Deadline for Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System N95 Masks THIS SUNDAY
The collection period the deadline for this collection is Sunday May 3rd, no later than 1600 hours, with the exception of the South Suburban Sub-Region as indicated on their information below.. You will need to contact the sub-region designated point of contact prior to delivery to ensure that someone will be there to receive your delivery. Please see the following Region IV Sub-region designation form for points of contact, delivery locations, and service identification codes.
Should you have questions regarding any of the material, please contact Derrick Congdon, Executive Director, via email at dcongdon@mbemsc.org.
Instructions for Region IV EMS Services and Sub-region Coordinators: Preparation and Collection of Compatible N95 Respirators for Decontamination by the Battelle Memorial Institute Using the Battelle Decontamination System
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the emergency use of the Battelle CCDS Critical Care Decontamination System™ (hereafter referred to as the “Battelle Decontamination System”) operated by the Battelle Memorial Institute (“Battelle”), for use in decontaminating compatible N95 or N95-equivalent respirators (“compatible N95 respirators”), for reuse by healthcare personnel. Healthcare personnel should follow these instructions, as well as procedures at their healthcare facility, to prepare compatible N95 respirators for decontamination by Battelle using the Battelle Decontamination System.
• Due to incompatibility, the Battelle Decontamination System is not authorized for use with respirators containing cellulose-based materials
• All compatible N95 respirators provided to Battelle must be free of any visual soiling or contamination (e.g., blood, bodily fluids, makeup)
• If N95 respirators are soiled or damaged, they will be disposed of and not returned after decontamination
INSTRUCTIONS
EMS SERVICE AND EMTs
On-Site Collection/Marking
1. EMS services should create a collection station at the point of generation (i.e. garage/ambulance base)
2. Each station should have a bag provided by the service to collect compatible N95 respirators. NOTE: Bags are for compatible N95 respirators only. Do not throw other personal protective equipment (such as gloves), paper towels, or waste in the collection bag.
3. With a permanent marker, the EMS staff should label their own individual compatible N95 respirators with a three-digit site code and a 2-digit location identifier (as shown below). The unique three (3) digit site code corresponds to the Metropolitan Boston EMS Council (Region IV). The two (2) digit location identifier corresponds to a specific sub-region with in Region IV and the individual EMS service.
4. EMS staff should follow the instructions provided by Battelle in Instructions for Healthcare Personnel: Preparation of Compatible N95 Respirators for Decontamination by the Battelle Memorial Institute Using the Battelle Decontamination. (See Attached Instructions for Healthcare Personnel)
Region Code Sub-region/Service Code
EKQ - SA
Preparation for Shipment by EMS Service:
1. Bags containing the contaminated compatible N95 respirators to be decontaminated by Battelle (“primary collection bag” provided by the EMS service) should be closed.
2. Place the primary collection bag into another bag (“secondary collection bag” provided by the EMS service), which is then closed.
3. Decontaminate the secondary collection bag with alcohol or other suitable decontaminant.
4. Place the decontaminated bags into a rigid, closed box (i.e. cardboard), supplied by the EMS service, clearly labeled with a biohazard symbol, and tape the box securely shut.
5. Label the outside of the box with the 3-digit region code and 2-digit location identifier.
6. Complete a Region IV Chain of Custody Form for your EMS Service.
7. Deliver the completed box to the designated Region IV sub-region coordinator for transport to Battelle. All deliveries to the sub-region coordinators must be completed by 16:00 hours, the Sunday evening before transfer date to Battelle beginning April 26, 2020. This will be the first delivery to Battelle. Once we determine the number of PPE processed during this shipment, we will determine if collections will be weekly or bi-weekly moving forward.
SUB-REGION COORDINATOR
Sub-region Shipment of completed boxes is under the Metropolitan Boston EMS Council agreement with Battelle:
1. Gather all boxes at designated sub-region location (see attached spreadsheet for your exact Sub-region location); completed one chain of custody form (provided by Battelle) per shipment, noting the number of boxes.
2. Transfer boxes to designated Battelle location in Somerville, Massachusetts for decontamination.
3. Transfer decontaminated PPE from Battelle location in Somerville, Massachusetts back to sub-region for redistribution.
4. Notify Region when decontaminated PPE has been returned from Battelle, so the services in the sub-region can be notified to pick-up at the designated location.
Reuse Information:
Following decontamination, you will be provided decontaminated compatible N95 respirators that have been processed through a decontamination system for reuse by healthcare personnel in a healthcare setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before reuse, the healthcare facility should review the chain of custody form, which indicates successful decontamination, accompanying the returned respirators. The healthcare facility should also inspect each returned, decontaminated compatible N95 respirator for:
1. Numeric indication of the decontamination cycle number. NOTE: Compatible N95 respirators will be disposed of after 20 decontamination cycles.
2. Visible damage or soiling. NOTE: Compatible N95 Respirators should be discarded and not reused if visually damaged or soiled.
Any problems should be immediately reported to Battelle and the Metropolitan Boston EMS Council.
Battelle Contact: 1-800-201-2011 or solutions@battelle.org
Metropolitan Boston EMS Council Contact: 781- 505-4367 or dcongdon@mbemsc.org