Mass decontamination units set up
Mobile mass decontamination units are to be introduced for the first time in Britain to help treat people caught up in biological, chemical and nuclear attacks.
London is to get four of the 26-ton vehicles which cost £150,000 each. They will be kept at fire stations around the capital as emergency services continue to be on high alert for possible terrorist attacks.
Each vehicle contains large tents with walk-through showers and areas for dressing and undressing, known as "units". They can handle 200 people an hour.
The vehicles, which take about 45 minutes to set up, also contain generators, water heaters and 20 gas-tight suits.
The Government is to introduce 80 of the units across England and Wales at a cost of £56 million. Scotland is also planning to buy some of the vehicles. Fire brigades have welcomed the introduction of the new vehicles.
Some brigades have had to use hoses set up between two fire engines for decontamination exercises, while others have relied on buckets and sponges.
Roy Bishop, acting commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, said the units will "greatly improve our capacity to deal with incidents where large numbers of people need to be decontaminated".
He added: "This equipment will be a major step forward for the safety of the public and, of course, our staff if they are exposed to chemical, biological or radiation hazards.
"The development is particularly timely in the light of the current heightened risk of terrorist attacks."
