This looks great! Thank you for sharing your methods. I'm honestly hoping that this thread will help those of us who manage the CHEMPACKS to develop more effective methods of teaching, motivating, training, and preparing our Emergency Responders and Administrators at both the state and local levels.
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Crystal D. Bulman
Medical Countermeasures Coordinator, Upstate Region
S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control
352 Halton Road, Suite 301
Greenville SC 29607
Office: (864) 372-3132
Mobile: (864) 982-1715
bulmancd@dhec.sc.gov------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 06-26-2025 01:11 PM
From: Chad Cossey
Subject: How Do You Ensure Your Local Emergency Responders Are Trained and Prepared to Use CHEMPACK?
Hi Crystal,
I feel the complancency. When we work in a risk based system and something hasn't happened we become resistent to holding on to a resource. A few items for the sake of contributing and I apologize if my recommendations are naive'.
I have had some progress with having an annual presentation and making updates to the CHEMPACK in our EMS meetings. We have built and offered, a TtX tool box for a hosting entity to use for training and their needs.
Secondly, possibly a reanalysis of the skills involved in CHEMPACK.
- logisitcs and deplyment, what assets do you have that have a similar deployment plan, if that is practiced. Then A+
- Auto-injector skills, always a good time to refresh on this and medication administraion. (Offer CE's)
- Signs and Symptoms of the chemical exposures that would lead to a deployment (Offer CE's
- Post Administraion monitoring (Offer CE's)
- Get your health Coaltion involved as the ED's would like to know more and some of the Hospital EM's cold incoprorate into their exercise.
These are a few things that have worked for me, hope this helps.
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Chad Cossey MS Emergency Management
Program Supervisor II
Orange County Health Care Agency
Irvine CA
(657)767-4365
Original Message:
Sent: 06-24-2025 10:12 AM
From: Crystal Bulman
Subject: How Do You Ensure Your Local Emergency Responders Are Trained and Prepared to Use CHEMPACK?
Many of the Emergency Responders in my state do not have an actionable (and written) plan for deploying the CHEMPACKS. I think it is because they do not believe there will ever be a need even when I point out that our nation, and specifically our state, still transports and uses some of the hazardous chemicals that are part of nerve agents and can be extremely hazardous all on their own. How have you motivated your emergency responders to prepare for deploying and using CHEMPACKS?
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Crystal D. Bulman
Medical Countermeasures Coordinator, Upstate Region
S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control
352 Halton Road, Suite 301
Greenville SC 29607
Office: (864) 372-3132
Mobile: (864) 982-1715
bulmancd@dhec.sc.gov
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