2nd Quarter Hazmat Drill

Recognizing A Hazmat Response

Don’t Be This Guy

FIRST RESPONDER GUIDELINES FOR HAZ-MAT AND WMD RESPONCES

Purpose: to establish consistent and safe guidelines for first response to hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction incidents. A Chemical or Biological hazardous material shall be defined as any substance (gas, liquid or solid) capable of creating harm to people, property or the environment.

Operating Guidelines

Command• The Incident Command System (ICS) adopted by

Snohomish County Fire Chief’s Association shall be used at all hazardous materials incidents.

• The system is compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

INCIDENT COMMAND

Command Post

• The command post shall be located up hill, and up wind and at a safe distance from the incident.

• All personnel at the command post shall have appropriate personnel protective equipment (PPE).

the following precautions shall be taken by all

personnel at the time of dispatch to a possible hazardous materials or WMD incident:

Initial Precautions

• Full bunkers before response• Short report from dispatch• Note wind direction and

speed • Approach scene from uphill

/upwind when poss• Stop apparatus at a safe

distance• SCBA’S in “stand-by

position”

• NOTE: Refer to Emergency Response Guidebook Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances (Green Section Pages 290) “Initial Action Checklist” (Page 16)

SIZE UP

SIZE UP

Size Up• Size Up-determine if hazardous materials are present. – Maintain a safe distance when conducting size up. The

following may indicate the presence of hazardous materials:

• Type of occupancy• Type of container• Placards• Labels• Info from bystanders, employees or drivers• Waybill ,bills of lading (inside cab)• Incident information• Pre-fire information

Notification and Report

• After determining that a hazardous material is or may be involved:– immediately notify Dispatch. – Inform all incoming units of a safe direction of

approach. – Request the notification of the Emergency

Management Duty Staff and – Establish Incident Command.

Isolate and Deny Entry

• When a hazardous material is involved, it’s important to keep the public and emergency response personnel a safe distance from the incident to avoid exposure or contamination. Following methods acceptable.

• Cones• Barrier tape• Stage in coming units at

intersections• Law enforcement assistance

Exclusion Zones

• Initial Isolation Zones of 300ft are suggested by the DOT Emergency Response Guide Book. When establishing the initial Isolation zones geography should be taken into consideration and used appropriately.

• After initial determination that a hazardous material is present, Gather essential Information using the following methods.

• Utilize information previously gathered • Talk to owner, employees, driver or site specialist• Contact the shipper• Contact the manufacturer• Request Snohomish County Haz-Mat Response and notify

local emergency management

Worst ScenerioUncontrolled scene, large amount of damage to life, the environment and property.Sometimes this can’t be avoided. But most business owners, elected officials and citizens would prefer…

Best Scenario

Controlled scenes, limited damage and conservation of the environment and the resources involved.Shippers are happier, officials are happier, Chiefs are happier.

Snohomish County HazMat

• Snohomish County has adopted a team model– There are no longer Zone responses– Units are dispatched based on a county wide

response model sending the nearest unit.– Units associated with the team are:• HZ1 – Everett• HZ71 – District #7• HZ66 – Marysville• Decon12 – District #1

HazMat Alarm Sequence

• Currently there 4 alarm levels for Hazmat responses:– 1st Alarm – Dependant on each jurisdiction, usually

an Engine and Battalion.– 2nd Alarm – Receives the nearest hazmat unit and

Decon 12.– 3rd Alarm – Receives HZ1, HZ71, HZ66, Decon12 and

all on duty hazmat team members in the county.– 4th Alarm – Receives all the same as a 3rd alarm with

the addition of off duty hazmat team members.

Initial Action for All Haz-mat and WMD

1. Approach (use caution)2. Size-Up (use binoculars)3. Report (to dispatch and incoming units)4. Scene Control (avoid hazard area)5. Gather Information (safe distance)6. Assess the Potential7. Decon

Scenario 1

• 1545, 911 call regarding possible truck fire• Smoke coming from rear door, looks

dirty white• Driver says his truck started smoking,

must be the brakes.• Bill of Lading says he’s carrying drain

cleaner and pool supplies

Intial Actions

• Size Up:– Smoke coming from panel truck, pulling attack line and

attempting to access fire in rear of truck.– After you bunk up with SCBA, you open the door and find

no fire but a palletized load of barrels that are smoking.

• Using the HazMat Responder Guide and the ERG determine your proper actions.

• Your initial exclusion zone and what additional resources you will need

• Also consider your local jurisdiction SOPs/SOGs

UN 1830(Use the yellow section of the ERG)

UN1830- Sulfuric acidGuide number 137 Isolate for 150’ in all directionsSCBA &Bunker gear provides limited protection Dike and damn any possible spillage

(click for hints)

Calcium Hypochlorite(Use the blue section of the ERG)

(Click for hint)

Calcium HypochloriteGuide Number 140Isolate for 150’ in all directionsSCBA and Bunker gear provide limited protection

• Determine that a HazMat situation exists.• Notify Dispatch and request a Hazmat Alarm.• Tell all incoming units the safest way to approach the

scene• Assess the potential course of harm• Isolate and deny entry along the path

• Consider: Damming and/or dikingDivertingAbsorption (booms, pads, pillows)Covering solids with tarps

Initial Actions, part 2

Caution: if you are not sure your PPE will provide adequate protection

DO NOT commit personnel. Remain at a safe distance, isolate, deny entry

and call for help!

Scenario #2

0600, busy traffic corridor of your jurisdiction,Multiple calls for an overturned Semi;There is a car pinned underneath it and RPs say

it’s on fire, no one appears to have exited the vehicle.

WSP is enroute but not onscene

Scenario #2 (cont)

• As you arrive on scene you find an oddly shaped trailer and a car beneath.

Ruh-ro!

• The truck is venting white smoke…• Using your binoculars, you see it is shaped like

a MC338, cryogenic liquid trailer.• Using your HazMat Response guide, your ERG

and your local SOG/SOPs, lay out your intial company actions…

Close up of the pinned vehicle

ERG for MC338

• Page 9 of the ERG shows pictures of the most commonly used trailers on our highways.

• The number in the circle represents the guide number you should turn to.

• The rear cowling may or may not be present

UN 1977

• As you get a closer look…

• Nitrogen, refrigerated liquid• (Cryogenic liquid)

• Guide book 120

Guide Number 120• SPILL OR LEAK Do not touch or walk through spilled material.• Stop leak if you can do it without risk. Use water spray to reduce vapors or divert

vapor cloud drift.• Avoid allowing water runoff to contact spilled material. Do not direct water at spill

or source of leak. If possible, turn leaking containers so that gas escapes rather than liquid. Prevent entry into waterways, sewers, basements or confined areas.

• Allow substance to evaporate. Ventilate the area. • CAUTION: When in contact with refrigerated/cryogenic liquids, many materials

become brittle and are likely to break without warning.

Intial Actions

• Identify that it is a HazMat incident.• Notify dispatch and request a HazMat alarm.• Notify incoming units of the safest approach.• Consider the best defensive strategies

• (Dam, Dyke, Divert)

• Liquid Nitrogen isn’t flammable but it will displace O2, so consider it’s path

Wise use of the HazMat Response guide , the ERG and your local SOP/SOGs, will turn those hard to handle and scary HazMat calls into smaller and more easily managed scenes.

This will likely make your job a little easier.And more easily handled jobs, make everyone a little happier…

Thanks for watching