Timed up perfectly to coincide with our annual hazmat days is the REMAC’s WMD protocol, specifically with regards to weaponized nerve agents (think sarin gas). Obviously, incidents such as these, should they occur, would trigger all sorts of MCI operations, but the point of this protocol specifically is to highlight how the use of antidotes (in this case, DuoDote – the atropine/pralidoxime combo autoinjector) is operationalized. In these cases, one of the FDNY EMS medical directors would issue a Class Order instructing agencies to start utilizing this specialized intervention, an order which may wind up disseminated to OLMC facilities like ours to further disseminate to EMS crews. Use this protocol as a reference tool in the specific dosing of DuoDotes; note that there are separate tables for initial treatment, subsequent management, and pediatrics specifically. Also note that these tables all fall under a CFR header, meaning CFRs, EMTs, and paramedics can all administer these autoinjectors.
Of course, this protocol will hopefully never need to be utilized, but having these sort of strategies set ahead of time goes a long way in disaster preparedness and protection of life in what is hopefully a never-event.
Thanks for reading! www.nycremsco.org and the protocol binder for more!
Dave