Military grade chemical weapons exposure in civil society

Any use of chemical weapons, under any circumstances, is a clear breach of international law and contrary to the Chemical Weapons Convention. However, in recent years, we have witnessed the use of chemical weapons in civil society.

Chemical warfare agents are extremely dangerous chemical agents that are made to injure or kill. Nerve agents and blister agents are considered the most likely to be used in terrorist actions. However, the use of nerve agents in assassinations also impose a considerable risk. Exposure of nerve agents due to assassination attempts pose a particular threat to health care takers.

Ordinary rubber gloves provide poor protection against nerve agents, and any attempt resuscitation can injure responders. In many cases, emergency services are likely to be the first to be in contact with a patient and offer care before even being able to identify the agent. Isolation and transport to a suitable facility is therefore crucial. The risk of exposure increases during transportation as there are many different occasions where it can happen, whether it is in connection with PPE, the patient transfer from one medical team to another, or lack of training.

Medical isolation and transportation units can keep responders safe, especially if the unit is airtight and under-pressurized, providing a dual safety barrier. In order to transport an exposed patient the isolation units need chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) filters to protect health care takers from hazardous environmental agents. However, patients have to be in contact with a number of healthcare professionals, for care, tests and treatment, responders need to be able to perform lifesaving medical procedures along the way.

With the EpiShuttle we can intubate, ventilate, and perform almost any patient procedure during transport, while maintaining multiple safety barriers between the patient and the health care worker. This vastly improves the situation for both parties, says EpiGuard.