COMMUNITY CASE STUDY article
Front. Disaster Emerg. Med.
Sec. Disaster Medicine
Inclusive Emergency Management after CBRN Incidents: Adapting Decontamination for Individuals with Disabilities and Assistive Devices
Provisionally accepted
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Background: Emergency decontamination procedures overlook people with disabilities, particularly those dependent on assistive devices. This study examines how decontamination protocols can be adapted to enhance inclusivity and effectiveness during accidental or intentional release of chemical or biological agents referred to as CBRN incidents. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted through 28 semi-structured interviews with patient representatives and professionals working with individuals with disabilities. Participants discussed physical and psychological needs before, during, and after decontamination. Data was analysed using Rapid Assessment Procedure (RAP) sheets to identify key themes. Results: Participants highlighted that disabilities are heterogenous and complex, often involving multiple impairments. Limited first responders (FRs) experience with disabilities may lead to exclusion from care and inappropriate responses. Physical needs include safe handling, tracking and preservation of assistive devices, particularly those with electronic or customized equipment. Devices should remain with or return them to their owners whenever possible. Alternative methods, such as sitting decontamination using plastic wheelchairs, were suggested to improve autonomy. Psychological considerations included emotional attachment to assistive devices, clear communication, involvement of trusted caregivers, and minimizing distress. The physical environment (e.g., noise, lighting) influences stress levels and must be adapted. Participants emphasised the importance of fair triage, informed consent, and integrating inclusive protocols. Conclusion: Standard decontamination protocols should incorporate accessible communication strategies, electronic-friendly procedures, and environmental adaptations to better accommodate individuals with disabilities. The next phase of this project will focus on developing European a mis en forme : Français (Belgique) guidelines for decontaminating assistive devices sensitive to conventional water-based methods, enhancing inclusivity and effectiveness in CBRN emergency response.
Keywords: CBRN decontamination, disabilities, assistive devices, Emergency response, emergency preparedness, First Responders, Risk Communication, Inclusive disaster management
Received: 18 Apr 2025; Accepted: 17 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Dauvrin, Vybornova and Gala. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Marie Dauvrin, marie.dauvrin@uclouvain.be
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.