Everything about Mass Decontamination totally explained
Mass decontamination (abbreviated
mass decon) is the
decontamination of large numbers of people, in the event of industrial, accidental, or intentional contamination by toxic, infective, caustic, polluted, or otherwise unhealthful or damaging substances.
An example is when a large number of people fleeing from the
September 11, 2001 attacks in the
USA were detained by officials, so that they could be cleansed by the fire department and emergency staff. Their shoes, clothing, jewelry, and other personal effects were seized from them, and the contaminated people were washed and given replacement clothing.
Mass hysteria and security aspects
Scenes of
mass contamination are often scenes of
collective hysteria, with hundreds or thousands of victims in a state of
panic. Therefore, mass decontamination may require police, security, or rescue supervision to help control panic and keep order. Under these circumstances, mass decon can take on some features of mass arrests, with victims forcibly rounded up, then treated inside impromptu detention areas. Successful municipal decontaminations are greatly aided by a close collaboration between
police and
fire departments. An organised, informed and aware populace can be better prepared for possible emergencies, and is less likely to panic. In some situations
volunteers may be needed to augment or replace rescue/security personnel to help maintain calm and/or assist with decontamination procedures.
For example, the Australian "Workplace Relations Act 1996" calls for detention of victims of a hazardous materials (hazmat) incident:
FEMA also suggests that:
victims ... might be detained for ... decontamination.
Even some of the clear-thinking subjects may resist efforts to decontaminate them. Those who know or think they've not been contaminated may resist being herded into close quarters with sick or toxin-ridden victims who still have the potential to harm those nearby. Those carrying weapons or some form of contraband may require force to part them from their contaminated clothes and effects. Others may simply fear contact with the authorities, as well as separation from family and loss of job resulting from quarantines, more than they fear the contaminant. Rather than a drawback, security forces sometimes look at the coercive aspects of mass decontamination as a side benefit: while mass suspicionless strip searches might not pass legal muster even in urgent counter-terror emergencies, the authorities can examine/confiscate the belongings of decontamination subjects, as well as forcing them to disrobe in view of guards, without any need to establish suspicion. This need was met with these (and other) techniques ((External Link) - external link):
To prevent these patients from escaping the decon system, the entrance to the terminal was closed, and all pedestrian traffic from the ferry dock was diverted to a holding pen which was constructed using police barricades already at the scene.
When the first group of 300 patients arrived, they were covered with a dry, white powder. They were placed into the holding area and processed them two at a time through the handline decon.
The first formal hazmat assets (Nutley Fire Department and Middlesex County Hazmat) arrived on scene, and set up mass decontamination tents. After the tents were operational, the handlines were demobilized, and medical personnel began to process patients in earnest. With the resources and knowledge of these two hazmat agencies, they were able to process 10-15 patients rather than two at a time. This resulted in their ability to decontaminate almost 300 victims per hour.Further Information
Get more info on 'Mass Decontamination'.
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