Mass decontamination is best described as which of the following?

• A. Mass Decontamination is the rapid removal of contaminants from large numbers of victims
• B. Mass Decontamination is the slow, methodical cleaning of equipment
• C. Mass Decontamination is only used for radiological incidents
• D. Mass Decontamination is identical to routine surface cleaning

Answer: (A)

Mass decontamination means rapidly removing contaminants from large numbers of people who have been exposed, to prevent skin absorption, reduce the risk of secondary contamination, and protect medical responders. This approach is designed for high-volume events where speed is essential, so victims can be decontaminated quickly and safely before stepping into the warm or cold zones or receiving medical care. It isn’t about cleaning equipment, and it isn’t limited to any one type of incident—it applies to chemical, radiological, and other hazardous exposures. It’s also not the same as routine surface cleaning, which targets surfaces or objects rather than treating many exposed people in an emergency.