1. Scope
This standard practice will provide decision-making considerations for response to incidents that involve biological agents/materials. It will provide information and guidance for what to include in response planning, and what activities to conduct during a response. The scope of this practice does not expressly address emergency response to contamination of food or water supplies. This practice applies to those emergency response agencies that have a role in the response to a biological incident. It should be used in emergency services response such as law enforcement, fire department, and emergency medical response actions. This practice assumes that implementation begins with the recognition of a biological incident and ends when emergency response actions cease or the response is assumed by specialized regional, state, or federal response teams. AHJs using this practice will identify hazards, develop a plan, acquire and track equipment, and provide training consistent with the descriptions provided in this practice.
The need was identified by the NFPA Hazardous Materials Committee to link with the E2601 standard practice on radiological emergency response to be linked with the NFPA hazmat standards as a practice, like the radiolgical one, for initial response to a bioligical emergency.
Keywords
emergency response, biological agent response, biological terrorism
The title and scope are in draft form and are under development within this ASTM Committee.
Citing ASTM Standards
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