Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 22:29:01 -0800
From: x
Reply-To: action-medical@egroups.com
To: action-medical@egroups.com
Subject: Re: [action-medical] "Health and Safety" pamphlet


I think this is a very good document. Congratulations for you efforts. I
have taken the liberty to add my 2 cents worth of comments, which are
[[enclosed in double brackets]] after the point referred to.

==========
[[For clothing: If you expect to get chemically contaminated, best to wear
clothes you wont mind throwing away after, if decontaminating them is
unrealistic. Cheap rainjackets and rainpants are formidable allies against
chemical contamination, and chemicals easily rinse off.]]

Always have a safe space in mind. All demonstrators need to be aware of a
safe place to get to if a situation grows out of hand. You define "safe" and
"unsafe" for yourself. For some, safe is among the locked arms of fellow
activists, right on the front lines; but there's no shame in a lower
threshold, for any number of reasons. Safe spaces change depending on
movement and barriers by other demonstrators and the police, etc. In some
cases they include wide open spaces or public areas. Other times they may
take the form of an alleyway or similar hiding spot. There's no hard and
fast rule about finding a safe space, but the time to have one in mind is
before the shit hits the fan.
[[Be aware that a safe space can get over run by police, especially if other
rowdy demonstrators also use your safe space.]]

Similarly, you should always have an exit in mind. Assess how to leave a bad
situation. Maybe it is best to be in a large group for protection. But if
the police are herding you like cattle, then the large crowd is their focus
and you may need to break up and leave in small groups. You should always be
ready to quickly change clothing to avoid being recognized in case of
pursuit. Getting away one moment might be your only chance to be active the
next.
[[Carry bus, metro or taxi fare, and change for public telephones.]]
....

To know what is going on out of view, it is useful for demonstrators to be
part of a group that regularly sends out scouts to investigate what the
police and other demonstrators are up to. Since the situation at a dynamic
protest will change frequently and rapidly, scouts need to check around and
report back often. It's a good idea to appoint a pair of group members as
scouts, so they can operate together, and you'll know the job is covered at
any given time, as well as who is doing it.
[[Consider the use of cell phone, secure cell coms, and walkie-talkies.
However, they can be monitored or sometimes disrupted by the police.]]

If you didn't see it, it didn't happen. It's a common site at demonstrations
for someone to approach a group of activists shouting, "The riot cops are
coming!" As often as not, of course, there are no police coming at all.
Acting on bad information is disruptive at best, and often dangerous.
[[Prevent rumors from being spread.]]
...

Assume the riot cops are coming. [[I think this could be better worded.
Something like, Assume the riots cops will come. ]]...

Be prepared to be photographed. If you don't want to be photographed by the
police or media at an action, the only sure antidote is to not attend. There
is simply no guarantee that you will not be later identified, almost no
matter how you attempt to disguise yourself. Assume some photographers are
working for the police. Take measures appropriate to your own level of
comfort or concern. [[Ohhh, I like that paragraph!]]

[[Take measures to protect locked-down or vulnerable comrades from
ill-intended police, and unthinking rowdy protesters. Be assertive about
controlling your space - even if it means controlling other protesters who
jeopardize it.]]

In Case of Injury
Almost inevitably, people will get hurt at mass gatherings. Even when there
is no violence to speak of, illnesses related to weather, hunger,
dehydration and exhaustion are common occurrences.
The absolute most important action to take when there is an [[Insert:
"significant"]]injury of any kind is to get a trained and equipped medic to
the scene as soon as possible.
...

[[Street medics can always be identified by red cross or star of life
insignia worn prominently on their persons and/or gear.[[NOT TRUE. There
have been ongoing discussions by medics to use non permanent red crosses in
case they get targeted by the police - as some were in Seattle.]]

No injury or illness is too elementary or too serious to call for a medic -
let him or her be the one to decide.[[I don't agree. Unless you have
experiences that shows that serious illnesses or injuries are ignored by
protesters, I would leave it out. Common sense, or guts will prevail. We
also believe, as DAN Medics put out - that people are tough and stronger
than they think. We need to also distinguish between pain, discomfort,
hurt -- and an injury or illness that requires medical attention.]]

[[Consider adding: The effects of the chemical weapons are dependent on
numerous factors such as the strength of the chemicals, amount you are
exposed to, where you are exposed, fresh air, your discomfort tolerance,
physical sensitivity to the chemicals, time before treatment, treatment
effectiveness, etc..]]
....

If you or someone nearby has been contaminated by chemical weapons, you
should immediately call for a medic. [[Again, many people do get
contaminated and do not require medical attention, or refuse medical
attention because 1) they receive a minor dose, 2) they can withstand the
temporary discomfort. I would rewrite it to say "If anyone has been
contaminated by chemical weapons and requires medical help, you should
immediately yell for a medic."]]
...

Breathing Difficulty: It is common for victims of chemical contamination to
suffer from strained breathing, but exposure to fresh air should help
noticeably and abruptly. If the victim's ability to breath does not begin to
improve almost immediately after being introduced to fresh air, you can
assume contamination of their lungs has complicated their condition, and
consider this a respiratory emergency. At this point, you must call for a
medic, or even 9-1-1. Have the person sit comfortably. Sitting upright is
the best position for recovering from respiratory distress. Encourage slow,
calm breaths. If the victim is asthmatic and has an inhaler, help them find
and use it. Do not use someone else's inhaler on an asthmatic victim. Anyone
who experiences prolonged breathing difficulty as a result of chemical
inhalation should seek medical care as soon as possible - at the very least
it may be an indication of other underlying [[illness Change to "respiratory
compromise"]].

[[add: This person must NOT return to any area with a risk of further
chemical weapon contamination for the next 24 hours at least. They should be
monitored for the next 24 hours for any relapse in respiratory distress -
even if they recover before hand. (DOD research, by the way)]]

Have the victim kneel on the ground, and tilt their head back and slightly
to one side. If they are not wearing water resistant clothing and the air
temperature is cool, you may need to cover the victim with a raincoat,
poncho or plastic bag - they are about to get rather wet.  [[ Good point!]]

Stand in front of the patient. With a squirt-style drinking bottle [see
inset] in one hand, use the thumb of your other hand to carefully but surely
pry the upper eyelid of one of the victim's eyes open, at least a slight
amount (this is the eye toward which their head is tilted). With the tip of
the water bottle a few inches from the eye to be treated, quickly squirt a
strong stream of water into the eye at a slight outward angle. Use a
sweeping motion, starting at the inside corner of the eye and moving toward
the outside. It is important to squeeze hard on the bottle. Do not simply
drizzle or gently squirt water into the eye - use a solid stream of water.
The idea is to flush the contaminants out, not to dilute them. Merely
moistening the eye may cause an increase in pain. Next, repeat this
procedure on the other eye.

[[Brian, we are going to argue this forever it seems, but I wish you could
show me the scientific proof that your strong "flushing" technique is more
effective and less potentially harmful than the gentle irrigation technique
that is taught to all emergency medical professionals for chemical
decontamination of the eyes. Gentle irrigation does "flush" contaminates
out - because it is the quantity of liquid that washes it away - not the
mechanical force. It does NOT RISK DRIVING SOME OF THE SOLID PARTICULATES IN
THE CHEMICAL SPRAYS DEEP INTO THE EYE SOCKET - that a strong flush does.
Plus, pounding someone's eye with a strong stream of liquid will instigate
an involuntary eyelid closing response (spasm) that makes it almost
impossible to get liquid to the eyeball.]]

Chemical Decontamination Aftercare
Be aware that entering into a room (or bus, or train car, etc) with
contaminated clothes, hair and skin reeking of chemicals will contaminate
the room, causing discomfort to [[others - change to "all"]].

Makeshift Gas Kit

If you can't acquire or choose not to carry a gas mask, here is a good
alternative:

. shatter-proof swim goggles with tight seal [[We started really advocating
shatter proof because of the experience in Seattle where the police were
firing plastic bullets. But since we haven't seen it since (right?), it
might be better to recommend them, but not insist on them. Any good sealed
goggle will do for those on a budget - which is most protesters.

. large bandanas soaked in apple cider vinegar and sealed in plastic bags
[[regular vinegar will do, but the first minute of breathing through it can
be rough]]

. paper respirator masks to wear underneath bandanas (optional) (ensure a
seal) [[Don't the paper masks fall apart when wet? Perhaps you mean the
"strong" hospital or hardware-grade paper-compound or synthetic mask, with a
moldable seal.]]

Widespread use of either of these agents typically results in a generalized
panic. People begin to run in various directions, and often times injuries
result from collision between partially blinded protestors or passers by.
[[Good point! But I would re-write the first sentence to say that it "often"
results in generalized panic "to those inexperienced with getting exposed to
chemical weapons". ]]

Tear gas is especially effective on the lungs, and can cause serious
respiratory distress, [[Change following to: "asthmatics and those with
respiratory conditions are more at risk]]. It also [[may]]causes a minor
[[skin burn]], which can be quite painful. OC, on the other hand, primarily
effects the eyes. It [[Change to: "can be" ]] extremely painful to the eyes
and skin, but can also cause respiratory [[change to "problems"]] if inhaled
or [[gastric upset]] ingested.




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