(2) When hospital tentage becomes contaminated, decontamination operations must be considered immediately. Spot decontamination may be effective for small areas; however, gross contamination of TEMPER and GP tentage is best decontaminated by aging. Without CPS and with persistent agent contamination that absorbs into the tentage and presents a continuing vapor hazard, the hospital stops receiving patients and evacuates all patients as quickly as possible. When large portions of the hospital are contaminated, personnel decontaminate all equipment possible and relocate to a new site, leaving the contaminated equipment to age or to be decontaminated by a specialized unit. When small portions of the hospital are contaminated, the contaminated portions are removed to another location for decontamination; hospital operations are continued, but at a lower operational level. For detailed equipment decontamination procedures, see FM 3-5.
Liquid decontamination material must not be used on electrical or electronic components of equipment. Liquid decontaminants can damage the equipment; thus making it inoperable and not available for patient care or transport. The use of liquids to decontaminate electronic equipment could also potentially result in injury or electrocution of personnel.
(3) Each US Army hospital is issued =five= chemical agent patient treatment MES and =three= chemical agent patient decontamination MES, Chemical Agents Patient Decontamination, for use in decontaminating patients. Each hospital must decontaminate and treat its own personnel who become casualties; chemical casualties from units in its general area; or contaminated patients received from lower level MTFs. See Appendix G for patient decontamination procedures and for establishment of a patient decontamination and treatment station.
_a._ Providing emergency services will be complicated by several factors:
· Varying levels of treatment received prior to arrival at the hospital.
· Caring for combined conventional wounds and NBC agent effects.
· Managing heat-related complications associated with MOPP/PPW use.
· Controlling psychological effects caused by biological and chemical agents, the impact of NBC weapons, or the isolation of MOPP gear or PPWs.