Chemical agents penetrate ordinary clothing rapidly.
However, significant absorption through the skin
requires a period of minutes. The effects of clothing
penetration may be reduced by quickly removing the
contaminated clothing and neutralizing the chemical
agent on the skin by washing, blotting, or wiping it away.
Prompt decontamination (decon) of the skin is
imperative. Decon of chemical agents on the skin within
1 minute after contamination is perhaps 10 times more
effective than if decontamination is delayed 5 minutes.
Detailed instructions on the use of skin decontamination
kits can be found in the NAVMED P-5041, Treatment of
Chemical Agent Casualties and Conventional Military
Chemical Injuries, and in the kits themselves.
Finally, there are two types of antidote
autoinjectors—atropine and 2-PAM Cl—for your own
8-3
HM3F0801
Figure 8-1.—M291 skin decontamination kit.
HM3F0802
COVER
FOLDED WIPE
(DRY)
STRAP
CASE
FOLDED WIPE
(WET)
NYLON PACKET WITH
THREE AMPULES
THREE DECON-2 PAKETS
Figure 8-2.—M258A1 skin decontamination kit.
