Which priority intervention should the ED department implement after a chlorine chemical plant disaster?

• A. Prepare to decontaminate the clients in a decontamination room.
• B. Discharge clients from the ED to make room for victims.
• C. Notify the respiratory therapy department of the disaster.
• D. Prepare to place clients on ventilatory support.

Answer: (C)

Inhalation injuries from chlorine gas primarily threaten breathing, so the first priority is ensuring airway and ventilation are addressed. Notifying the respiratory therapy department brings in the clinicians and equipment needed to assess airway status, provide humidified oxygen, administer bronchodilators via nebulizers, and prepare for advanced airway support if respiratory compromise worsens. Chlorine causes airway irritation and edema, leading to bronchospasm and potential hypoxemia; early respiratory care helps prevent rapid deterioration and improves outcomes.

Decontamination is important to prevent secondary exposure, but it does not replace the need to secure breathing. Discharging patients is inappropriate in this mass-casualty scenario, and placing patients on ventilatory support is a treatment that should be coordinated by respiratory therapy once they’re alerted and prepared. So, mobilizing respiratory therapy first ensures the most immediate threat to life—impaired ventilation—is being addressed.