Local Hospital's response actions

Actions (as appropriate and practical):

• Operate under the Incident Commander
• Follow personnel protection guidelines
• Brief health care staff on negligible risk in treating contaminated patients if appropriate precautions are followed
• Have law enforcement provide a cordoned area around the hospital(s) to redirect worried-well to the secondary location
• Prepare ambulance reception area and treatment area
• Set up a controlled area and control lines
• Prepare the medical staff. Use universal precautions
• Assess and manage injuries (assumed to be contaminated):
  1. Medical stabilization first
  2. Radiological survey (if possible)
  3. Physical examinations and blood tests (CBC with differential) promptly. If internal contamination is suspected take nasal swabs
• If the patient could not be checked for contamination, have him/her take a shower and change clothing as soon as possible (if will not adversely affect patient's medical status)
• If the patient is contaminated — perform full decontamination
• Survey and transfer the uncontaminated patient to the clean area
• Control the spread of contamination: Before exiting/removing from contaminated area:
  1. Survey staff, remove contaminated clothing and shower
  2. Survey equipment
• Conduct clean up under direction of radiological assessor
• Don't release areas and ambulance for normal use until approved by radiological assessor
• Assess needs and request additional resources
• Follow the local hospital detailed action guide