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Interagency Board releases recommended fentanyl exposure best practices

The board included best practices for PPE, decontamination and medical countermeasures

By FireRescue1 Staff

WASHINGTON — The Interagency Board recommended several first responder best practices for fentanyl exposure due to the increasing use of illegal opioids.

The organization recommended that PPE should be based on the risk level, which should be determined by the wearer’s potential for exposure to synthetic opioids and the responder’s operational function. They stressed that exposure risk levels can change throughout a call and must constantly be monitored.

When decontaminating, the Interagency Board said responders should immediately wash any skin that had direct contact with suspected residue, and should avoid any alcohol-based disinfectant. Responders should also avoid high pH solutions.

The organization also said responders should follow rescue breathing protocol when administering naloxone and should stop the administration when the patient is breathing at a rate of eight or more breaths per minute.

IAB Recommended Best Practices for Opioid Response October 2017 by Ed Praetorian on Scribd

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