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- Fire and resilience
- Resilience and response to emergencies
- New Dimension
- New Dimension Mass Decontamination
New Dimension Mass Decontamination
Mass decontamination of the public at a CBRN incident
The New Dimension project has delivered new equipment and procedures to the fire and rescue service to enable them to decontaminate large numbers of the public at the site of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) incident.
If a CBRN attack were to occur, it is likely that the fire and rescue service would be among the first people to arrive at the site. The service also has the ability to mobilise large numbers of firefighters and equipment rapidly. For this reason they have, in partnership with the Department of Health, accepted responsibility for the management of public mass decontamination in the event of CBRN attack.
New equipment and procedures will enable casualties to be decontaminated immediately on site, reducing any adverse effects on their health. They can then be transported safely to hospitals or shelter for further treatment or support without the risk of contaminating others.
New vehicles and equipment for the fire and rescue service
New Dimension has procured and deployed throughout England:
- 17 Detection, Identification and Monitoring (DIM) vehicles for the purpose of detecting and identifying any CBRN substances;
- 73 Incident Response Units (IRUs), vehicles, each carrying two mass decontamination structures; and
- 33 Dis-robe and 13 Re-robe Modules to support the IRU.
DIM
Deployment of the DIM vehicles within the early response phase of an incident ensures that fire and rescue service responders have the appropriate information on the nature of the threat to which they are responding, prior to mass decontamination being undertaken.
Each DIM vehicle contains a range of highly specialised equipment to detect and identify chemical and biological contaminants, detect gamma and beta radiation sources and identify a range of radioactive isotopes.
Incident Response Units
The IRUs carry two decontamination structures and ancillary equipment such as firefighter decontamination units, disrobe and re-robe packs, pumps, water heaters, lights, hoses, personal protective equipment and additional detection and monitoring equipment such as radiation dosimeters and survey meters. Details on the equipment are provided below.
The IRUs have been located across England on a risk-assessed basis and can be flexibly deployed to ensure an incremental and sustained response according to need. The risk assessment was predicated on planning assumptions prescribed by a range of experts.
Mass Decontamination Structures
The New Dimension team worked with industry to develop the state of the art decontamination structures that can be easily carried and erected on site within minutes and are capable of decontaminating up to 200 people per hour.
The tents consist of three sections for disrobe, showering and re-robe and have been designed to ensure comfort and modesty for casualties.
Casualties requiring decontamination can remove their clothing underneath special lined and hooded cloaks (disrobe packs) before moving into the heated, warm-water shower units to wash with detergents. They are then provided with re-robe packs containing jump suits, sanitary products and shoes.
Firefighter Decontamination Units
Additional structures are carried on the IRUs to enable the decontamination of other fire and rescue service personnel in personal protective equipment at the scene.
Disrobe and Re-robe Modules
These modules provide thousands of additional dis-robe and re-robe packs in addition to those carried on the IRU.
What training have firefighters received for the IRUs?
Training for the mass decontamination units and the IRUs is funded by the government.
Fire and rescue service staff have received specialist training at the Fire Service College. Further general training has been delivered within fire and rescue services, aided by specially developed CD-ROMs, video and other training materials. All fire and rescue service staff have received general CBRN awareness training.
What protective equipment is available for firefighters responding to a CBRN incident?
The fire and rescue service has been supplied with personal protective equipment including gas tight suits and powered respiratory protective suits (PRPS), which will enable firefighters to rescue and decontaminate people safely.
The distribution of these suits is done on the basis of a risk assessment and has been allied with a programme of training to ensure a safe system of work.
