[Preparedness of Pomeranian Region hospitals for a possible attack with chemical weapons]

The aim of this study was to find out whether the medical staff in the emergency units in all Pomeranian Region hospitals were prepared for possible chemical weapon attack. Key medical personnel, senior doctors and nurses, in 24 hospitals were interviewed by the authors. None of the medical staff have received training in self-protection and management of mass casualties after accidental or terroristic chemical release. There were only four hospitals which had adequate space and special chambers for decontamination. None of the emergency units had special equipment needed for self-protection. The majority of the staff did not know their tasks and individual roles in the case of chemical contamination. None of the personnel had information about antidotes and place of their storage. Only 16.7% of the staff knew the source of quick information about specific treatment of casualties.

The emergency departments in Pomeranian Region hospitals are not prepared for a possible terroristic chemical attack. There is an urgent need for training the medical staff in self-protection and management of mass casualties after accidental or terroristic chemical release. It is important to make bank of antidotes which could be placed in the regional poison control centres. All these procedures could be carried out without too much expenditure.