Industrial Chemical Incidents Case 3

The Big One…

A patient walks in to the ED saying she has been in town walking past the leisure centre and noticed a pungent smell.

She is now coughing and short of breath and wants to get 'checked out'.

Which of the following is the most likely cause of her symptoms?

Do you call a chemical incident at this stage?

After decontamination, you examine the patient and notice she is also wheezing with vomiting and very constricted pupils.

Which of the following conditions is this consistent with?

Which two antidotes will you need?

Another patient arrives with a similar story. What should be your next three steps?

This latest patient has his clothes removed and is decontaminated. He now wants to go home with his clothes, but there are a number of reasons why he should be discouraged from this. What do you think these might be?

A total of 26 patients, trolley cases and walking wounded pass through the department. More patients are arriving now – who else needs informing? Click on the agencies you need to inform.

You receive a call from ambulance control to stand down the incident. Which of the following actions should now be carried out.