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2 results

  • Chapter 25 - The Social Psychology of Mass Casualty Decontamination in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear (CBRN) Incidents

  • from Section 3 - The Role of the Public in Emergencies: Survivors, Bystanders, and Volunteers
  • Edited by Richard Williams, University of South Wales, Verity Kemp, Independent Health Emergency Planning Consultant, Keith Porter, University of Birmingham, Tim Healing, Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London, John Drury, University of Sussex
  • Book:
    Major Incidents, Pandemics and Mental Health
    Published online:
    11 January 2024
    Print publication:
    01 February 2024, pp 173-179

  • Summary

    Large-scale incidents that involve chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) material, whether accidental or deliberate, remain a high-impact public health threat. This chapter describes research in which the social identity approach has been applied to examine the psychosocial aspects involved in the process of decontamination. It focuses on the willingness and ability of members of the public to undergo decontamination. This research programme highlights the role of social identity in shaping public behaviour and affecting public health outcomes during incidents involving mass decontamination. It identifies that, during incidents requiring decontamination, the relationship between responders and members of the public is likely to play a key part in shaping public behaviour. It proposes that effective communication must begin prior to an incident occurring, continuing into the early stages and throughout the duration of the incident. It also proposes several actions that responders should take to facilitate the decontamination process and its outcomes.

  • Mass-Decontamination Gate for Hospitals: A Swiss Western State Model

  • Mathieu Potine, Jean-Gabriel Clouet, Jean Demierre, Laurent Vallotton, Bertrand Yersin
  • Journal:
    Prehospital and Disaster Medicine / Volume 24 / Issue S1 / February 2009
    Published online by Cambridge University Press:
    17 February 2017, p. s155
    Print publication:
    February 2009
    • Article
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  • Introduction:

    Accidental or voluntary chemical incidents create many health and environmental problems. According to the physico-chemical proprieties of the released agent, risks are present for all involved persons (victims, rescuers), either by primary contamination (contact with skin or mucosal surfaces, respiratory tract inhalation), or by secondary contamination from close contact with exposed victims. Recent descriptions of mass-chemical accidents with numerous spontaneous evacuations from the contaminated zone to nearby hospitals represent an important risk for secondary contamination to these hospitals.

    Methods:

    The use of an easy-to-set-up decontamination gate to protect or preserve hospitals from contamination of their site and personnel following a massive influx of contaminated patients was evaluated. A multi-disciplinary team equipped six regional hospitals with mass-decontamination gates without mobilizing excessive human or material resources.

    Results:

    Basic formation of hospital personnel took two hours; attaching the gate to a local fire hydrant took <10 minutes.

    Conclusions:

    This decontamination gate has several advantages and limitatins that will be discussed. However, it does have merit as an autonomous protection for non-specialized and equipped hospitals to prevent secondary contamination.