A chemical attack may come directly in the area in which individuals are located or upwind from that area In either case, when alerted to a chemical attack they must take the following immediate defensive actions:

l Stop breathing.

l Don protective mask

l Give the alarm.

l Continue the mission and wait for further orders.

l When the situation permits, assist others who need help.

Protective Measures after Chemical Attack

Whether an attack comes in the form of a vapor, aerosol spray, or a liquid agent, remain in protective gear and continue your mission. When the time and the mission permit, give first aid to casualties in the immediate vicinity, and report the local casualty status to the appropriate authority. All personnel must await the commander's order for unmasking. After a chemical attack DO NOT UNMASK UNTIL AUTHORIZED BY YOUR IMMEDIATE COMMANDER. In the absence of command guidance, the procedures described below should be followed.

PROCEDURE WHEN A DETECTOR KIT IS AVAILABLE.- Use a chemical agent detector kit to test for the presence or absence of chemical agents. After determining the absence of agents, two or three individuals should unmask for 5 minutes, then remask. Check for chemical agent symptoms. If no chemical agent symptoms appear in 10 minutes, the remainder of the troops may safely unmask. Bright light causes contraction of the pupils that could be erroneous y interpreted as a nerve agent symptom.

PROCEDURE WHEN A DETECTOR KIT IS NOT AVAILABLE.- Observe animal life within your surrounding area for symptoms of chemical agent poisoning. If the local animals appear affected by a chemical agent and if it does not impede your mission, move to an area where the animals appear normal before you attempt the procedures listed below. These procedures should also be used in an extreme emergency. Two or three individuals should be selected to take a deep breath, hold it, break the seal of their masks, and keep their eyes wide open for 15 seconds. They then should clear their masks, reestablish the seal, and wait for 10 minutes. If no symptoms appear after 10 minutes, these same individuals should again break the seal, take two or three breaths, and clear and reseal the mask. After another 10-minute wait, if no symptoms have developed, these same individuals should unmask for 5 minutes and then remask. After this procedure, if no symptoms have appeared, the remainder of the group can safely unmask. However, remain alert for the appearance of any chemical symptoms. If symptoms occur, resume the wearing of masks.