Awareness-Level
Lesson 3 Presentation
Hazardous Materials for
First Responders, 3rd Ed.
Incident Management Elements
• Priorities
– Life safety
– Incident stabilization
– Protection of property and the environment
• Management structure
– Command system
– Predetermined procedures and guidelines
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–2
Incident Management Elements
• Problem-solving process
–
–
–
–
Analyzing the incident
Planning the response
Implementing the response
Evaluating the progress
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–3
Advantages of an Incident
Management System
•
•
•
•
•
•
Common terminology
Modular organization
Integrated communication
Unified command structure
Consolidated action plans
Manageable span of control
Awareness Level
3–4
Functions of an IMS
•
•
•
•
•
Command
Operations
Planning
Logistics
Finance/Administration
Awareness Level
3–5
Predetermined Procedures
• Predetermined plans for emergencies that are
known as standard operating procedures
(SOPs), standard operating guidelines (SOGs),
or operating instructions (OIs)
– Standard set of actions
– Must comply with local emergency response plan
(LERP) procedures
– Incorporate regulatory requirements
– Written down and used
Awareness Level
3–6
Benefits of
Predetermined Procedures
• Reduce chaos on the haz mat scene
• Resources can be used in a coordinated effort
• Establish accountability and increase command
control and effectiveness
• Lessen confusion about duties of personnel
• Prevent duplication of effort and uncoordinated
operations
Awareness Level
3–7
Communications Equipment
• Radio procedures
–
–
–
–
Use simple English
Transmit only essential information
Use appropriate channels
Use appropriate number of channels
• Know what types of additional help are
available, according to the LERP
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–8
Communications Equipment
• Emergency radio traffic
– Make urgency clear
– Follow telecommunicator directions
• Evacuation signals
– Broadcast radio message
– Sound audible warning devices
– Broadcast message several times
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–9
External Communications
• Facilitating communication between onsite and
offsite personnel
• Primary means are cell phone, telephone, radio
• Other technologies may enable use of
computers
• SOPs may address communication with media
and public
Awareness Level
3–10
Internal Communications
• Receiving and sharing information regarding
the incident among emergency responders
once they arrive on the scene
–
–
–
–
Alerting team members to emergencies
Passing along safety information
Communicating changes in action plan
Maintaining site control
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–11
Internal Communications
• Verbal communication can be impeded by
background noise and PPE
• Primary and backup systems of communication
are recommended
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–12
Internal Communication Devices
•
•
•
•
•
Radios
Cell phones
Pagers
Noisemakers
Visual signals
Awareness Level
3–13
Isolation
• One of the primary strategic goals at a haz mat
incident and one of the most important means
by which first responders can ensure the safety
of themselves and others
– Involves physically securing and maintaining the
emergency scene
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–14
Isolation
• Physical control of the scene begins by
isolating the site via an isolation perimeter
–
–
–
–
Removing people who are within the perimeter
Denying entry of unauthorized persons
Determining isolation distance
Establishing initial isolation zones and protective
action zones
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–15
Initial Isolation Distance
• A distance within which all persons should be
considered for evacuation in all directions from
the actual spill/leak source, according to the
Emergency Response Guidebook
Awareness Level
3–16
Initial Isolation Zone
• A circular zone (with a radius equivalent to the
initial isolation distance) within which persons
may be exposed to dangerous concentrations
upwind of the source and may be exposed to
life-threatening concentrations downwind of the
source
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–17
Initial Isolation Zone
The smallest initial isolation distance for any
chemical listed in the green-bordered pages of the
ERG is 100 feet (30 m).
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–18
Protective Action Zone
• Area immediately adjacent to and downwind
from the initial isolation zone. This area is in
imminent danger of being contaminated by
airborne vapors within 30 minutes of material
release.
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–19
Protective Action Zone
Protective Action Zone
1/2 Downwind
Distance
Initial Isolation
Zone
1/2 Downwind
Distance
Spill
This area is in imminent danger of being contaminated by airborne
vapors within 30 minutes of the release.
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–20
Establishing the
Initial Isolation Distance
• Covered in the ERG Protective Action
Distances section (green-bordered pages that
apply to “highlighted” chemicals)
• To use this information, the first responder must
have already identified the material and looked
it up either in the:
– Yellow-bordered pages
– Blue-bordered pages
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–21
Establishing the
Initial Isolation Distance
• Orange-bordered pages in the ERG provide
recommended isolation and evacuation
distances for nonhighlighted chemicals
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–22
Determining the
Amount of Material
• First responders must determine amount of
material
• Table of Isolation and Protective Action
Distances gives parameters for establishing
isolation and protective action distances which
are based on whether the spill is small or large
Awareness Level
3–23
Hazard Control Zones
• Provide scene control
– Protect responders from interference by
unauthorized persons
– Help regulate movement of first responders
– Minimize contamination
• Divide the levels of hazard of an incident
– Hot zone
– Warm zone
– Cold zone
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–24
Hazard Control Zones
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–25
Hot Zone
• An area surrounding an incident that has been
contaminated or has the potential to become
contaminated by a released material
• Generally the same as the isolation distance
and could include the protective action zone
Awareness Level
3–26
Warm Zone
• An area abutting the hot zone and extending to
the cold zone
• Considered safe for workers to enter without
special protective clothing (until
decontamination starts) unless they are
assigned a task requiring increased protection
• Used as a buffer between the hot and cold
zones and the place to decontaminate
personnel and equipment exiting the hot zone
Awareness Level
3–27
Cold Zone
• Encompasses the warm zone and is used to
carry out all other support functions of the
incident or haz mat operations
• Workers in the cold zone are not required to
wear personal protective clothing
Awareness Level
3–28
Awareness-Level Notification
• May be as simple as dialing 911 to report the
incident and get additional help on the way
• Fixed facility responders may have their own
internal procedures to follow
• Predetermined procedures should identify
procedures for contacting appropriate
authorities
Awareness Level
3–29
Awareness-Level Rescue Actions
• Because Awareness-Level responders should
never come into contact with a hazardous
material, they are essentially prohibited from
physically touching or moving a victim who is
either contaminated (or potentially
contaminated) or located within the initial
isolation zone, warm zone, or hot zone.
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–30
Awareness-Level Rescue Actions
• Direct people to an area of safe refuge or
evacuation point
• Instruct victims to move to an area that is less
dangerous
• Direct contaminated or potentially contaminated
victims to specific areas such as a safe refuge
area
• Give directions for mass decontamination
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–31
Protective Actions
• Once the protective action zone has been
determined, first responders must act to protect
the health and safety of individuals
– Evacuation
– Shelter-in-place
– A combination of both
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–32
Protective Actions
• Incident Commander selects best option based
on:
– Material considerations
– Environmental conditions
– Population at risk
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–33
Evacuation
• To move all people from a threatened area to a
safer place
• To perform an evacuation, there must be
enough time:
– To warn people
– For them to get ready
– For them to leave the area
Awareness Level
3–34
Initiating Evacuation
• Begin evacuating people who are nearby,
downwind, or crosswind of the incident within
the distance recommended by the ERG
• Even after people move the recommended
distances, they are not completely safe from
harm
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–35
Initiating Evacuation
• Do not permit evacuees to congregate at these
“safe” distances
• Send them by a specific route to a designated
place upwind/uphill/upstream of the incident
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–36
Sheltering in Place
• To direct people to go quickly inside a building
and remain inside until the danger passes
• Decision to shelter in place guided by the
following factors:
–
–
–
–
Population is unable to initiate evacuation
Material is spreading too rapidly
Material is too toxic to risk any exposure
Vapors are heavier than air
(1 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–37
Sheltering in Place
• When protecting people inside, direct them to:
– Close all doors and windows
– Shut off all HVAC systems
• May not be the best option if:
– Vapors or gases are explosive
– It will take a long time for the vapors or gases to
clear the area
– Building cannot be closed tightly
(2 of 2)
Awareness Level
3–38
Summary
• Incident management is an important factor
when responding to hazardous materials
incidents. An IMS provides a method for
appropriately handling emergency responses.
• Communications is vital in emergency
response and first responders must know how
to use communications equipment properly.
(1 of 4)
Awareness Level
3–39
Summary
• One of the primary strategic goals at a haz mat
incident is isolation. Isolation involves securing
and maintaining the emergency scene. First
responders should be familiar with isolation
terms such as initial isolation distance, initial
isolation zone, and protective action zone.
• The ERG Protective Action Distances section
provides information on establishing the initial
isolation distance.
(2 of 4)
Awareness Level
3–40
Summary
• Haz mat incidents are divided into three hazard
control zones: hot, warm, and cold. These
zones provide the rigid scene control needed at
haz mat incidents.
• Awareness-Level first responders are
responsible for notification, which may be as
simple as dialing 911. The role AwarenessLevel responders can take in rescue actions is
limited to telling people what to do/or where to
(3 of 4)
go.
Awareness Level
3–41
Summary
• Protective actions are often necessary at haz
mat incidents and include evacuation,
sheltering-in-place, or a combination of both.
The proper procedures and guidelines must be
followed when conducting an evacuation or
directing people to shelter-in-place.
(4 of 4)
Awareness Level
3–42
Awareness-Level
Lesson 3 Presentation
Hazardous Materials for
First Responders, 3rd Ed.