Quarantine Bucket Idea

[NathanJefferson]

So Shay came up with a pretty good idea at the Patriot Nurse class two weeks ago; having everything you need for a quarantine patient in a little kit.

I figure the best container would be a nice 5 gallon bucket, what all should be in it? So far I've got this list:

1. Latex gloves
2. Face masks
3. TP
4. Disposable cups, plates, silverware
5. plastic sheeting
6. plastic bags
7. stored food/water
8. Maybe some pain killers?
9. Re hydration salts/electrolytes
10. Disposable blankets (maybe finally a good use for a space blanket!)

Trying to think of what would be needed to put in the quarantine area so as little contact would be needed with others.


What are your thoughts?

 

[Double T]

What kind of quarantine? If it were droplet type respiratory quarantine, I would think you would need a separate room to don the gear, and you should also add complete eye protection. Also should probably figure out if your ear/nose masks would block what you're trying to treat.

Also, throw in some disposable dishes. no need for a person to wash and potentially contaminate other people's eating utensils...unless you plan on treating them with some of the spray stuff.

Latex gloves go really, really fast, especially in isolation...one box probably isn't going to cut it. Also, they are really hard to get a good fit to. My suggestion is to have a room for people to get in/out of gear, and a trashcan to throw it all in in that room. Dispose of everything you can.

 

[NathanJefferson]

What kind of quarantine? If it were droplet type respiratory quarantine, I would think you would need a separate room to don the gear, and you should also add complete eye protection. Also should probably figure out if your ear/nose masks would block what you're trying to treat.

Also, throw in some disposable dishes. no need for a person to wash and potentially contaminate other people's eating utensils...unless you plan on treating them with some of the spray stuff.

Latex gloves go really, really fast, especially in isolation...one box probably isn't going to cut it. Also, they are really hard to get a good fit to. My suggestion is to have a room for people to get in/out of gear, and a trashcan to throw it all in in that room. Dispose of everything you can.

We are on the same train.

I would think the bucket would be stored in the possible quarantine area, special room in the barn/garage/etc. Hopefully would have a cot or something else stored in there where someone if they were sick or had come into contact with those who were sick could go, and hopefully have little or no contact with others at the location.

 

[Zoub]

Negative pressure in the room so germs do not spread beyond the room itself. The same set up can also be used to create positive pressure within the entire house for other reasons.

 

[TheRude1]

Some 100 mph tape may be something to add

ISD will be having a nuclear fallout class soon. Not the same but not different either

 

[Shay]

An additional thought:

If you have someone that is seriously ill, you might want to add oral hygiene items to your bucket. A tooth brush, small tube of tooth paste and antiseptic mouth wash would be good for someone who is vomiting in isolation. And you certainly don't want to cross contaminate those items.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Diamode, aspirin, thermometer, changes of clothes, books, 2 way radio, paper, pens.

I have been thinking about the same issue. Keep us posted.

 

[Somemedic]

Tyvek suits, shoe covers, garbage bags. Duct tape was mentioned. cheap bottle.of bleach

 

[Trigger Time]

A bullet

 

[NathanJefferson]

A bullet

Hmm, as a suppository? suggest caliber?

 

[PistolBob]

So Shay came up with a pretty good idea at the Patriot Nurse class two weeks ago; having everything you need for a quarantine patient in a little kit.

I figure the best container would be a nice 5 gallon bucket, what all should be in it? So far I've got this list:

1. Latex gloves
2. Face masks
3. TP
4. Disposable cups, plates, silverware
5. plastic sheeting
6. plastic bags
7. stored food/water
8. Maybe some pain killers?
9. Re hydration salts/electrolytes
10. Disposable blankets (maybe finally a good use for a space blanket!)

Trying to think of what would be needed to put in the quarantine area so as little contact would be needed with others.


What are your thoughts?

Surgical tape, and duct tape.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

Trying to think of what would be needed to put in the quarantine area so as little contact would be needed with others.
What are your thoughts?

Just out of curiosity , have you educated yourself or been taught about infectious disease and how to treat them ?

Do you have the training and means to run diagnostic tests to find out what the infection is ?

 

[NathanJefferson]

Just out of curiosity , have you educated yourself or been taught about infectious disease and how to treat them ?
Some training, much reading/watching. Expert nope, but pretty confident at being able to spot and categorically diagnose an infectious disease.
Do you have the training and means to run diagnostic tests to find out what the infection is ?
FOr some yes, but not most. That is one reason I believe a quarantine procedure to be of paramount importance. Someone is sick? They sleep/stay over here until it runs its course....

Any additional suggestions on how to better prepare?

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

Any additional suggestions on how to better prepare?

Not really anything to add that hasn't been mentioned other than training .

This thread made me think back to my days as a medic and I'm wondering if this isn't an exercise in futility ?

Don't get me wrong I applaud your efforts to be proactive and bet your probably more prepared for SHTF than the next ten folks .

I remember the way we had to dress and the STRICT SOP's that had to followed just to treat folks with tuberculosis .

These days with "super bugs" becoming more resistant to known treatments , tuberculosis might be a walk in the park .

Then we have the man made biological agents .

We're overdue for another pandemic and without a lot of knowledge , money and resources the average person is screwed .

 

[chezuki]

A bullet

I was thinking a trash bag and a shovel.

 

[Trigger Time]

I was thinking a trash bag and a shovel.

Nice!
Says I gotta spread the rep around.

 

[JetGirl]

Germ-X.

Lots and lots and lots of Germ-X.

 

[NathanJefferson]

Not really anything to add that hasn't been mentioned other than training .

This thread made me think back to my days as a medic and I'm wondering if this isn't an exercise in futility ?

Don't get me wrong I applaud your efforts to be proactive and bet your probably more prepared for SHTF than the next ten folks .

I remember the way we had to dress and the STRICT SOP's that had to followed just to treat folks with tuberculosis .

These days with "super bugs" becoming more resistant to known treatments , tuberculosis might be a walk in the park .

Then we have the man made biological agents .

We're overdue for another pandemic and without a lot of knowledge , money and resources the average person is screwed .

The strict (or not so strict) SOP is what I'm working on driving towards, as well as the tools needed to facilitate that SOP.

In a SHTF scenario I think infectious disease would be more of a concern than bullets flying. So, while I might not be able to determine the difference between disease x, disease y or disease z, the way you implement a quarantine procedure should be similar, assume the worst and hope for the best.

Are there an SOP's or points you would like to share? I really think pandemic is the top(ok, at least top three) SHTF possibility and knowledge is VERY lacking.

Also, PM set.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

Where to begin ? This is gonna be a long read.

I guess the usual disclaimer legal type crap;

I'm not a Dr or lab tech and never specialized in infectious diseases . Years ago , 91-95 , I was a regular 91B Army medic , think paramedic .

So for all the other folks with medical training this info IS NOT MEANT to be an all inclusive , "be all end all" guide on how to quarantine patients in a field environment , OR take the place of actual medical supervision / direction .

Think guerrilla medical operations , Use this info at your own risk .

If you feel you have some expertise in this field and I've left anything out , do us all some good and feel free to chime in .

SUGGESTED READING , HINT , HINT !!!!!!

Special Operations Forces Medical Han book , second version , NOV-2008

STP (soldiers training publication) 8-91B25-SM-TG , -- 8th version (or better) 91B (medic) skill level 2-5 , soldiers manual ,training guide .

91W Combat Medic Field Reference

CTT book , common task training handbook

Brady Prehospital Emergency Care book

With some training (EMT-I) or above and a little know how , these books will serve you well . Without training and a little know how , much of it will be Greek but you may get lucky .

Some of those books may be hard to find but you'd be surprised how many times I've seen them at gun shows or surplus stores (exception Brady) , so they can be had with a little leg work .

I'm gonna try to not write a book here so much of this info will piggy back / expand on what's already been suggested and try to keep it at a "Cliff Notes" level with something like Ebola in mind .

Let's talk about the space in which you plan to quarantine your patient , which will be referred to from here on as Pt . .

Preferably you'll need two rooms , interconnected with a door leading outside of the building in one of them . Two side by side rooms with ONE common door , knock a hole in a wall if needed .

Both of these rooms need to be at the back of the house / building you're gonna use and the hallway leading to them needs to be blocked with sheet plastic taped up at all times , until you have to deal with the Pt.

Keep foot traffic at a minimum in this hallway , NO bathrooms / bedrooms past the "clean" / Pt. rooms . When you enter this hallway you'll need to close it / tape it back up behind you .

Keep this hallway as clean as possible .

The "first" room will be a "clean"/ changing room . This is the room where you will keep all of the needed clothing , gloves , masks , food , medicines ,PPE (personal protective equipment) change of Pt's bedding linens , tape (duct and cloth medical) / "supplies" needed to directly deal with the Pt .

The clean room needs to be sealed off from the hallway AND Pt's room at all times . The Pt's room needs to be completely sealed off (with the exception of the out side door) at all times except when going outside .

But be sure to seal it off behind you after exiting .

In the clean room , you'll don your PPE , Tyvek suit , hood , mask , gloves and shoes being sure to tape every seam . You'll prepare your supplies for whatever your about to do (a small basket helps here) and enter the Pt's room . Making sure that you seal off the entrance behind you after entering the Pt's room .

Once your in the Pt's room , YOU'RE NOW CONTAMINATED along with everything you brought in with you .

So guess where you WON'T be going now ? That's right , back into the clean room .

ABSOLUTELY NO "oh I forgot something so I'll just go and get this / that " moments , period ! Once you're in , you're in until you're done with whatever you need to do .

This is where the outside door comes in .

Once you've done whatever you were in there to do , still wearing your PPE , you bag up all soiled linens , beddings , dressings / whatever in a biohazzard bag and tie it up .

You leave through the outside door AGAIN , making sure to completely seal it off once you exit the building .

Depending on what you're dealing with , a "visitor / caregiver" may be able to hang out and read a book or talk with the Pt . , keeping the amount of disposable items / supplies you'll go through to a minimum .

HOWEVER , loddy doddy EVERYBODY , every last person that enters must follow the same procedures EVERY TIME .

Depending on what you're dealing with it's just like a gun (only slower and WAY less fun) , one screw up and you're done , nice knowing you .

You go straight to your incineration point (preferably an enclosed trash barrel / BBQ smoker / something of the sort ) and throw away whatever you brought out with you .

Now here's the tricky part where medical or military NBC / MOPP training comes in handy . Remember , you are CONTAMINATED so you have to carefully remove all of that PPE without getting it all over yourself and throw it in the incinerator also .

Close it off and burn everything at that time , don't let anything set overnite and you might still be wearing some sort of mask making sure not to breath in any smoke .

At a minimum a hand washing station should also be set up near your incineration point so you can clean up and preferably change before going back into the house .

Now here's the kicker , remember the two rooms ? The clean and Pt rooms ? They need to have some sort of filtration system set up for both the air entering AND exiting the rooms AND BOTH need to be negative pressure rooms .

This will help whatever is in there to stay in there and hopefully be filtered out before being expelled from the rooms .

Think of our lungs , the pressure inside our thorax is negative or less than the atmospheric pressure around us which allows air to rush in when we take a breath .

Then the rib muscles contract and force the air back out , same concept with the rooms .

I'm no HVAC guy so I don't know how to properly set up these systems but I'm guessing that in a pinch you could take a box fan and place it in a window (making sure the edges of the fans/windows are sealed ) of each room facing / blowing outside .

Preferably these fans would have some sort of filtration system so that your not just spreading whatever is in the rooms around outside .

Also , the areas around the exhaust would need to be cordoned off (same as the incineration point) so that nobody wanders near and inadvertently gets exposed to whatever is in the rooms .

Once the Pt. is deceased or healed , remove and disinfect the entire room , EVERYTHING IN IT , beds , walls , floors , fans , everything .

What's needed ? Plenty of Tyvek suits gloves , masks , face shields PPE type stuff , bedding , dressings , tape and medicine copious quantities of all the above .

Once you think you have enough , quadrupole it cause it will go fast with the "use once and destroy" SOP's .

Cavicide - a few gallons , bactericidal , virucidal , fungicidal , tuberculocidal , pretty much kills everything that kills us and can be used to disinfect hard and soft goods . Can be had through medical / cleaning supply stores .

Bleach -- pretty sure we all know about the "how's and whys " of this one .

Betadine / Providone - Iodine -- A few gallons , again we all know why and when , can be had cheaper through vet supply stores .

I'm sure that from a "technical" stand point I forgot some things but for a "down and dirty" field guide , I think this about covers it .

Now about my "futility" comment up thread .

Hopefully you'll now see that even in peaceful times all of this is a PITA to get right ALL of the time with folks "properly" trained .

I'm not saying that it can't be done in a TEOTWAWKI / SHTF scenario , but you'd better get some knowledge on the subject now before you need it .

Good luck .

 

[Sailor]

Granular Pool Shock.