Mass decontamination

Mass decontamination (abbreviated mass decon) is the decontamination of large numbers of people, in the event of industrial, accidental, or intentional contamination by toxic, infective, caustic, polluted, or otherwise unhealthful or damaging substances.

An example is when large numbers of persons fleeing from the September 11, 2001 attacks were detained by officials, so that they could be cleansed by fire department and emergency staff. Their shoes, clothing, jewelry, and other personal effects were seized from them, the contaminated people were washed, and given replacement clothing.

Mass hysteria and security aspects
Scenes of mass contamination are often scenes of collective hysteria, with hundreds or thousands of victims in a state of panic. Therefore, mass decontamination may require police, security, or rescue supervision to help control panic and keep order. Under these circumstances, mass decon can take on some features of mass arrests, with victims forcibly rounded up, then treated inside impromptu detention areas. Successful municipal decontaminations are greatly aided by a close collaboration between police and fire departments. An organised, informed and aware populace can be better prepared for possible emergencies, and is less likely to panic. In some situations volunteers may be needed to augment or replace rescue/security personnel to help maintain calm and/or assist with decon procedures.

For example, the Australian "Workplace Relations Act 1996" calls for detention of victims of a hazmat incident:
 * The ACTFB has also gained additional powers under the Emergencies Act 2004 to detain people at a HazMat/CBR incident.

FEMA also suggests that:
 * victims ... might be detained for ... decontamination.

Even some of the clear-thinking subjects may resist efforts to decontaminate them. Those who know or think they have not been contaminated may resist being herded into close quarters with sick or toxin-ridden victims who still have the potential to harm those nearby. Those carrying weapons or some form of contraband may require force to part them from their contaminated clothes and effects. Others may simply fear contact with the authorities, as well as separation from family and loss of job resulting from quarantines, more than they fear the contaminant. Rather than a drawback, security forces sometimes look at the coercive aspects of mass decon as a side benefit: while mass suspicionless strip searches might not pass legal muster even in urgent counter-terror emergencies, the authorities can examine/confiscate the belongings of decon subjects, as well as forcing them to disrobe in view of guards, without any need to establish suspicion.

Military groups, church groups, Boy Scouts groups, Girl Guides, businesses, etc. can prepare for possible contaminations by performing drills of decontamination procedures. This can have the effect of decreasing the likelihood of panic, and allowing for faster, more successful decontamination.

Mass decontamination equipment
Mass decon is performed by way of decontamination tents, decontamination trailers, or fixed decon facilities. Most hospitals and airports have at least one mass decon facility. Some newer airports have a mobile decon facility that can generate decon foam in large quanties.

LAX - Los Angeles International Airport has a decon system with four soap cannons to spray down hysterical crowds. The facility features pop up tents so that once soaped, the victims can file on either side of the rig (one gender on each side) to rinse in specially designed showers where they can remove all clothing, dry off, and receive replacement clothing or other suitable modesty garb (i.e. makeshift clothing such as bedsheets, tablecloths, or garbage bags with head and arm cutouts).

Use of mass decontamination
Although there have been many mass casualty decon drills, the September 11th attacks resulted in a true need for mass decon. This need was met with these (and other) techniques ( - external link):
 * To prevent these patients from escaping the decon system, the entrance to the terminal was closed, and all pedestrian traffic from the ferry dock was diverted to a holding pen which was constructed using police barricades already at the scene.


 * When the first group of 300 patients arrived, they were covered with a dry, white powder. They were placed into the holding area and processed them two at a time through the handline decon.


 * The first formal hazmat assets (Nutley Fire Department and Middlesex County Hazmat) arrived on scene, and set up mass decon tents. After the tents were operational, the handlines were demobilized, and medical personnel began to process patients in earnest. With the resources and knowledge of these two hazmat agencies, they were able to process 10-15 patients rather than two at a time. This resulted in their ability to decon almost 300 victims per hour.