Fire-Fighters' Decontamination Training
by: Louise Jones on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 at: 10:57 AM Go to: Previous Article Next Article
The threats of physical and environmental contaminations occurring have increased. It's the fire fighting department that gets the first call in case a calamity occurs. Traditionally, fire-fighters were trained to extinguish fires and save people. With the threat of contaminations, fire-fighters now are being trained for decontamination processes too. In any case, not all fire-fighters employed in countries around the world are trained in decontamination. But special units of fire-fighters are given special training in decontamination.
The first and most frequent kind of pollution that occurs is physical contagion. Industrial units that deal with dangerous substances and corrosive substances have a high possibility of causing physical contagion. Then there are laboratories, gas plants, and other analogous places where physical contagion incidents can occur. In fire-fighter's decontamination training, fire-fighters must be proficient to recognize that physical contagion has taken place.
They are trained to setup mobile sanitization wash areas, and the sufferers are made to take off their infected clothing, take a shower, and are given unsullied robes to be dressed in. If the sanitization shower units get late in coming, the fire fighters may hose down the sufferers. They are trained to turn the force down of the hose pipes, make the sufferers undress and hose them down.
There are so many kinds of ecological contaminations that can occur and fire-fighters cannot be trained to manage all of them. If a fire fighting station gets a call of an occurrence of contagion, there instant response is to get the decontamination division in to position. The fire-fighters of sanitization units wear particular clothing along with gas marks and other protecting equipment. They cordon of the area, look for any victims of contaminations, and take them away. They then go on to locate and shutdown the cause of contamination.
After controlling the cause of contamination, they collect samples of contaminated material which is sent for laboratory tests. After which the method required for decontamination is implemented.
Keeping in view the multiplicity of pollution that may come about; fire-fighters who are trained in decontamination merely demarcate the contaminated vicinity and cordon it. Pollution can either be natural, radiological, or chemical, and can affect water, air, food, etc. In parts where there is a likelihood of episode of pollution, there are hygienic rooms, security showers, eyewashes, and other sanitization tools installed. Local laws are enacted and enforced to guarantee that safety principles are adhered to.
Fire-fighters trained in decontamination receive specialized training and are equipped differently from the normal fire-fighters. They form the second line of defence, as the first are the normal fire-fighters. Normally a fire engine will reach the site and send a report if contamination is suspected. This activates the decontamination unit to swing into action. It is then there job to handle the decontamination.
Fire-fighters who are trained in decontamination do not reside in all the fire stations in a town or city. There maybe one unit of fire-fighters trained in decontamination that is located at one station. This unit has workers and special equipment for handling decontamination and respond if there is suspected contamination. More and more city and town councils are now getting fire-fighters trained in decontamination as they have recognised this as a potential hazard.
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