RRT 4 Meeting - August 28, 2013
Christina Edwards (DOE3) – Radiological Assistance Program
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Provides assistance to ANYONE for radiological incidents
Region 3 DOE is different from Federal regions – Offices for R3 based at the Savannah River Site
near Aiken, SC
Responsibilities – Consequence Management, Crisis Response (Post 9/11) detection,
identification and analysis of radiological and nuclear materials.
Limitations – they support, do not pre-empt state, tribal, or local authority; they do not take
responsibility for radiological materials
Other – Training, Drill & Exercise participation, DOE/NNSA Transportation Activities
MDDU (Cache of equipment in trailer) – owned by DHS; used for preventative (detection) -> Five
currently deployed throughout the U.S.
Aerial Measuring System (AMS) – Provide rapid survey of radiation and contamination following
a radiological emergency; search for lost or stolen radioactive sources
RadResponder Network - Collaboration between FEMA, DOE, and EPA
o Uses Inert funding
o System for collection of primary data after an incident
o Freely available to all states
o Get account at www.radresponder.net
CDR William Carter (CG) – National Strike Force Update
CDR Kevin Lynn (CG Strike Team Mobile)
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Strike Force – 3 teams across the country
Capabilities range from site safety officer to full blown response
11 cases in FY 13 in R4; 8 in support of EPA + 3 for CG
Jim Snyder – National Strike Force Program (NSF)
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Response Resource Inventory (RRI) – all response equipment database; Track OSRO
OSRO is grouped into response times within 75 mile radius from Sector.
Preparedness Assessment Verification (PAV) visits to check on OSROs – visits are scheduled on a
3 year rotation (OSCs and SOSCs invited to join)
Exercise Program (Contingency Planning System (CPS) – Concept of Exercise (COE))
Area Contingency Plan (ACP) Oversight
All CG owned equipment will be moved to one central location in the near future.
Q. What’s the status on the sequestration for CG support to EPA? A. CG Strike Team is back to
supporting EPA OSC throughout all of the regions.
Q. What’s the status of the RRI? A. MER found the money to fund RRI database through FY ’14.
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Q. Accessing the ACP is not easy. Can Strike force set something outside of Homeport to give
access to ACP? A. Their working on a solution.
Ricin Tupelo Response – Ben Franco (EPA 4)
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Used Level C PPE (non-weaponized Ricin).
Perma-Fix – Chris Russell (EPA 4)
Earthquake Readiness – CUSEC (Jim Wilkerson)
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CUSEC – Central Untied States Earthquake Consortium, composed of states around the New
Madrid seismic zone
New Madrid Seismic Zone – most active region east of the Rockies (produces 150-200 quakes a
year)
Largest known area of liquefaction in the world.
Magnitude 7.5-8.0 earthquake is 7-10% in a 50 year period
Magnitude 6.0 earthquake is 25-40% in a 50 year period
River systems are highly impacted – Choked with debris
Capstone 2014 Exercise – 6/17 – 6/20
Coordination between states
Shake out Event – 10/17/13
Shawn Ryan, Director, Decontamination and Consequence Management Div. (EPA)
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Conduct research to help EPA achieve Homeland Security responsibilities
Responsibilities: Securing and Sustaining Water Systems, Characterizing Contamination and
Determining risk, remediation for indoor and outdoor environments.
Applied Research and Technical Support (Operational aspects of an incident)
Always looking for engagement opportunities
Research to Support Decontamination and Consequences Mgmt
Agent Fate and Containment for biological, chemical and radiological releases
SPORE – collaborative effort with DHS, EPA, HHS, CDC, and DoD.
Effective Decontamination Research
Decon Conference 11/4-8, 2013
EPA RRT 4 DNC Review (Battalion Chief, Larry McCormick)
Methyl Bromide Operation Fumigation (Leroy Mickelson)
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Used for Anthrax clean-up – non-corrosive process, less wasted materials
UF Fumigation School each year in November
Methyl Bromide has a low warning parameters; must set AAMP to the lowest setting
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Gas is ozone depleting so must be scrubbed with activated carbon prior to ambient release –
Greenhouse Gas
Methyl Bromide experiment at Hurricane House to be conducted 12/7/13
Q. Is Methyl Bromide available in high capacity? A. One vendor produces about 7 M lbs per year;
1 M in stock at any one time. – Used in the Montreal method on quarantined product in the
ports.
Q. What are the transportation requirements and time frame for delivery? A. No protocol on
availability. In current discussions with HQs to get emergency use exemptions.
West Fertilizer Company (Mark Hayes – EPA 6)
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EPA provided air monitoring during response
Lessons learned – Nice to have CID at a site to act as liaison where ATF is present.
Q. what caused accident? A. Fire Marshal determined that it was either electrical golf cart,
electrical source from wiring, or possible criminal.
Paulsboro, NJ Derailment (Capt Moore)
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Unified Command – RP (Conrail), USCG, Paulsboro FD, NJDEP
Public Relations was a challenge
Air and water monitoring (TAGA bus)
Soil/Sediment sampling
Removed the majority of the vinyl chloride from leaking car by suctioning it out.
Remainder was treated with acetone – made vinyl chloride non-toxic but still flammable.
Community is on long term monitoring by CDC
Q. Why was CG lead agency and what was EPA’s involvement? A. Incident was in CG waters
Q. Was the manufacturer of Vinyl Chloride involved? Were they helpful? A. Yes. They had
Incident chemists who came up with the solution of using acetone.
Used weather service meteorologist to determine wind velocity, speed, etc to control crane
work.
Reverse 911 system worked well for homes that had signed up for it.
Lessons learned – Divide JIC into two branches - Media and Public Relations - on next big
response like this.