b. Although a unit may be targeted for chemical attack, that unit might not be located where the highest number of casualties could occur (as in a downwind hazard area). Accordingly, another unit might have priority for support. The tables presented in the guide can be used in planning for either situation. Some tables (see paragraph 3.3.4 in the guide) show estimated maximum numbers of personnel by injury severity category. Such estimates should be combined with a comprehensive array of other available information to increase the effectiveness of medical force planning.
c. The guide is organized into 11 sections. Section 1 introduces the guide and presents background and medical planning considerations. Section 2 provides information on the methodology used to develop the estimates of fatalities, casualties, and effectiveness of individuals remaining in the unit. Section 3 explores the use of the casualty prediction tables based on combat effectiveness decrements and estimates of the number of casualties categorized by insult level. Sections 4 through 10 contain tables of casualty estimates. Section 11 is a tutorial on use of the tool.
d. These medical worst-case casualty estimates (see paragraph 2.1.2 through 2.1.7 in the guide) are for personnel in the chemical-targeted and downwind hazard areas of the brigade sector. The actual areas presenting chemical agent hazards to personnel are relatively small and localized when compared to the entire brigade sector. These estimates are not valid for acute effects from repeated exposures, possible delayed effects of low dosage exposures, operational worst-case targeting, targets with different numbers or distributions of exposed personnel, or attacks involving different conditions (of meteorology, terrain, protective status, and so forth) than are modeled. Although the guide is primarily designed to support medical force planning for future CW defense, it may be used to anticipate short-term requirements. For example, delayed requirements of HD victims for care or evacuation resources may be predicted from tables that give estimates of casually numbers by injury type at given times after a CW attack (see paragraphs 3.3.2 and 3.3.3 in the guide).
[APPENDIX E]
Example X-__, ANNEX__, TO HSS PLAN/OPERATION ORDER__, MEDICAL NBC STAFF OFFICER PLANNING FOR HSS IN AN NBC ENVIRONMENT
1. PURPOSE. Establish standardized procedures for medical NBC staff officers planning, preparing for, detecting, reporting, and providing preventive/protective measures for NBC/TIM hazards. Establish planning procedures for conducting HSS in NBC/TIM environments. Also, establish procedures for providing technical guidance/support to leadership before, during, and after an NBC/TIM event.
2. PROCEDURES
a. Medical NBC staff officers prepare list of equipment and procedural guidelines for HSS operations under NBC/TIM conditions. (Provide a list of radiological detection devices, chemical agent detection/identification kits/devices, components of biological sample/specimen collection, and shipping containers. Provide guidelines/references for operating detection/identification devices.)
b. Planning actions for use before an NBC/TIM event. (Provide preventive/protective measures that the leadership can employ to reduce the health effects of a NBC/TIM event. Also, provide preventive/protective measures that leadership can employ to reduce the health effects of existing NBC/TIM hazards/contamination in an AO. Provide HSS leadership with procedures that can be employed to protect their unit and patients.)