HomeMy WebLinkAbout202.008a - Hazardous Materials Technical Response Actions
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
202.008a HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TECHNICAL
RESPONSE ACTIONS
EFFECTIVE: AUGUST 2009
Current Revision Date: 6/16/21 Next Revision Date: 6/16/23
Author’s Name/Rank: Joshua Sellers, Engineer Review Level: 1
Administrative Support:
Evelyn Yin-Zepeda,
Management Analyst II
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish operational guidelines and provide detailed
actions for the Fresno Fire Department (FFD or Department) functional positions
required to successfully mitigate incidents involving hazardous materials.
APPLICATION
Incidents involving hazardous materials present many challenges for firefighters and
first responders. A clear operational plan with objectives and priorities must be quickly
implemented to ensure the best chance of a successful outcome. All operational units
responding to a hazardous materials incident should follow these guidelines.
OPERATIONAL POLICY
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OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE
If the incident commander (IC) determines a spill or release of an identified or
unidentified material has occurred, all available information should be transmitted to
the communications center immediately and the Hazardous Materials Incident
Response Plan should be activated. Dispatch will determine the appropriate response
depending on the type and/or severity of the incident. The incident commander is to
inform incoming companies of his / her evaluation and actions he / she is taking and
direct the responding resources to access routes members are to use when
approaching the incident.
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PROCESS
First in Officer / Apparatus
The first in officer is instrumental to the organization of the overall incident. The first
arriving officer is responsible for:
1. Upon arrival, conduct an initial Size-up using the following elements of an
Initial Report on Conditions:
a. Announce the unit arrival.
b. Confirm the address / location.
c. Describe the hazard source in simple terms which are easy to
understand:
i. Structure: Size, construction, and occupancy type.
ii. Railroad: Type of railcar and / or if a derailment.
iii. Motor vehicle: Vessel type and size.
iv. Aircraft: Commercial, private, or military.
v. Pipeline.
vi. Tank or container.
d. Describe the type of hazard:
i. Spill.
ii. Release.
iii. Fire.
e. Gather intelligence:
i. Make contact with the reporting / responsible party.
ii. Attempt to complete a 360.
iii. Determine if there is a savable life:
Patient, rescue.
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iv. Product identification:
Placards, labels, and shipping papers.
Physical characteristics and color.
v. Determine initial isolation distance:
Evaluate your location.
vi. Immediate exposure problems.
vii. Identify incident priorities.
f. Follow up radio report:
i. Determine additional resource needs.
ii. Verbalize the appropriate operational mode: Investigative,
Rescue, Offensive, or Defensive.
iii. Determine your option for command.
iv. Identify Alpha side, Incident Command Post (ICP) location,
and safest route of travel for incoming resources.
v. Identify strategic objectives for the incident.
vi. Issue tactical assignments:
Rescue.
Emergency decontamination.
Patient triage.
Emergency medical care.
Isolate and deny entry.
Evacuation.
Damming and diking.
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Additional Apparatus Considerations
1. If command has been passed; assume command and follow procedures for
first-In officer / apparatus.
2. Stage apparatus.
3. Maintain accountability and crew continuity.
4. Perform tactical operations as assigned.
5. Keep the IC informed of progress.
First Chief Officer
1. Make contact with the IC.
2. Facilitate Transfer of Command.
3. Establish ICP if not already identified.
4. Ensure Passport Accountability is in place.
5. Conduct an on-scene evaluation of hazards present.
6. Ensure proper evaluation of risk.
7. Assess the effectiveness of the current Incident Action Plan (IAP):
a. Incident priorities.
b. Operational mode.
c. Strategic objectives.
d. Tactical assignments.
8. Prepare ICS 201.
Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT)
1. Make contact with the IC or Operations Officer. If HMRT is the first arriving
unit, follow procedures for First-In Officer / Apparatus.
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2. Coordinate with the IC:
a. Review the extent of current and projected hazards.
b. Review incident priorities.
c. Ensure proper evaluation of risk:
i. Risk a lot to save a life.
ii. Risk little to save property.
iii. Risk nothing to save nothing.
d. Determine additional resource needs such as:
i. Additional HMRT members.
ii. Emergency medical services.
iii. Environmental health.
e. Ensure required notifications have been made.
f. Establish HazMat ICS positions as needed:
i. HazMat Group Supervisor*.
ii. Assistant Safety Officer HazMat*.
iii. Technical reference.
iv. Entry Team Leader.
v. Decon Team Leader.
vi. Site Access Control Leader.
vii. Safe Refuge Area Manager.
Note: *Positions are required on all HazMat Incidents.
g. Identify HMRT incident Objectives.
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i. Life safety:
Rescue.
Evacuation/ shelter in place.
Material identification.
Scene stability.
Clean up / decontamination/ disposal.
h. Prepare and maintain all documents and forms as required:
i. ICS 201 Form.
ii. ICS 202 Form.
iii. ICS 208 Form.
iv. ICS 214 Form.
3. HMRT tactical assignments
a. Establish HazMat Operational Zones:
i. Exclusion zone.
ii. Contamination reduction zone.
iii. Decon, safe refuge.
iv. Support zone.
b. Product identification and technical reference:
i. Identify specific product/s.
ii. Identify specific characteristics and hazards associated with
the product.
iii. Recommend appropriate actions to stabilize the incident.
iv. Recommend appropriate Personal Protective Equipment
based on hazards.
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v. Recommend appropriate equipment.
vi. Recommend appropriate decontamination methods.
c. Develop appropriate mitigation strategies. Examples may include:
i. Containment.
ii. Neutralization.
iii. Absorption.
iv. Extinguishment.
v. Mechanical intervention:
Plugging and patching.
Control valves.
d. Provide entry briefing to all team members addressing:
i. Objectives.
ii. Tactics.
iii. Hazards.
iv. Work duration.
v. Decontamination.
e. HazMat Entry:
i. Trained HMRT personnel may conduct entry operations
after:
A risk assessment has been completed.
An IAP has been developed.
Safety briefing has been conducted.
Decon has been established.
Back up team is in place.
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ii. The entry team and the entry team leader must:
Maintain accountability.
Maintain communications.
Monitor air pounds per square inch levels and work
duration time.
Cleanup / Decontamination / Disposal
The IC will continue to ensure the security of the area up to and through this final step,
but the actual cleanup and disposal is NOT a Department responsibility and should
only be attempted for small spills, which may be disposed of through the household
hazardous waste program when no other recourse is available.
The owner and / or person having custody of the hazardous material prior to the
incident is responsible for the overall cleanup and disposal operations.
Where immediate removal is imperative to safety, the IC must rely on resources which
are immediately available and be guided by County Health officials as to the
immediacy of the need. Prior to notification and entering into a contract with any
private remediation company, notifications are to be made in the following order:
1. Hazardous materials coordinator.
2. Hazardous materials battalion chief.
3. On-duty senior battalion chief.
4. On-duty battalion chief.
Report Requirements and Format
To ensure uniformity in both reporting and recording incident related information, a
final report will be compiled by the first arriving HazMat captain. The final report will
include all Department required reports and reports required by the Fresno County
Hazardous Materials Incident Response Plan, Section V.
INFORMATION
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DEFINITIONS
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CROSS-REFERENCES
U.S. Department of Transportation 2016 Emergency Response Guidebook
Standard Operating Procedures Manual
Section 201.001, Incident Command Procedures
Section 201.004, Post Incident Control Procedures
Section 201.005, Risk Management Policy
Section 202.002, Apparatus Staging
Section 202.008, Hazardous Materials Response Plan
Section 202.008b, Mass Decontamination Guidelines
Section 203.003, Personnel Accountability System
Section 204.003, Dispatching Hazardous Materials
FIRESCOPE ICS-HM-120-1, Hazardous Materials Operation System Description
Central California Emergency Medical Services Policy 610, Multi Casualty Incident
Section 202.008a
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