Further development of a concept for decontamination in firefighting operations by the Hamburg Fire Department

This bachelor’s thesis analyses the use of federally provided decontamination vehicles (GW Dekon P) by German fire brigades in response to CBRNe incidents. It concludes that while existing equipment and concepts are generally suitable for the decontamination of ambulatory casualties and protected emergency personnel, current approaches are limited by scarce literature, inconsistent terminology and outdated local concepts. Using national guidelines as a foundation, the study develops and refines modular decontamination concepts, particularly for ambulatory casualties, and identifies significant gaps in the capability to manage non-ambulatory casualties, highlighting the need for additional equipment, clearer definitions and further optimisation to meet operational requirements effectively.