SPECIALIST decontamination units are now available to the ambulance service in Worcester and Hereford for use in case of terrorist attack.

Health workers across the two counties are ready to "go live" after being trained in decontamination techniques using four mobile units.

These are part of an allocation of £60,000 worth of equipment for treating victims of chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear strikes.

Although they are part of the preparations for dealing with the victims of an attack by extremists or terror groups, the units could also be used to decontaminate patients in accidents involving chemical leaks.

Earlier this year, the Evening News revealed Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service had taken delivery of 50 gas and chemical-proof suits with respirators and filters.

Trained

Emergency planning officer Roger Job said 34 volunteers from the ambulance service had now been trained to use the special suits and decontamination units, which are big tents containing showers and medical supplies that can be driven to the disaster scene and assembled in minutes.

Patients believed to be contaminated would discard their clothes at the entrance to the tent before being hosed down by health workers and put into sterilised gowns.

Liquids and chemicals used to decontaminate victims would flow into reinforced tanks on the units, where they would be stored until they could be safely disposed.

Mr Job said: "We have to make sure that casualties are fully decontaminated before we carry them in our ambulances or take them to hospital.

"The fire service is equipped to deal with contamination where there is nothing medically wrong and we have had practice runs with the fire brigade and the police."