CHEMM Web-Based Resource Enhances Planning and Response to Chemical Emergencies
July 11, 2011: Chemical emergencies are high risk events that require first responders to quickly make a series of complex decisions to minimize the risk of injury to their patients and themselves. The tools in Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM) provide a comprehensive resource to help responders make safer decisions and provide them with the right information when it is needed most. CHEMM enables first responders & other healthcare providers and planners to plan for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of mass-casualty incidents involving accidental or terrorist chemical releases.
CHEMM is available online at http://chemm.nlm.nih.gov/ as a Web-based resource. It is also downloadable in advance so that it would be available during an event if the internet is not accessible. It provides evidence-based information and guidance on a wide variety of topics, including quick chemical identification, acute patient care guidelines, and initial event activities.
CHEMM enhances and builds on the successes of the suite of Emergency Medical Management tools that began with the Radiation Emergency Medical Management (REMM) web-based resource, which provides information for health care providers about clinical diagnosis and treatment of radiation and other injuries anticipated following radiological and nuclear emergencies.
CHEMM and REMM are the result of collaborative efforts between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) - Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations (OPEO), the National Library of Medicine - Division of Specialized Information Services (NLM\SIS), as well as many medical, emergency response, toxicology, industrial hygiene, and other experts.
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