U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL NAPLES COMPLETES FIRST-RECEIVER OPERATIONS TRAINING

Photo By Christina Clarke | U.S. Navy sailors from Naval Hospital Naples, Italy successfully completed the First-Receiver Operations Training (FROT) course in early January. The two-day course teaches students how to respond to medical situations that involve chemical, biological, radiological/nuclear (CBRN) or other hazardous materials. The course is facilitated on a biannual basis by Decontamination Education and Consulting on Nuc/Bio/Chem (DECON, LLC.).  

NAPLES, ITALY

01.18.2018

Story by Christina Clarke 

U.S. Naval Hospital Naples

U.S. Navy sailors from Naval Hospital Naples, Italy successfully completed
the First-Receiver Operations Training (FROT) course in early January. The
two-day course teaches students how to respond to medical situations that
involve chemical, biological, radiological/nuclear (CBRN) or other hazardous
materials. The course is facilitated on a biannual basis by Decontamination
Education and Consulting on Nuc/Bio/Chem (DECON, LLC.).

"The first day is classroom style and is meant to be an eye-opener to CBRN
and what to expect in those situations. The course lays the foundation for
what to do as a member of the DECON team," says HM2 Taylor Ciryak, who
coordinates and trains the hospital DECON team. "We have 66 staff members
on the DECON team. They undergo the 2-day training course and complete
monthly refresher trainings as well."

The second day of the course is a practical exercise whereby the
decontamination team must assemble a shelter, don personal protective suits,
set-up equipment, and treat patients. For a command to be mission capable,
four personnel must dress in the suits, assemble the shelter - complete with
hot water - and prepare all primary equipment in under 15 minutes; the
Naples team was mission capable in just 5 minutes and 58 seconds. Fully
operational standards require all members to be in protective suits and all
secondary equipment to be assembled within 20 minutes; the team completed
this task in 12 minutes and 23 seconds.

After the shelter was assembled, the team practiced caring for ambulatory
and non-ambulatory patients. Patients must be completely decontaminated
before medical treatment can begin. Non-ambulatory patients are moved along
on a roller table where they are washed with hot, soapy water. After
patients have been decontaminated, detection tape is used to ensure all CRBN
agents are completely removed.

Lieutenant Fabia Reid, the hospital Emergency Management Officer, is the
Officer in Charge of the DECON team. Lt. Reid was extremely proud of her
team and that CS2 Ryan Dennis, the Team Chief for this particular evolution,
was recognized by the DECON instructor with a coin for his outstanding
performance. HM2s Joshua Marioni and Ciryak were also recognized for their
continued outstanding management of team logistics.

Despite the group coming from various modalities around the hospital, they
were able to work cohesively and complete the mission. "It was amazing how
well the team came together," says CS2 Dennis. Hopefully USNH Naples will
never have to utilize their training, but they are prepared and more than
capable should a situation ever arise.

• Date Taken: 01.18.2018
• Date Posted: 02.02.2018 09:23
• Story ID: 264403
• Location: NAPLES, IT