Emergency Medical Service's Action Guide
Action Guide
Actions (as appropriate and practical):
- Operate under the IC and follow personnel protection guidelines
Note: Do not delay life saving actions because of the presence of radioactive materials. Do not delay transport of seriously injured victims because of decontamination procedures. Perform the following to prevent the spread of contamination: remove their outer clothing, wrap them in a blanket and tag as possibly contaminated.
- Get briefed by the lead person in your professional area or the IC
- Implement and manage the on-scene medical response:
- Start or continue the actions (if previously started) in your professional area:
- first aid and field triage
- management of triage/first aid area in accordance with instructions for field triage for mass casualties
- In cooperation with hospitals confirm/arrange for transport and treatment of:
- life threatening injuries
- non life threatening injuries requiring treatment in hospital
- Start or continue the actions (if previously started) in your professional area:
- Direct members of the public concerned about radiation exposure/contamination (worried-well) to a secondary location for monitoring/reassurance established by the resource coordinator
- Confirm/ensure that caregivers (medical transport/ receiving hospitals) know:
- that the risk from a contaminated patient is negligible if personnel protection guidelines are followed
- how to take practical actions to limit the spread of contamination
- that actions to limit the spread of contamination should not interfere with life saving actions
- Advise the receiving hospital to follow the local hospital's action guide
- Inform the resource coordinator on the need to set up a secure secondary location to manage the assessment of the worried-well
- Set up a temporary secured morgue away from public view and ensure coordination with FEMT
- Register each person involved as appropriate using a registration form
- For a security event, confirm law enforcement is:
- providing protection/security where interaction with the public is needed
- searching the public for weapons before medical treatment or transport
- Coordinate with law enforcement to the extent possible consistent with public protection to:
- preserve evidence and identify/record possible people involved or suspects
- prevent possible criminal acts at the scene (e.g. theft, destruction of documents)
- Provide information to the PIO on the status of the response
- Upon the arrival of the radiological assessor/team, review and revise operations as indicated
- Direct media inquires to the PIO
- Assess needs and request additional resources