RISK ASSESSMENT OF USING FIREFIGHTER PROTECTIVE ENSEMBLE

1,35

MB

AND SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS FOR RESCUE

33

stron

OPERATIONS DURING A TERRORIST CHEMICAL AGENT INCIDENT

5773

ID

U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command

2003

rok

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ix

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1

2.0 CONDITIONS FOR RESCUE OPERATIONS 2

3.0 ASPECTS OF CHEMICAL AGENT HAZARDS 2

3.1 Agent Types, States, and Exposure Routes 2

3.2 Vapor Dosage Calculation 4

4.0 DETERMINING SPECIFIC HAZARDS TO FIREFIGHTERS 5

4.1 Man-In-Simulant Test (MIST) Results 5

4.2 Nerve Agent Exposure Hazards 6

4.3 Vesicant Agent Exposure Hazards 9

5.0 INCIDENT COMMANDER OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 11

5.1 Rescue of Known Living Victims 12

5.2 Reconnaissance in an Unknown Environment 12

5.3 On-Scene Vapor Detection 12

5.4 Active Hazard Mitigation 13

5.5 Operational Planning and Responder Training 14

APPENDIX A Summary of Man-In-Simulant Test (MIST) Trials A-1

APPENDIX B Initial Incident Command (IC) Research Team B-1

APPENDIX C Signs and Symptoms of Chemical Agent Exposure C-1

APPENDIX D Managing the Consequences of a Chemical Attack D-1

APPENDIX E Acronyms E-1