Figure 1-2.
Operational Decontamination
Soldiers use Power-Driven Decontamination Equipment (PDDE) to conduct
Vehicle Washdown.
If the mission allows, it is most effective to conduct
the Vehicle Washdown Technique within one hour; however, sufficient
decontamination
assets
probably will
not
be
available for
timely
decontamination. You may need to postpone the Vehicle Washdown for several
hours. The washdown still will be effective in removing gross contamination
and limiting its spread.
Soldiers exchange contaminated MOPP Gear for new gear. The squad or platoon
is responsible for conducting the MOPP Gear Exchange at the Operational
Decontamination Site.
These techniques may not allow safe unmasking on or near equipment; but
soldiers may move upwind of "vapor dirty" equipment into a clean area or
collective protection shelter, check for contamination, and briefly unmask.
Use continuous contamination checks and monitoring to find and stay in clear
areas. Soldiers must use proper unmasking procedures to safely unmask.
Operational Decontamination should be done as soon as it is practical. The
longer you wait to remove or neutralize contamination, the harder it will be
to do so.
Also, the longer you wait, the more chance there will be for
agent spread and worse contamination problems.
Every type of unit, combat, combat support, and combat service support, must
develop its own standing operating procedures (SOP) and methods for
obtaining temporary relief from MOPP 4 based on its equipment and missions.
On-the-spot judgment combines all three fundamental measures of NBC Defense:
contamination avoidance, protection, and decontamination.
1-7
CM2300
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