Emergency medical responders will often appear on the scene of a hazmat incident. However, hazmat is not typically a medical responders primary concern or training. With that in mind, here a 5 keys to remember if you find yourself responding to a situation involving hazardous materials.

1. Protect yourself and your team

The first step in any hazmat scenario is to protect yourself and your team. If the medical team becomes a part of the affected patient group, then this will slow the already long process down and heap on more to do rather than help the situation. So, rather than rushing into any situation, evaluating your surroundings and using proper personal protective equipment or PPE as well as setting up the scene for decontamination is key.

Your team should prepare to have PPE on hand for response to hazmat incidence. PPE can include but is not limited to protective eye wear such as glasses or goggles, masks, respirators, gloves, or even full hazmat suits.

For response to larger hazmat events, decontamination equipment including hoses, brushes, and pools should be maintained. Additionally, flags, cones and other ways to mark barriers for a scene should be considers as a part of your organizations hazmat response kit.

2. Know your capabilities and capacity

As a medical responder at a hazmat scene, you will likely be partnering with other entities including fire departments and police. Being aware of the capabilities of your team and clearly communicating them to the other responding agencies will be key to a smooth process. For example, if you are dispatching out of a rural hospital, you may have limited transportation capabilities due to lack of the number of ambulances needed for a larger event.

Capacity at a smaller rural hospital may also become an issue. Being aware of your medical facility’s capacity will help to determine how many hazmat patients can be sent that direction before overwhelming the staff.

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3. Use your resources

Those surrounding medical facilities and other responding agencies, those are your resources. In the event of a hazmat event, the state hazmat team may even be a contact responding. Making sure you and your organization maintains good relationships and communication with those working with your and around you will ensure the resources are available to handle a large hazmat event involving numerous patients.

In addition to understanding your own capacity and capabilities, learning about the capabilities and capacity of medical facilities around you is key for a synergistic cooperation. Further, understanding your role and the role of the other responding agencies will increase the smooth flow of response. A smooth response is an efficient response. Communication prior to an event occurrence will pay off tremendously when something does happen in your community.

4. Pay attention to your surroundings

This point comes two fold. First, pay attention to your local surroundings and identify potential hazardous materials threats that may cause an incident. Second, pay attention when you are responding.

As far as hazards in your community it could be the gas pumps, ag chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, what chemicals are carried through by train or on semi-trucks. Preparing for events through training for what is around the community is important for being prepare when something does occur.

When responding to a medical call, being aware of your surroundings can help identify when a medical call involved hazardous materials. Using your senses to identify potential hazards. Use your eyes to look for placards indicating hazards are on site. If you see something suspicious such as a haze of gas, don’t rush in. Identify the gas and evaluate the risks first. Trust your sense of smell, if something is off don’t ignore it try to identify if there is maybe a gas leak or some other reason for an odd smell at a scene. Also, listen to patients. Does their story indicate a hazmat event. For example, if they passed out, were they cleaning and inhaled a toxic fume?

5. Understand how to identify hazardous materials

As a medical responder, the actual identification of the hazardous material is not likely to be your responsibility. This will likely fall on a hazmat technician in the fire service. However, if is key to understand that there are several classes of hazardous materials briefly described here:

As a medical responder in rural America, you might encounter explosives. This might be firework related injuries.

There are toxic gases which may pose a risk when inhaled or when making contact with skin.

Another category is flammable liquids, one example would be gasoline.

Flammable solids is another hazmat category to be aware of. These are substances which are combustible by friction, heat or water reactive.

Oxidizers, these are substances which release more oxygen into the air. This is key since they can contribute to fire.

As a medical responder, poisonous and infectious substances this category includes any biohazards.

Radioactive substances are chemicals that release energy from the nucleus in the form of atoms. Proper protection from these is required when taking x-rays to protect the body.

Corrosive materials can be liquids or solids that can destroy all layers of human skin.

Finally, miscellaneous encompasses any materials that pose a threat, but do not fit in the other categories. Lithium batteries is an example of this.

In conclusion, as a medical responder hazmat is not something you will encounter every day. However, when you do encounter a hazmat event being prepared will ensure you and your team are protects and can provide the highest level of care for your patients. If you don’t protect yourself, you won’t be available to treat and help others. Knowing your capabilities, capacity and resources will ensure patient care is smooth and efficient through our the event. Finally, pay attention to your surroundings and identify hazmat threats ahead of time to be fully prepared.