Hazardous Materials and Weapons of Mass Destruction

Suggested Operating Guidelines for Snohomish County

HazMat incidents are unique event for emergency responders

• They are dangerous to:– The Responders

– The Public

– The Environment where we all live

If proper measures aren’t taken…

• It may be very costly– Legal liabilities

– Environmental Damage

– Injury & Death

Who’s in Command?

• RCW 70.136.030– The governing body of each applicable

political subdivision of this state shall designate a hazardous materials incident command agency within its respective boundaries…(usually)

• The Local Fire Department…– If a political subdivision has not designated an

incident command agency… the Washington state patrol shall then assume the role of incident command agency … until a designation has been made.

• Otherwise WSP

National Incident Management System (NIMS) will be usedThe Snohomish County HazMat Team will use the Incident Command Protocols adopted by Sno County Fire Chiefs.

Hazardous Materials Suggested Operating Guidelines

• Created to manage contingencies that occur at an incident.

• Guidelines allow the IC to adopt procedures necessary to mitigate the incident.– Provided such

modifications aren’t contrary to accepted HazMat Response practices

Hazardous Materials

• Materials which, if not contained may cause unacceptable risks to human life within a specified area adjacent to the spill, seepage, fire, explosion, or other release, and will, consequently, require evacuation.

Hazardous Materials…

• Materials that, if spilled, could cause unusual risks to the general public and to emergency response personnel responding at the scene

Hazardous Materials…

• Materials that, if involved in a fire will pose unusual risks to emergency response personnel

Hazardous Materials…

• Materials requiring unusual storage or transportation conditions to assure safe containment

Hazardous Materials…

• Materials requiring unusual treatment, packaging, or vehicles during transportation to assure safe containment

ICS will be used at all incidents

Command Post will try to be located uphill, upwind and at a safe distance

• It used to be the rule of thumb

• But use the HazMat rule of the powdered donut…– The scene should fit inside

the hole of a donut …

• And if you taste sugar, you’re on the wrong side.

Initial Precautions

• Full PPE before response

• Short report from dispatch

• Enroute note wind direction and speed

• Approach from uphill/upwind if possible

• Stop apparatus at a safe distance

• SCBA in stand-by mode

• Calibrate air monitors

Size Up

• From Far to Near– C- Container – O - Occupancy / Location– M - Markings / Colors– P - Placards / Labels– A – Appearance– S - Shipping Papers / Materials Data Sheet (MSDS)

– S – Senses

Container

• Low/No Pressure containers

• High Pressure Container• Bulk solid• Liquid

Occupancy or Location

• Occupancy is the structure and its use

• Manufacturing; Storage; Industrial

• Location is a more general term– Responding to commercial

area vs residential area– Transportation corridors

Markings or Color

• By convention but not always followed

Placards or Labels

• Placards are found on transportation– Req’d when you have 1000lbs of

HazMat– Always when you have Explosive,

Radioactive, Poisonous Gases or Dangerous When Wet

– Consult your ERG

• Labels are found on containers

Appearances

• What does it look like?– Vapor or Gas?– Liquid– Solid

Shipping Papers/Manifests/Consists/MSDS

Senses

• Usually the most harmful, and most used detection equipment…

Notify and Report on Hazardous Material

• Establish IC

Isolate and Deny Entry

• Cones• Tape• Stage incoming units

at intersections• Law Enforcement

Assess Potential for Harm

What do you have? How much is there?

1000L Bulk Container… 20000L Intermodal Container

Where is it going? Geography or population at risk?

• High consequence areas-– Areas pre-designated as having a greater risk

should a release occur.• Schools

• Hospitals

• Sensitive Infrastructure

– This a federally mandated requirement for pipeline operators.

– So they’ve preplanned them along their pipes.

How’s the weather?

OR

Fire or fire potential?

Other factors? (WMD)

ERG and NIOSH guide

What resources do you need?

Establish an Isolation Zone

• Use the ERG for initial isolation distances

• When establishing the initial zone, consider geographic specific items

• EG-highways, railroads, waterways, etc.

Hot, Warm or Cold zones shall be established by the HazMat Team

• Exclusion Zones are no-go sites anywhere

– Holes in floor, booby traps, etc.

– These are hazards to ALL responders

Defensive Tactics

• If you are not sure about your PPE and its protection…Do Not COMMIT personnel.

• Remain at a safe distance.• Isolate and deny entry

• Rescue should only be attempted without endangering personnel

Rescue- Only for viable victims

• Use the buddy system

• Your PPE will provide some protection

• Stand-By team in place

• Emergency Decon in place

• Use Meter Cockpit when you go in…

Meter Cockpit

• Just like a fighter pilot,

your instruments see things you can’t• pH & F paper on SCBA• 4-gas Monitor (O2, CO, H2S, LEL)• Radiation detector (if you have one

Action Levels

• These are stop signs to re-evaluate the mission– 10% LEL– 50 ppm on PID– 10 ppm H2S– <19.5 or >23.5 O2– 35 ppm CO– 2x background Radiation

• Any change to pH or F paper, is absolute stop.

• Bunker gear won’t help you.

Confinement

• Slow the spread of the HazMat; protect sensitive geography

Cover Solids with tarps

Plugging Fuel Tanks• Some engine companies have trained in plugging gasoline or

diesel fuel tanks. • Do this only after the following

– You have received the proper training– You have the proper PPE– Ignition sources are removed– Defensive action to limit vapors– Avoid contamination of turnouts

• Lay a plastic bag down, wear chemical protective gloves, and wear Tyvek suits over bunker gear.

– A charged hose line is in place– A Dry Chem extinguisher is manned– You follow the manufacturer’s suggested preparation and

procedure for plugging

Never assume responsibility for clean-up/Disposal

• It’s like an ugly puppy

• Don’t take it home, it’ll be yours forever

Fire

• Sometimes you just gotta let it burn…– It’s safer

• Run Off is hazardous waste• Some poisons and pesticides break down

faster in fire• Flammable gases that burn don’t

accumulate and explode, when burning• Some products react with water, making

the fire worse

Unless it’s impinging on a pressure container

• Then you need to make a decision based on calculated risk– But make sure you’ve got enough water.

Pipeline Procedure

• We’ve got two major pipelines that run through Sno County

BP Olympic is the Flammable Liquid pipeline

• There are two pipelines buried side-by-side running N-S through county (line goes from Sumas to Sea-Tac airport)– One 16” and one 20”– They operate at ~1400psi and move fuel along at

3-5 mph– During operation, there is 51,000 gallons/mile in

the 16 and 82,000 gals/mile in the 20”• Carries Gas (60%); Jet A; Diesel• Op Center is in Renton

– 888-271-8880

Williams NW is the Natural Gas pipeline

• Runs from Canada to Utah• Main N-S line pressure is around 960 psi

– Not odorized, but does have a slight sulfur smell• E-W lines are about half that (480 psi)

– Odor is added by Distribution Company• The lines that feed residential areas are ~10-

20 psi• These lines typically don’t leak, they rupture.• Op Center is in Salt Lake City, Utah

– 800-972-7733

• The scope and needs of a pipeline accident require a large scale mobilization of resources.– Think Bellingham, 1998– San Bruno, 2010– Everson, WA 1997 – Kalama, WA 1997

Pipeline accidents

Initial actions for all Hazardous Material & suspected WMD

responses

Approach

• Don’t’ rush in, assume hazards

• Avoid exposure to spills, clouds, smoke, suspicious packages and confined spaces

• Position Uphill, Upwind and facing away from incident

• Approach for recon in FULL PPE, SCBA and Meter Cockpit

Size-Up

• Use binoculars- – Fire? Spill? Release?– Container Size/Shape/Placards– Occupancy? NFPA 704?

MSDS? Prefire?– Product?

Determine priorities

• Life

• Environment

• Property

Report

• Share Size-Up

• Establish command and the location of CP

• Call for help– HazMat Team– LE-Bomb Squad– Pipeline response– Mutual Aid– DEM

Scene Control

• Based on size up, form an Incident Action Plan– Use the ERG to set Exclusion Zone

• Deny entry, control traffic, tape/cones

• Advised incoming units of safe approach

• Consider staging vs Base

• Establish Emergency Decon

Gather Information

• Product Name- UN number, Classification, primary hazard

• Paperwork- Shipping papers, MSDS, waybill or consists

• Resources from site- driver, engineer, industrial hygienists, witnesses

• Share information with HazMat Group Supervisor to adjust IAP

Establish Emergency or Mass Decontamination

• Find a suitable area on level ground, away from incident with doffing area (should be private)

• Lay hoses when possible• For Mass Decon, position apparatus in a triangle

and allow victims to wash themselves in the spray.• Move victims to doffing area and tell them to

remove clothes & jewelry – Put belongings into bags, 1 per patient

• Provide Tyvek coveralls or blankets• Re-evaluate Patient and transport to hospital, if

necessary

And Now It’s Your Turn

Company Level Training

• Brew a pot of coffee &• Discuss YOUR local area hazards

– Transportation Corridors?– Where are your pipelines and what is near them?

• Consider any high consequence areas– These are the areas that need a lot more resources– They should be preplanned

How would you mitigate a hazmat response there?

What ops level responses could you use?

• Diking• Damming• Diverting• Absorbent pads/pillows/booms

Who you gonna call?

• DEM• Ecology• Owner/Operator of the facility?

How long is the operational period going to be?

• And are you going to need:–Logistics Section?–Planning Section?–Finance Section?

And thanks for watching…