Scott medical decontamination team exceeds expectations

Members from the 375th Medical Group carry a piece to set up a tent during an In-Place Patient Decontamination Sustainment Training exercise at Scott Air Force Base, Ill Aug. 16, 2012. The tent was used to simulate cleaning patients with soap ridding them of chemical agents after an attack. IPPD provided in-depth training that covered everything from handling hazardous chemicals to constructing a decontamination facility, which must be mission capable within 15 minutes, and fully functional in 20 minutes, of an emergency notification.(U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)

Scott medical decontamination team exceeds expectations

Members from the 375th Medical Group help each other put on decontamination suits during an In-Place Patient Decontamination Sustainment Training exercise at Scott Air Force Base, Ill Aug. 16, 2012. The suit will protect them from chemical agents while they help decontaminate and treat patients. IPPD provided in-depth training that covered everything from handling hazardous chemicals to constructing a decontamination facility. U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)

Scott medical decontamination team exceeds expectations

Members of the 375th Medical Group provide medical care to simulated patient during an In Place Patient Decontamination training course at Scott Air Force Base, Ill Aug. 16, 2012. The IPPD training, conducted by DECON, LLC, taught Airmen how to care for patients in hazardous situations while constructing a decontamination facility. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)

Scott medical decontamination team exceeds expectations

Members from the 375th Medical Group set up a tent during an In-Place Patient Decontamination Sustainment Training exercise at Scott Air Force Base, Ill Aug. 16, 2012. The tent was used to simulate cleaning patients with soap ridding them of chemical agents after an attack. The IPDS training is required to be conducted every 90 days. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)

Medical personnel rehearse chemical decontamination

Published Aug. 28, 2012
By Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- There are reports of a chemical incident at the Exchange ... now what do you do? That was the exercise scenario for the 375th Medical Group as they spent three days learning proper procedures for decontaminating patients.

The hands on portion of the training, called In-Place Patient Decontamination, or IPPD, took place Aug. 17 and was led by Tom Bocek, contract training manager.

"If a contaminated patient comes inside the clinic, he or she could obviously contaminate the entire clinic and shut down operations," said Bocek. "This training is for a team to conduct decontamination on site before the patient is brought to the clinic for further care.
They can be thought of as the shield for the medical operations staff so they can do what they really want to do, and that is save the patient."

The course consisted of both classroom and hands-on training. Bocek spent an eight-hour day with the team in the classroom focusing on different types of chemical warfare agents, signs and symptoms of contaminated patients and possible complications that may arise.

"We focus on the most persistent chemical warfare agents because those are the ones that are difficult to decontaminate," said Bocek. "In addition, the team learns what a medical warm zone is and how to interact and complement other agencies operating there."

Bocek explained that the area of direct contamination is referred to as a hot zone, with an adjacent warm zone set-up for patients pulled directly out of the hot zone. The medical warm zone, however, is set-up outside of a medical clinic to prevent patients who have self-presented from possibly contaminating the entire medical facility.

Once the medical decon team sets up the tent outside the main medical facility, it has enough supplies to handle 100 patients. The goal is to have it set up in and mission ready in 20 minutes, the 375th team did it in 15:30.

Airman 1st Class Antione Mcinnis, 375th Dental Squadron technician attended the IPPD training for the first time. His task was to go through training and take back what he learned.

"I learned a lot more about what the biological and chemical agents can do to the body," he said. "We actually learned that a drop of nerve agent the size of a penny can kill you in 5 minutes. If an amount that small can do that, it is very important we as medical staff clean the body very thoroughly."

Martin Showing, Air Mobility Command medical counter CBRN program manager, said this training is important because this is the protection patients depend on and without it the medical staff would not be able to sustain operations.

"We have to protect our patients, people and resources," he said. "It is rigorous for a reason. It's very important our medical care staff is ready when it comes to protecting our patients. I believe the members at the 375th Medical Group are trained and ready to save lives."