Managing Hazardous Materials Incidents (MHMIs)

What is the managing hazardous material incidents (MHMI) series?

The MHMI series is a three volume set (with a video) comprised of recommendations for on-scene (prehospital), and hospital medical management of patients exposed during a hazardous materials incident.

• Volume I - Emergency Medical Services: A Planning Guide for the Management of Contaminated Patients are planning guides to assist first responders in planning for incidents that involve hazardous materials.
• Volume II - Hospital Emergency Departments: A Planning Guide for the Management of Contaminated Patients are planning guides to assist hospital emergency department personnel in planning for incidents that involve hazardous materials.
• Volume III - Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs) for Acute Chemical Exposures are guides for health care professionals who treat persons who have been exposed to hazardous materials.
• Video - Community Challenge: Hazardous Materials Response and the Emergency Medical System is a training video for Volumes I & II.

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Why was the MHMI series developed?

The MHMI series was developed to provide emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and hospital emergency departments (EDs) with the necessary guidance to plan for, and improve their ability to respond to, incidents that involve human exposure to hazardous materials. The guidelines inform emergency personnel how to appropriately decontaminate, treat, and recommend follow-up care to exposed persons, as well as take measures to protect themselves.

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What are the Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs)?

The Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs) for Acute Chemical Exposures were developed by ATSDR to aid emergency department physicians and other emergency healthcare professionals who manage acute exposures resulting from chemical incidents. The MMGs are intended to aid healthcare professionals involved in emergency response to effectively decontaminate patients, protect themselves and others from contamination, communicate with other involved personnel, efficiently transport patients to a medical facility, and provide competent medical evaluation and treatment to exposed persons.

You can view a complete list of MMGs on the MMG home page.

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PDF file downloading information:

Because the MHMI series is so large and contains several complex graphs and figures, the complete series has been divided into several separate PDF files which present all of the various sections and important topics in each volume. Please note, the PDF format requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded free from the Adobe web site.

Some of the chemical protocols in the Volume III MMGS are available in HTML format. The names of the chemical protocols that are available in HTML will be highlighted and underlined.

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The Complete Table of Contents

Volume I - Emergency Medical Services

Preface
Table of Contents / Introduction [PDF, 1229 KB]

Part I
Systems approach to planning [PDF, 88 KB]

Part II
Emergency Medical Services Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents [PDF, 270 KB]

Part III
Response and Patient Management [PDF, 106 KB]

Appendix A
Hazardous Materials Classification Systems [PDF, 1536 KB]

Appendix B
Types of Respiratory Protection [PDF, 55 KB]

Appendix C
Levels of Protection [PDF, 60 KB]

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Volume II - Hospital Emergency Departments

Preface
Table of Contents/Introduction [PDF, 1126 KB]

Part I
Systems approach to planning [PDF, 83 KB]

Part II
Emergency Medical Services Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents [PDF, 264 KB]

Part III
Response and Patient Management [PDF, 82 KB]

Appendix A
Hazardous Materials Classification Systems [PDF, 963 KB]

Appendix B
Types of Respiratory Protection [PDF, 55 KB]

Appendix C
Levels of Protection [PDF, 60 KB]

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Volume III - Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs)

Preface
Table of Contents/Introduction [PDF, 1229 KB]

List of all individual MMGs (see A-Z index of MMG's)

Appendix I
AAPCC-Certified Regional Poison Control Centers [PDF, 19 KB]

Appendix II
Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics [PDF, 19 KB]

Appendix III
State Health Departments [PDF, 11 KB]

Appendix IV
Consultation Resources [PDF, 11 KB]

Glossary [PDF, 56 KB]

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Video

Community Challenge: Hazardous Materials Response and the Emergency Medical System is a training video for Volumes I & II. It is 50 minutes long; 25 minutes for each volume. It is not currently available on our web site, but may be obtained by healthcare professionals in CD-ROM format by contacting ATSDR.

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Reference:

Managing Hazardous Material Incidents (MHMI). Volumes 1, 2 , and 3. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2001. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.

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Further information:

Further information about hazardous substances my be obtained by visiting the ATSDR ToxFAQs™ and ToxFAQs™ in Español, which provide answers to the most frequently asked questions about hazardous substances.

You may also call the CDC INFO at 1-800-CDC-INFO. Public health and emergency personnel may contact the ATSDR Emergency Response Center 24 hours a day at 1-404-498-0120.

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