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d. Overhead cover: erect an overhead cover, at least 20 x 50 feet, to cover the decontamination, clean
waiting and triage/ emergency treatment areas. If the protective shelter is used, the overhead cover
should overlap the air lock entrance. If plastic sheeting is not available, alternate materials such as trailer
covers, ponchos or tarpaulins may be used.
- Set up the clean side of the decontamination station on the upwind side of the contaminated areas.
- Set up the shuffle pit on the hot line as the only point of access between the decontamination area
and the clean waiting and treatment area.
a. Turn over the soil in an area that is 1-2 inches deep, and of sufficient length and width to accommodate
a litter stand. Can also use mulch, sawdust or similar material if available. The shuffle pit should be wide
enough to force the litter bearers to stand in the pit also.
b. Mix supertropical bleach (STB) with the soil in a ratio of 2 parts STB to 3 parts soil.
c. Transfer newly decontaminated patients into a patient decon bag on a litter in the shuffle pit (if available).
If these items are not available, logroll patients from the arms of the decon team to those of the litter team.
The patients should then be transported by the litter team to the treatment area. - Set up the treatment area on the upwind side of the decontamination area.
a. Set up a protective shelter over the treatment area attached to the air lock adjoining the clean side of
the decontamination station.
b. When a protective shelter or air lock is not available for use, set up a covered medical treatment facility
(use tents, fixed facility, etc.) 30-50 meters upwind from the shuffle pit. - Set up the evacuation holding area (can be part of the treatment area).
a. Set up an overhead cover of plastic sheeting at least 20x25 feet.
b. Make sure the cover overlaps part of the clean treatment area and part of the protective shelter.
c. Avoid setting the protective shelter up near the generator. - Mark the hot line. Ensure that the entire hot line is clearly marked. Use wire, engineer’s tape or other
similar material to mark the entire perimeter of the hot line. - Establish ambulance points on both the “clean” and “dirty” evacuation routes.
a. Establish a “dirty” ambulance point downwind from the triage area in the decontamination station.
b. Establish a “clean” ambulance point upwind from the evacuation holding area on the clean side of the
decontamination station. - Set up a contaminated (dirty) dump.
a. Establish the contaminated dump 75-100 meters downwind from the decontamination station.
b. Clearly mark the dump with NATO chemical warning markers. - Emplace chemical agent alarms. Set these alarms around the area, particularly between the
decontamination and treatment areas. - Camouflage areas IAW tactical directives
What Not To Do:
Do not select only one decontamination site. Have an alternate site in case the wind direction or the
operational situation changes.
Do not fail to determine the prevailing wind direction. It may be different at the primary and alternate sites.