Open AccessPrehospital Response to Hazmat Incidents
Author(s) -
Yeung RSD,
Chan JTS,
Ho ST
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
hong kong journal of emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.145
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 2309-5407
pISSN - 1024-9079
DOI - 10.1177/102490790200900205
Subject(s) - contingency plan , medicine , medical emergency , terrorism , emergency response , computer security , forensic engineering , engineering , law , political science , computer science
Hazmat incidents rarely occur, but when they do they may cause tremendous casualties and terror among the community. The chemical leakage in Bhopal of India in 1984 resulted in 2500 deaths and injured more than 150,000. 1 The Sarin attack in Tokyo subway station caused more than 10 deaths and 5,000 people were affected. 2 Therefore, both industrial chemical leakage and terrorist attack using chemical agents is a major concern to any cosmopolitan city. To best manage these incidents, we need a well written contingency response plan involving local government departments, the Police Department, the Fire Service Department and the receiving hospitals.