First Receiver Program On-Site

Pre-Training Site Visit

On the day before we begin the training we will conduct a site visit with your decon program coordinator. We will evaluate your tent/trailer/decon room and look at it from a deployment perspective. We will evaluate your equipment, PPE, and decon response plan. 

AWARENESS LEVEL TRAINING (4 Hours)

First Responder Awareness Level training is required for those employees who work In the contaminant-free Hospital Post-decontamination Zone, but might be in a position to identify a contaminated victim who arrived unannounced. This group includes ED clinicians, ED clerks, receiving clerks, and ED triage staff who would be responsible for notifying hospital authorities of the arrival, but would not reasonably be anticipated to have contact with the contaminated victims, their belongings, equipment, or waste. The group also includes decontamination system set-up crew members and patient tracking clerks, if their roles do not put them in contact with contaminated victims, their belongings, equipment, or waste (e.g., setting up the decontamination system before victims arrive, or tracking patients from a location outside of the decontamination zone).

First Responder Awareness Level training also is required for hospital security guards who work away from the Hospital Decontamination Zone, but who may be involved tangentially in a mass casualty event (specifically, those security personnel who would not reasonably be anticipated to come in contact with contaminated victims, their belongings, equipment, or waste) (OSHA 1991b). Security staff assigned to roles in the Hospital Decontamination Zone would require a higher level of training (e.g., First Responder Operations Level).

OPERATIONS LEVEL TRAINING (12 Hours)

OSHA letters of interpretation specify that hospitals must provide HAZWOPER First Responder Operations Level training to first receivers who are expected to decontaminate victims or handle victims before they are thoroughly decontaminated (OSHA, 2003, 2002b, 1999, 1992c, 1991a). This level of training is appropriate for anyone with a designated role in the Hospital Decontamination Zone. This group will be the members of the Decon Response Team (DRT). They typically include: ED Nurses, Plant Operations, Environmental Services, and Security personnel.

**Operations Level personnel MUST attend both sessions and the live exercise in order to be certified

Selection of Personnel for Decon Team

Selection of personnel for the Decon Response Team should be based on the above recommendations. Personnel should be pre-screened for claustrophobia, and medical conditions that would prevent them from participating in activities requiring PPE.

 Agenda

Day 1

Awareness Level Training will include:

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: Hospital Planning

Section 3: Hazardous Agents

Section 4: Hospital Events

Section 5: Hazardous Materials Recognition & Safety

Lunch

Operations Level Training will include:

Section 6: Decontamination Response Team

Section 7: HICS Overview (specifically where the decon team fits into the structure, and the development of an incident)

Section 8: Response Guidelines

Section 9: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Day 2

Live Exercise

Deployment of trailer/tent/decon room, suiting up the decon team, and practicing the decon procedures on ambulatory patients (volunteers you recruit), and non-ambulatory patients (decon mannequin), then debriefing the exercise.

Preparedness Report

A report will be drafted on the findings of the site visit, the evaluation of the exercise and the overall state of readiness of the team and program. Recommendations for improvements will be included so you have an official document to take to senior leadership to help improve the program.