A full-scale mock disaster exercise was conducted by firefighters, police offices, and Emergency Operation Center officials on Friday, Oct. 1 in Jackson Center, OH. The Decon Zone included DQE’s decontamination pool and the Indestructo decontamination shower system for decontaminating a HazMat responder after stopping a leak in a tanker truck.

Micro-hospitals and freestanding emergency rooms are popping up all around the country. Just like traditional hospitals, these facilities must meet CMS guidelines and have an Emergency Operations Plan in place to address hazard vulnerabilities. Consider a scenario where a contaminated patient enters the building and needs decontamination, is there a plan to address this situation? DQE’s Micro-Hospital Patient Decontamination System provides a simple, professional, and affordable approach to patient decontamination.

Every community needs to plan and prepare for the risks of HazMat, CBRN, and mass casualty incidents. These emergency plans should include policies for quick and efficient decontamination of contaminated victims. DQE, the leader in portable decontamination systems, introduces the MasCas® II Decontamination Shower, a durable, lightweight, multi-victim decon shower with a fast-deploying design for technical decontamination.

The Shaken Fury Exercise focused on a simulated major earthquake in Memphis, Tennessee that will impact middle America including the state of Alabama. The exercise was designed to test communications, situational awareness systems and networks; simulate coordinated responses during structural damage and life-threatening mass casualty incidents; and coordinate responses to a HAZMAT incident caused by the earthquake.

DQE has announced the acquisition of the Slyde Evacuation Sled, an innovative expansion of its emergency evacuation product line. In the event of fires, natural disasters, attacks or other emergencies, moving injured or immobilized individuals can be a challenge. The DQE Slyde Evacuation Sled offers an easy to use, cost-effective and reliable solution to evacuate non-ambulatory occupants from any multi-story building. This exciting evacuation transportation device is a perfect fit with DQE’s philosophy of bringing high-quality, practical, and affordable equipment to the healthcare and emergency response community.

DQE’s Firefighter Health & Wellness line of products is based on the latest research related to firefighter cancer prevention. Research demonstrates that chronic exposure to heat, smoke, and toxic flame retardants through inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption place firefighters at increased risk of cancer. DQE’s Firefighter Health & Wellness line contains products that reflect the best practices for reducing exposure to cancer-causing carcinogens through Zone Establishment, Gross Carcinogen Decontamination (PPE and Skin), and Post-Decontamination.

Kinnos Inc.’s flagship technology, Highlight®, is now being stocked by DQE for first response and emergency preparedness. Highlight®, a powder additive for bleach solutions, colorizes and increases the wettability of the disinfectant to ensure full coverage, and then fades in color to transparent to indicate when the contact time has been met and decontamination is complete. Highlight® has previously been used in Liberia and Guinea for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and is currently used by first responders, biosafety and healthcare professionals, and non-government organizations for training and routine decontamination.

DQE developed the Sentry Shield line of personal protective kits to protect police officers and first responders from white powdery substances that could contain fentanyl, carfentanil, or other powerful opioid-based substances. The Sentry Shield kits are configured based on the recommendations of the National Institutes of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). These personal protection kits range in coverage based on the severity of exposure levels responders may encounter.

The Survey team was very impressed with the comprehensiveness of our plan and incorporation of the PACE evacuation kits, in fact, they noted in their final report that, “…A best practice appears in evacuation planning to include specialized kits for full accountability of patients.” This is a significant finding as the tracking and care of patients/residents during an evacuation is of utmost importance for their well-being and safety.

The decontamination environment can be stressful for contaminated victims, especially when they are distressed with chemical exposure. A place to sit is helpful to steady victims inside the decontamination shower, as well as throughout the decon zone. Now DQE has a solution for safe stability with the new Decon Utility Stool. The DQE Decon Utility… Read more »