EMS gives decontamination tent demo

Action at the high school practice field last Wednesday, May 24, may have looked like kids just running through a sprinkler, but local emergency medical service personnel were also running through the process of cleaning contaminants off of people.

EMS director Brady Ring was on site, where hospital and EMS staff set up the decon tent, complete with water from a nearby fire hydrant. At least once a year they do a practice run to make sure everything is functioning properly and to give staff a chance to do some hands-on training.

This year, the practice run was also used as an opportunity to teach Holyoke Elementary students. Each P.E. class was shown the tent, and Ring explained to them what its purpose is. Once the lesson was complete, kids were free to try it out, and yes, it basically amounted to running through a sprinkler.

Ring explained that the tent belongs to Melissa Memorial Hospital. Sometimes patients may need to be decontaminated before they can receive treatment. Imagine a traffic accident involving a tanker carrying hazardous materials or perhaps a farming accident that drenches someone in chemicals.
 

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.