1. Normally, patients will not be held at the DCS under NBC conditions unless evacuation cannot be accomplished. They should be RTD or evacuated to a clean MTF, as soon as the mission permits.

2. The CBPS can also be employed as the DCS in the conventional mode. Employment in either mode still requires GP tentage for patient holding to meet total patient holding requirements.

b. The DEPMEDS-equipped patient care areas of the US Army Force XXI hospital and the hospital unit base (HUB) of the Medical Force 2000 (MF2K) will employ the CP DEPMEDS. It will not protect personnel or patients from the thermal, blast, and initial radiation effects of nuclear weapons; however, it will provide some protection against fallout effects. Areas of the hospital that are not included in the chemically protected (CP) DEPMEDS are MF2K general hospital unit medical (HUM), MF2K field hospital unit holding (HUH), MF2K combat support and general hospital unit surgical (HUS), minimum care wards, administrative areas, food service, supply (including Class VIII), and staff quarters. The system includes—

c. The M20 simplified collective protection system is another system that is available. It consists of a chemically protected room liner, a CB filter blower, and an ambulatory air lock. However, it does not have a litter air lock making it unsuitable for litter patient care. The M20 may be used to protect medical staffs at the DCS, FST, and hospitals, patients held in the GP tents at the DCS and in the minimum care wards and staff quarters of the hospitals. Thus providing additional CB protection for staffs and patients.

Section II. EMPLOYMENT OF THE CHEMICALLY BIOLOGICALLY PROTECTED SHELTER SYSTEM

F-3. Establish a Battalion Aid Station in a Chemically Biologically Protected Shelter

To establish a BAS in a CBPS, use one CBPS per treatment team for conventional operations in a split-team mode. When operating in a squad configuration and in the conventional mode, the two CBPS systems may be complexed to provide more workspace. However, keep in mind that the treatment squad is not staffed to operate the two systems in the CB mode. Therefore, when the two systems are complexed and the treatment squad must convert and operate in the CB mode, they may want to close the complexing door and only use one system. When initially setting up the CBPS for operations in the CB mode, only one CBPS is setup; see [Note 2] below. Set up the system as described in TM 10-5410-228-10. To be operational as a BAS, set up medical supplies and equipment as required or as designated in the TSOP. A PDS consisting of a contaminated ambulance point, contaminated triage point, a patient decontamination area, and a contaminated treatment area is established on the downwind (prevailing wind) side of the CBPS. An overhead cover of plastic sheeting (approximately 20 feet wide by 50 feet long) is set up over the PDS, the hot line, and the clean treatment/waiting area; the cover overlaps the air locks. The clean treatment/waiting area should have an area at least 20 feet wide by 15 feet long to allow space for placing patients into the litter air lock without crossing the hot line. A second area covered with 20 × 25 feet of plastic sheeting (the evacuation holding area) is set up beside the shelter on the opposite side from the generator. The clean treatment area is separated from the decontamination area by a hot line with a shuffle pit. Only clean (decontaminated) patients or personnel are allowed to cross the hot line into the clean treatment area, or are admitted into the CBPS. [Figure F-1] presents one layout of a BAS using the CBPS. See TM 10-5410-228-10 for complete details on setting up, operating, and maintaining the CBPS. Each CBPS provides 300 square feet of work area.

NOTES