2. 5
Objectives (1 of 6)
• Describe how to notify proper authorities
and request additional resources
• Describe procedures for requesting
additional resources
• Describe scene control procedures using
control zones
3. 5
Objectives (2 of 6)
• Describe appropriate locations for control
zones and incident command posts
• Describe effective coordinated
communication techniques
• Describe evidence preservation
4. 5
Objectives (3 of 6)
• Describe the roles of the operations level
responder, the incident safety officer, and
a hazardous materials branch or group, at
a hazardous materials incident
• Describe levels of hazardous materials
incidents
5. 5
Objectives (4 of 6)
• Describe the incident command system
• Describe the importance of the buddy
system and backup personnel
• Describe protective actions during search
and rescue, evacuation, and sheltering-in-
place
6. 5
Objectives (5 of 6)
• Describe safety precautions to be
observed when approaching or working in
a hazardous materials environment
– Safety briefings
– Physical capability requirements
• For heat and cold stress
7. 5
Objectives (6 of 6)
• Describe evaluation and communication of
the status of the response
8. 5
Scene Control
• Important at all emergencies
• Paramount at hazardous materials
incidents
9. 5
Incident Size-up
• Rapid mental evaluation
• Use visual indicators of incident
• Process the information
• Conclusions help form plan of action
10. 5
Plan of Action (1 of 2)
• Size-up of incident determines posture
• Aggressive, offensive posture
– Attack the problem
• Defensive posture
– Isolate the scene and protect exposures
– Allow incident to stabilize
11. 5
Plan of Action (2 of 2)
• Initial actions set tone for response and
are critical to success of effort
– Safety
– Isolate
– Notify
12. 5
Safety
• Ensure your own safety
• Obtain briefing from those involved
• Understand nature of problem
• Attempt to identify released substance
13. 5
Isolate
• Isolate and deny entry to scene
• Separate the people from the problem
• Establish command post
• Formulate incident action plan
• Begin assigning tasks
14. 5
Notify
• Decide if anyone should be notified:
– Specialized responders
– Law enforcement
– Technical experts
– Regulatory agencies
15. 5
DECIDE Decision-Making
Algorithm
Use the DECIDE decision-making algorithm as a loose guide
for developing an action plan and to focus your thinking.
16. 5
Response Safety Procedures
• Isolate release area
• Establish control zones
• Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)
• Evacuate others
• Sheltering-in-place strategy
• Emergency medical care at safe location
17. 5
Ignition Sources (1 of 2)
• Identify and secure
• So as not to create unintentional ignition
source, use only intrinsically safe devices
18. 5
Ignition Sources (2 of 2)
All intrinsically safe radios and batteries will be marked by the
factory with a specific label denoting them as such.
19. 5
Establishing Control Zones (1 of 2)
• Hot zone
• Cold zone
• Warm zone
• Don’t make too big
20. 5
Establishing Control Zones (2 of 2)
Control zones spread outward from the center of a hazardous
materials incident.
21. 5
Emergency Decontamination
• Remove bulk of contaminants from person
as quickly and completely as possible
• Performed in potentially life-threatening
situations
• Without formal establishment of
decontamination corridor
22. 5
Protective Actions (1 of 2)
• First priority: Evaluate threat to life
– If none exist, severity of incident is diminished
23. 5
Protective Actions (2 of 2)
• Life-safety actions include:
– Ensuring your own safety
– Search and rescue
24. 5
Buddy System
• Operating alone should never be allowed
• No fewer than two responders enter
contaminated area
• Required by OSHA HAZWOPER
regulation
25. 5
Backup Personnel
• Backup team
– Wears same level of protection as entry team
– Required by OSHA HAZWOPER regulation
– A team of at least two
– Ready to spring into action
26. 5
Evacuation (1 of 2)
• Incident commander determines need
• May be assisted by:
– Fire fighters
– Law enforcement personnel
27. 5
Evacuation (2 of 2)
• Safe area must be found
• Transportation must be arranged
• ERG lists evacuation distances
– Orange-bordered pages
28. 5
Sheltering-in-Place
• Usually inside structures
• Windows and doors closed, ventilation off
• Local emergency plans should identify
available facilities
• Evacuate vs. shelter-in-place: Consider
chemical released, time available to avoid
29. 5
Search and Rescue
• Ensuring your safety is first priority
• Released substance must be known
• IC determines need/feasibility
• Victims are removed to warm zone
30. 5
Safety Briefing (1 of 3)
• Written site safety plan should be
completed
– May have to abandon if rescue required
• Verbal safety briefing is performed
– May be brief
31. 5
Safety Briefing (2 of 3)
• Informs all responders of:
– Health hazards
– Incident objectives
– Emergency medical procedures
32. 5
Safety Briefing (3 of 3)
– Radio frequencies and emergency signals
– Description of site
– PPE to be worn
33. 5
Excessive-Heat Disorders
• Heat exhaustion
– Mild form of shock
– Use tepid water to drink and cool skin
• Heat stroke
– Severe and potentially fatal
– Transport immediately to medical facility
34. 5
Cold-Temperature Exposures (1 of 2)
• Caused by released materials
• Caused by environment
• Keep clothing next to skin dry
35. 5
Cold-Temperature Exposures (2 of 2)
Trenchfoot can result when wet socks are worn at long-term
incidents in cool environments.
36. 5
Physical Capability Requirements
for PPE
• Pre-entry health screening
• On-scene medical monitoring
37. 5
Incident Command System (ICS)
(1 of 2)
• HAZWOPER OSHA regulation requires
• Advantages:
– Common terminology
– Consistent organizational structure
– Consistent position titles
– Common incident facilities
39. 5
Command (1 of 2)
• Responsible for management of response
• Unified command
– Helpful when multiple agencies are involved
• Incident command post (ICP)
– At or near scene of emergency
– Command and all direct support staff
40. 5
Command (2 of 2)
A unified command involves many agencies directly involved in
the decision-making process for a large incident.
41. 5
Command Staff
• Incident commander (IC)
• Safety officer
• Liaison officer
• Public information officer
43. 5
Command Staff Functions
(2 of 2)
The public information officer is responsible for gathering and
releasing incident information to the media and other appropriate
agencies.
44. 5
Operations (1 of 3)
• Led by Operations Section Chief
• Responsible for all tactical operations
• Contains groups and divisions
– Group: Working on same task or objective
– Division: Working in same geographic location
45. 5
Operations (2 of 3)
• Hazardous materials branch
– Hazardous materials safety officer
– Entry team
– Decontamination team
– Backup team
– Technical reference team
46. 5
Operations (3 of 3)
Creating branches within the Operations Section is one way to
manage the span of control during a large incident.
47. 5
Planning
• Led by Planning Section Chief
• Central point for collecting information
– Situation status
– Tracks and logs on-scene resources
– Disseminates written incident action plan
48. 5
Logistics
• Led by Logistics Section Chief
• Arranges:
– Food
– Sleeping facilities
– Transportation
– Other resources
49. 5
Finance
• Tracks costs related to incident
• Handles procurement issues
• Bills responder time
50. 5
Operations Level Responder (1 of 2)
• Integral component of response plan
– Implements or supports actions to protect
people, property, and the environment
– Mission-specific duties determined by AHJ
• Familiar with emergency response plans
• Knows different levels of response
52. 5
Summary (1 of 2)
• SIN—Safety, Isolate, and Notify
• Ensure scene safety
– Establish control zones: hot, warm, cold
• Use the buddy system
53. 5
Summary (2 of 2)
• Make risk-based decision to determine
whether to evacuate or shelter-in-place
• Safety briefing informs of health hazards
• Avoid/treat heat and cold exposures
• Employ incident command system (ICS)
Editor's Notes
Image: Adapted from the DECIDE model by Ludwig Benner
Image: Courtesy of Rob Schnepp
Image: Courtesy of Megan T. Guffey
Image: Courtesy of Captain David Jackson, Saginaw Township Fire Department
