ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses two decontamination kits currently in the US inventory: the Joint Service Personnel/Skin Decontamination System, and the M295 Decontamination Kit Individual Equipment. Personal decontamination for any liquid agent is considered of primary importance, especially with nerve agent, so much so that if any liquid can be spot decontaminated in a timely emergency, the decontamination process is considered medical treatment. Nerve agents are major military threat agents and potential terrorist weapons to cause mass casualties. The management of a casualty with nerve agent intoxication consists of decontamination, ventilation, administration of the antidotes, and supportive therapy: airway, breathing, circulation, decontamination, and drugs. Nerve agent “bioscavengers” such as butyrylcholinesterase can bind and destroy nerve agent circulating in the bloodstream before agent ever reaches the tissue synapse. Patients triaged as immediate for medical treatment are sent to emergency treatment area until their condition is stabilized for patient thorough decontamination at this patient decontamination site or for dirty evacuation to another medical facility.
