SOP 209.02E   HAZ-MAT RADIOLOGICAL INCIDENTS

This procedure is designed to provide basic operational guidelines for managing a radiological incident. This procedure is for peace-time radiological emergencies and does not specifically apply to nuclear warfare radiological contamination.

The fire department responsibilities during radiological emergencies include rescue, treatment, fire control/extinguishment, control of contamination spread and alerting responsible experts/agencies. Actual clean-up and overhaul operations will not normally be a fire department responsibility, although the fire department will be responsible for seeing that such operations are completed. Shippers and/or manufacturers of radiological materials will normally be responsible for clean-up operations using trained clean-up personnel and equipment.

REFERENCE: EMP – Annex D.

DISPATCH

The Dispatcher will dispatch the assignment as a Hazardous Materials Response to any incident reported to involve radiological materials. The size of the assignment will be based on the location and type of situation reported.

Dispatch will advise responding units of the prevailing wind direction.

When a radiological incident is confirmed, Dispatch will notify:

  1. City Manager
  2. Ennis Fire Department personnel with advanced radiological training.
  3. Ellis County Emergency Coordinator--on request from Command.

SITE OPERATIONS

At the scene, Command must consider both direct radiation exposure and contamination. If there is no life hazard, rescue situation or fire, there is no reason to risk exposure of fire department personnel. First arriving units should secure a perimeter, evaluate the situation and wait for the arrival of the Hazardous Materials Team.

If the immediate commitment of personnel is necessary, Limited Access Zone procedures shall be implemented to minimize the exposure and contain the spread of contamination.

The entry of personnel shall be limited to the absolute minimum number and time required for the urgent situation. These personnel will use full protective clothing and SCBA.

Any commitment of personnel to the Limited Access Zone shall include at least one survey instrument per team to monitor radiation hazard levels. Dosimeters shall be issued to all personnel operating at the scene.

Hazard Zone tape shall be stretched to define an area where readings of 2MR/hr are detectable. This must take into account potential downwind spread of contamination. Hazardous Materials Team personnel will determine readings and define the Limited Access Zone.

A Decontamination Area must be established within the perimeter of the Hot Zone, adjacent to the Lobby Control (entrance/exit) point. Qualified personnel must check all personnel and equipment leaving the Hot Zone for radioactive contamination. All persons or items must go to the Decontamination Area before leaving the Hot Zone. 

Patients requiring treatment, who cannot immediately be decontaminated, must be placed in an isolated Treatment Area, away from other patients and inside the Hot Zone perimeter.

TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Incidents With Fire:

  1. Initiate normal tactical firefighting operations.
  2. Always approach from upwind.
  3. Do not ventilate.
  4. Minimize the use of water.
  5. Control water runoff-impound for disposal.
  6. Minimize exposure of personnel.
  7. Use full protective clothing with SCBA.

Rescue/EMS Incidents:

  1. Remove patients quickly.
  2. Treat patients for medical problems/injuries.
  3. Alert hospitals to prepare for contaminated patients.
  4. Use full protective clothing and SCBA.
  5. Decontaminate vehicles used to Transport.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS

The radiological hazard of nuclear weapons in transit is similar to other radioactive materials and can be handled with similar tactics.

These weapons however, contain considerable amounts of high explosives that may be shock sensitive and can detonate very easily. They are especially dangerous when the weapon has broken up and the high explosive is scattered about. If a nuclear weapon involves fire, evacuate the area of 2,000 feet, in all directions, immediately. All down wind areas must be checked for contamination.

TREATMENT OF CONTAMINATED PATIENTS

Do not delay field treatment of injuries. Radiological contamination, itself, is not a medical emergency. Treatment of contaminated patients should proceed with the following precautions:

*   All contaminated patients should be placed in one Treatment Area--separate from non-contaminated patients--within the Hot Zone perimeter, but beyond the 2 MR/hr exposure distance.

*   All treatment personnel should use SCBA or dust-filtering type masks, long sleeve shirts or coats, gloves and nomex hoods.

*   A mask or other airway filtering means should be used on the patient to limit inhalation/ingestion of airborne contamination.

*   Bandage all open wounds as quickly as possible to prevent wound contamination.

*   Carefully peeling or cutting of outer clothing from the patient's body will remove most of the contamination.

*   Removed clothing, watches, wallets, etc., must be placed in plastic bags or other appropriate containers, sealed and properly identified.

*   A clean plastic bag or other clothing should be placed over the patient's scalp hair to minimize the spread of contamination. Do not cover face.

*   Much of the contamination on a patient's skin can be removed by wiping with a moist cloth or tape (put in plastic bag afterwards).

*   Hot spots of contamination on the patient's body that cannot be removed by wiping, etc., should be marked with ink outline or tape.

*   Before transporting, all contaminated patients must be wrapped in blankets or sheets to completely cover them in order to limit the spread of contamination. Only the face should be left exposed.

*   Hospitals and rescues must be alerted early and before patient transportation is initiated so they can prepare to receive radioactive contaminated patients.

*   All contaminated patients should be sent to a single hospital or to as few as possible. Once contaminated, these hospitals could be out-of-service for some time.

*   Where there are large numbers of contaminated patients, place as many patients as possible in each rescue to minimize contamination spread to other rescues.

*   Reuse of contaminated rescues for contaminated patient transportation should be considered. If all available rescues become contaminated, these vehicles can be out-of-service for long periods of time until they can be decontaminated.

*   Before treatment personnel can be released from the scene, they must be checked for contamination and decontaminated. All equipment used in patient treatment must also be checked and decontaminated. This evaluation will be conducted in the Decontamination Area.

DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURES

Personnel may be contaminated with alpha or beta radioactive emitting material at any radiological incident. In order to prevent any health risk to personnel and to control the spread of the contamination, the following steps should be taken:

*   All personnel (both fire and civilian) that were inside the Hot Zone must not be released from the zone until they have been surveyed with radiation detection instruments and decontaminated if necessary.

*   Contaminated personnel leaving the Hot Zone must pass through the Decontamination Area. (See sketch)

*   All personnel reporting to the Decontamination Area will remain fully dressed in protective gear, including gloves and SCBA (facepiece in place).

*   No smoking, drinking or food consumption will be permitted until all exposed personnel are determined decontaminated.

*   All contaminated clothing and equipment must be removed and held in the Decontamination Area.

Plastic bags or plastic trash containers must be utilized to contain contaminated clothing and equipment.

 REMOVAL OF CONTAMINATED EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING

All radioactively contaminated equipment and clothing must be placed in plastic containers at one of three collection points (see diagram).

  1. At the first survey point all personnel will be checked in with monitoring instruments. If not contaminated, personnel may leave the Warm Zone via Lobby Control.
  2. Contaminated personnel will place coat, boots and bunker pants in the first container, continuing to maintain SCBA facepiece in place. All items must be gently handled to avoid spreading dust (radioactive particles) and using gloves at all times. Actions should avoid contaminating inner clothing, skin and particularly hands. SCBA harness and cylinder must be carried to second container.
  3. After the second container, personnel will again be checked and, if free of contamination, may be released from the Hot Zone. If still contaminated, personnel must proceed to the third container.
  4. At the third collection point, all outer clothing will be removed and personnel will be checked again with monitoring instruments. If still contaminated, personnel must shower at the site, using a portable shower and soap. Showering must pay particular attention to body areas that may collect contaminants (armpits, hair, fingernails, etc.) and avoid runoff into eyes or ears.

Following showers, personnel will again be surveyed for contamination, before being issued with clean coveralls.

NOTE:

Shower runoff water must be impounded and collected. All personnel released from the Hot Zone shall be directed to shower and shampoo and put on clean clothes as soon as possible after the incident. Medical evaluation will be arranged for all exposed personnel as quickly as feasible.