Abstract
Any release of a chemical agent whether accidental or deliberate constitutes a chemical incident in the civil setting and a chemical attack in warfare.
This chapter presents the overall management of civil chemical (HAZMAT) releases from the standpoint of the management of the incident. Early medical management of toxic trauma must be dynamically integrated with the management of the incident. An understanding of how chemical incidents are managed safely is an essential prerequisite for responding to emergency medical personnel. Application of measures for detection, protection and decontamination must therefore precede any medical intervention. The stages of management of chemical incidents by responding emergency services are described in relation to HAZMAT hot, warm and cold zones. Some countries now deploy trained and protected emergency medical and paramedical personnel into the contaminated warm zone where they can provide essential early life support and organise safe evacuation of casualties to hospital emergency departments.
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Further Reading
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Baker, D. (2014). Responding to Chemical Releases: Essentials of Organisation and Incident Management. In: Toxic Trauma. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5598-0_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5598-0_5
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