PART C - VEHICLE WASHDOWN
Vehicle Washdown is conducted as far forward as possible, and is done by the
battalion PDDE crew or a chemical company decontamination squad.
Vehicle
Washdown is most effective if started within one hour after contamination.
Wash each vehicle with hot, soapy water for two to three minutes. Because
speed is important and detection is difficult, do not check vehicles for
contamination after Vehicle Washdown. Remove only gross contamination.
Like MOPP Gear Exchange, the Vehicle Washdown is done in the unit's area of
operations.
The battalion PDDE crew, stationed in the battalion trains,
conducts the washdown. They move to the operational decontamination site,
rendezvous with the contaminated element, and conduct the washdown.
The
decontamination crew uses its PDDE to spray approximately 100 gallons of
hot, soapy water on each vehicle to wash off the gross contamination. Soil
characteristics and vehicle sizes determine how much water is needed. Sandy
soils may require less water, clay soils more. When the PDDE is discharging
25 gallons per minute per hose, 100 gallons of water per vehicle provide a
two-minute wash.
To speed the operation, the decontamination crew should
heat the water before arriving at the Operational Decontamination site.
Two pints of liquid detergent are mixed with one 450-gallon tank of water
for the M12A1 Decontamination Apparatus. The M17 SANATOR injects detergent
into the water as it operates. It uses 2.5 quarts of detergent for every
1,200-gallon water bladder or about 1 quart of soap per 450 gallons of
water. The battalion decontamination crew should maintain a basic load of
liquid all-purpose detergent, enough to decontaminate 30 percent of the
battalion's organic vehicles.
Step 1.
Button up vehicle and/or equipment.
This step prevents contamination from being washed or splashed
into
uncontaminated areas. No materials are required for this step.
Procedures.
Equipment crew and operators close all access doors, hatches, windows, and
other openings prior to washdown. Put muzzle covers on weapons.
CM2300
3-12
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