b. When operating under an NBC threat or when NBC attack is imminent, the BAS must prepare for continuation of its mission. Should an attack occur or a downwind hazard exist, the BAS must seek out a contamination free area to establish a clean treatment area, or must establish collective protection to continue the mission. Some BASs have Chemically Biologically Protected Shelter (CBPS) Systems. When available, these systems serve as the primary shelter for the BAS; they are operated in the full chemical/biological (CB) mode when attack is imminent or has occurred. See [Appendix F] for information on establishing a BAS in a CBPS system. When operating in the CB mode only patients requiring life- or limb-saving procedures are allowed entry at the BAS. Patients that have minor injuries that can be managed in the contaminated EMT area of the patient decontamination site will receive treatment in this area. After treatment, these patients will have the integrity of their MOPP restored by taping the damaged area and returned to duty. Patients with injuries that require further treatment, but who can survive evacuation to the Level II MTF will have their MOPP spot decontaminated, their injuries managed, the integrity of their MOPP restored, and be directed to an evacuation point to await transport to the Level II MTF (example, an individual with a splinted broken arm). When patients or personnel are contaminated or are potentially contaminated, they must be decontaminated before admission into the clean treatment area (see FM 3-5 for personnel decontamination procedures and [Appendix G] for patient decontamination procedures).
3-3. Level II Health Service Support
a. In the brigade, Level II HSS consists of—
- Evacuating patients from the BAS and MEDEVAC on an area support basis from within the brigade support area (BSA).
- Providing area support Level I medical treatment.
- Operating the medical company clearing station (hereafter referred to as the division clearing station [DCS]), which provides a patient holding capability for up to 40 patients for 72 hours. See FM 4-02.6 and FM 8-10-24 for detailed information on Level II conventional operations.
- Providing limited dental service.
- Providing limited PVNTMED support in the areas of medical surveillance, occupational and environmental health surveillance, food service sanitation, water quality control (including NBC contamination surveillance), and communicable disease control.
- Providing limited COSC; these patients are returned to duty as far forward as their condition permits.
b. In the division, HSS is the same as for the brigade, except patients may be evacuated from the BSA DCS, but not evacuated from the BAS.
c. When operating under an NBC threat or when NBC attack is imminent, the DCS must prepare for continuation of its mission. Should an attack occur or a downwind hazard exist the DCS must seek out a contamination free area, or must establish collective protection to continue the mission. The DCS in some medical companies have four CBPS Systems; they are complexed to provide space for DCS operations. These systems are operated in the CB mode when attack is imminent or has occurred. See [Appendix F] for information on establishing a DCS in CBPS Systems. When operating in the CB mode only patients requiring life- or limb-saving procedures are allowed entry. Patients with minor injuries that can be managed in the contaminated EMT area of the patient decontamination site will receive treatment in this area. After treatment, these patients will have the integrity of their MOPP restored by taping the damaged area and returned to duty. Patients with injuries that require further treatment, but who can survive evacuation to the Level III MTF will have their MOPP spot decontaminated, their injuries managed, and be directed to an evacuation point to await transport to the Level III MTF (example, an individual with a splinted broken arm). When personnel and patients are contaminated or are potentially contaminated, they must be decontaminated before admission into the clean treatment area (see FM 3-5 for personnel decontamination procedures and [Appendix G] for patient decontamination procedures).
3-4. Forward Surgical Team
Forward surgical teams (FST) are either organic to divisional and nondivisional medical units or are forward deployed in support of divisional or nondivisional medical companies to provide a surgical capability. Field Manual 8-10-25 describes FST operations. However, when forward deployed and NBC contamination is imminent the FST must employ collective protection in order to continue their support mission. When operating in a contaminated area the FST CBPS Systems must be complexed with the DCS CBPS. The FST cannot operate in an NBC environment without the support of the DCS. They do not have the capability to decontaminate patients. All patients are decontaminated in the DCS patient decontamination area. They are then processed into the EMT section of the DCS; where they are triaged and routed to the FST for surgery, if required. See [Appendix F] for FST employment of collective protection procedures.