITAL.
PATIENTS ARE BROUGHT INTO THE TRIAGE TRAILER AND ARE WASHED AND SCRUBBED FOR 10 MINUTES, WITH WATER AND DETERGENT.
IF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY, THE PATIENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN STRIPPED DOWN BEFORE THE DECONTAMINATION PROCESS BEGINS.
THE CLOTHING THAT THE PATIENT WEARS BEFORE BEING GOING THRU DECONTAMINATION IS KEPT IN A LOCK PROOF BAG AND USED FOR EVIDENCE IN AN INVESTIGATION OF ANY CHEMICAL SPILL.
BUT THE PROCESS IS NOT OVER WHEN THE PATIENCE ARE CLEARED. THE TEAM MUST ALSO GO THRU THE DE-CONTAMINATION PROCESS BEFORE IT'S ALL OVER
