HELICOPTER AIR AMBULANCE OPNS IN A CHEMICAL ENVIRONMENT TAC SOPS

File: 980811_sep96_decls13_0004.txt
Page: 0004
Total Pages: 6
Subject = HELICOPTER AIR AMBULANCE OPNS IN A CHEMICAL ENVIRONMENT TAC SOPS

Box ID = BX003208

Folder Title = HELICOPTER AIR AMBULANCE TAC-SOP

File Cabinet = Week-38

Parent Organization = HSC

























             6.    LOADING PATIENTS.

             If an LZ is contaminated, the patients will be loaded without
             having the aircraft land. This will be done either at a
             low-level hover (about I meter height) or by hoisting patients
             individually from an appropriate standoff height (to a
             determined). In the first method, troops on the ground should
             not enter the helicopter to assist in loading. Litter patients
             will be brought onto the aircraft in MOPP 4 or in the NBC
             Protective Patient Wrap. If time permits, a CAM check is
             performed on the patient enroute.

                   a.   Low Hover - This method allows for the most rapid
             loading but is more likely to expose the helicopter to
             contamination.

                   b.   Hoisting - Pilots will keep the helicopter out of
             ground effect. The lowest possible altitude can be determined
             by monitoring the CAM as the aircraft hovers. If negative
             readings are obtained, the helicopter can hover at a lower
             altitude to achieve faster loading.

             7.    ACTIONS ENROUTE TO MEDICAL FACILITY.

                   a.   Although medical aid is first priority, the crew
             chief and medic can perform limited decontamination and
             contanination-avoidance steps enroute to the medical treatment
             if time permits. This will limit the spread of contamination
             and reduce the processing time necessary at the facility.

                   b.   The first step in this process is a CAM check of the
             patient's garments (or NBC Protective Patient Wrap) and litters,
             as described in section 8. If the CAM check indicates that
             boots are contaminated, they can be cut off with bandage
             scissors and be placed in a trash bag. Removal of other
             garments is considered too difficult within the helicopter. The
             M291 Decontamination Kit is to be used primarily for
             decontamination of skin if there are breaks in contaminated
             garments.

                   C.   The crew will report contamination status of the
             patients to the medical facility by radio.

             B.    CAM PROCEDURES.

             To prepare the CAM for use, the designated CAM operator (crew
             chief) starts and clears the CAM in accordance with TM
             3-6665-327-13 & P. He sets the CAM in the G mode unless
             information indicates that mustard is the more likely agent to
             be encountered, in which case he sets it on the B mode. The CAM
             has three general uses:


                                             -4-
Unit = OTSG        
Parent = HSC