INSTRUCTOR GUIDE
TOPIC: DECONTAMINATION
TIME REQUIRED: 2 Hours
MATERIALS:
Local jurisdiction’s SOP/SOGs for decontamination
Local jurisdiction’s resources to establish decontamination area
Chalkboard or large paper pad with chalk/markers
MOTIVATION: Emergency response personnel many times are alerted to respond to incidents with
minimal information about the actual situation. It is important that they quickly identify the presence of
hazardous materials and establish decontamination for civilians and emergency response personnel. This
includes emergency decontamination as well as a formal decontamination corridor.
Objective (SPO) 1-1:
Given the terminology identified in this drill, the student shall utilize their departmental SOP/SOG’s to
identify the procedures to establish a decontamination area for civilians or emergency response personnel
that have been exposed to or contaminated by hazardous materials.
Enabling Objectives:
EO-1 Describe the importance of decontamination
EO-2: Define the following terms and how they relate to decontamination activities:

Exposure

Contamination

Decontamination/contamination reduction

Hazard control zones

Types of decontamination
EO-2: Identify considerations in the selection of an area for the decontamination corridor
EO-3: Identify the PPE necessary for personnel involved in the decontamination area
EO-4: Identify challenges to performing decontamination of civilians and emergency responders
OVERVIEW:

Importance of decontamination of the public and emergency response personnel

Define terms and how they relate to decontamination/contamination reduction procedures

Identify local jurisdictional SOP/SOG’s for decontamination of people and equipment

Practical exercises with available resources to establish a decontamination/contamination
reduction area for the public or emergency response personnel.
I. Introduction
A. Emergency response personnel are often alerted to respond to emergency situations
with limited information and may not initially be aware of the involvement of
hazardous materials. They must quickly identify the presence of hazardous materials
and take the proper precautions to protect lives, property and the environment.
B. Importance of decontamination
1. Life safety
a. Timely and effective removal of hazard from people
i.
Public
ii.
Emergency response personnel involved in rescue activities
b. Prevent the transfer of material to people outside immediate area
involved
i.
Public
ii.
Emergency responders and support personnel
iii.
Personnel at medical receiving facility
2. Incident stabilization
a. Hazard control zones help to identify involved area
b. Reduces the size and extent of the incident
3. Property conservation
a. Reduces damage to PPE and other equipment
4. Protects the environment
II. Terminology
A. Exposure
1. The potential for hazardous materials to come into contact with the public,
emergency responders, equipment or the environment. Exposure to a material
does not necessary indicate contamination of the person or equipment.
2. Transfer of material is determined by:
a. Physical state—solid, liquid, gas
3. Routes of entry—inhalation, absorption, ingestion, injection
B. Contamination
1. The transfer of a hazardous material from its source to people, equipment and/or
the environment
2. Uninvolved areas may become involved by these people or items becoming
carriers (cross contamination)
3. Site control is critical to prevent spread of contamination
C. Decontamination/contamination reduction
1. The process during which contamination is removed from people, PPE or other
equipment to prevent its spread. May involve physical or chemical removal of
product.
2. Total decontamination may not be possible; may only be able to reduce the
contamination to ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable)
D. Hazard control zones
1. The identification of the degrees of hazard at an incident scene
a. Hot zone—area of greatest danger
b. Warm zone—decontamination occurs here
c. Cold zone—incident command post and support functions
d. Isolation perimeter—crowd control line
E. Types of decontamination
1. Emergency decontamination
a. Process of physically reducing the contamination of people exposed in
life-threatening or potentially life-threatening situations
b. May be necessary prior to the establishment of an official
decontamination corridor
c. Time is of the essence—flush, strip clothing, flush
d. Limited control of runoff
e. EMS personnel should utilize appropriate PPE during patient care and
transport
2. Technical decontamination
a. Establishment of decontamination corridor to systematically remove
contaminants from personnel and equipment
b. May involve several stations
i.
Gross rinse
ii.
Scrub and rinse
iii.
Final scrub and rinse
iv.
Area for PPE removal and exit
3. Mass decontamination
a. Gross decontamination process when large numbers of people need
decontaminated
b. May be civilian or emergency responders
III. Decontamination corridor
A. Location
1. Outside incident
a. Near incident, but not within potential danger area
b. Uphill and upwind, if possible
c. Hard surface area
d. Entrance and exit clearly marked
2. Inside incident
a. Near incident area—identify hazard zones and control access
b. Shut down HVAC to prevent migration
c. Utilize building features to assist in decontamination process—controlled
drains, showers, etc.
B. Type of decontamination
1. Determined by chemical and physical properties of material involved
2. Research officer and reference materials are critical part in determining the type
and extent of decontamination
a. Resources
i.
MSDS
ii.
Technical information centers (CHEMTREC, CANUTEC, etc.)
iii.
Product specialists
iv.
Emergency response guidebooks (NIOSH Pocket Guide, etc.)
b. Decontamination team
i.
Supervised by Decon Officer
ii.
Staffing—at least one per station in decon corridor
i. Backup team for emergencies/rescue
ii. Rotation of personnel during longer term operations
iii.
PPE—minimum of one level below entry team
C. Challenges to decontamination of public and emergency responders
1. Weather conditions (outside incidents)
a. Ambient temperature
i.
High temperature/humidity—heat stress to emergency response
personnel working in PPE
ii.
Low temperature—icing of decon solutions and slippery
conditions for emergency response personnel
iii.
Options
i. Commercial decontamination tents/shelters
ii. Move personnel to a temperature-controlled area—
plastic covered bed of a pickup truck for transport
2. Patients
a. Ambulatory vs. non-ambulatory
b. Communication barriers
i.
Language
ii.
Mental capacity
3. Availability of decontamination resources
4. Evaluation of decontamination effectiveness
IV. Practical exercise—establishment of emergency decontamination area
Utilizing the resources available and the local jurisdiction’s SOP/SOG’s, establish an emergency
decontamination area in the apparatus room or other area. Discussion points include:
A. Site control
1. Identification of hazard control zones—barrier tape, etc.
2. Note additional entrances into the area and methods to control their use
B. Size of decontamination corridor
1. Minimum of 50’ in length and 15’ wide if possible to prevent overspray from
stations
C. Location of drains in area
D. Area for PPE removal
E. Area for medical monitoring of personnel
Objective (SPO) 1-1:
Given the terminology identified in this drill, the student shall utilize their departmental SOP/SOG’s to
identify the procedures to establish a decontamination area for civilians or emergency response personnel
that have been exposed to or contaminated by hazardous materials.
Review:

Importance of decontamination of the public and emergency response personnel

Define terms and how they relate to decontamination/contamination reduction procedures

Identify local jurisdictional SOP/SOG’s for decontamination of people and equipment

Practical exercises with available resources to establish a decontamination/contamination
reduction area for the public or emergency response personnel.