NFPA 473: Standard for Competencies for EMS Personnel Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents, 2002 Edition

Vital guidance on response to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction.

NFPA 473 identifies the levels of competence required of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel who respond to hazardous materials incidents. It specifically covers the requirements to reduce accidents, exposure, and injuries for basic life support and advanced life support personnel in the pre-hospital setting.

The 2002 edition places emphasis on emergency medical service response to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction and radioactive materials. Additional topics include:

• Indicators of criminal/terrorist activity with chemical agents
• Indicators of criminal/terrorist activity with biological agents
• The importance of body substance isolation at incidents
• Application, use and limitations of body substance isolation protective clothing
• Priorities of care for chemical vs. radiological contamination patients
• Removal of victims relative to exposure and contamination concerns
• Communicating to a receiving facility on the amount of decontamination accomplished before transport

This essential edition also includes discussion of considerations for lifesaving actions vs. taking time for full decontamination, and protocol on removal of outer clothing only in decontamination for radioactive materials. (Softbound, 17 pp., 2002)