Pre-Hospital Course in Care for Radiation Emergencies
Tennessee emergency medical services (EMS) personnel as well as state and regional EMS officials participated in REAC/TS’ first Pre-hospital Course in Care for Radiation Emergencies, held in Gatlinburg, Tenn., during the fall of 2005. The course targeted those who would typically be first on the scene of an incident or accident involving radiation, such as emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and law enforcement officers.
With the threat looming of a terrorist attack involving nuclear materials, REAC/TS identified the critical need to educate this group of first responders on the symptoms of radiation exposure and the correct response.
A course participant gets direction from a REAC/TS nurse/paramedic on the proper technique for assessing a potentially contaminated patient.
The 1 1/2-day course combines lectures with hands-on experience to teach the basics about radiation, detection equipment, decontamination procedures, and safety at a radiation emergency site.
