Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Chapter
9
Information
Management And
Resource
Coordination
Textbook Page
393
Chapter 9 - 1
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Objectives
•
•
•
•
Define The Terms “Information,” “Data,” And “Facts” As
Related To The Function Of Information Management.
Describe The Types Of Information Required To Safely
And Effectively Manage A Hazmat Incident.
Describe The Criteria For Evaluating Hazardous
Materials Information Management Systems For Field
Applications.
Identify And Describe The Hazmat Branch Functions
Required To Manage Information At A Hazmat Incident.
Chapter 9 - 2
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Objectives
•
•
•
Define The Term “Resources” And “Support” As Related
To The Function Of Organizing Resources Within The
Command Structure.
Describe The Process And Procedures For
Coordinating Internal And External Resource Groups At
A Hazmat Incident.
List And Describe Three Techniques For Improving
Coordination And Communications With Internal Or
External Resource Groups.
Chapter 9 - 3
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Introduction
• This Chapter Will Describe The Fifth Step In The Eight
Step Process© — Information Management And
Resource Coordination. This Step Focuses On Making
Sure That:
• Information And Resources Get To The People That
Need To Know What Is Going On.
• Everyone Involved In The Incident Knows What The
Incident Commander’s Plan Is To Make The Problem Go
Away.
Chapter 9 - 4
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Introduction
• Emergency Responders Have The Right Resources
(People, Equipment, And Supplies) To Get The Job Done
Safely And Rapidly.
• Let’s Review Several Key Points That We Discussed
Earlier In The Previous Chapters That Relate To
Information Management And Resource Coordination.
• Failure To Get The Right Information And Resources To The
Right People At The Right Time Can Jeopardize The Safety Of
Responders And The Overall Success Of The Emergency
Response Effort.
Chapter 9 - 5
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Introduction
• Information And Resources Cannot Be Effectively Coordinated If
An Incident Management Organization Is Not In Place.
• Information That Is Poorly Coordinated Among The Players At
The Emergency Scene Can Politically Damage The Incident
Commander’s Credibility And Ultimately Undermine The
Response Operation.
• The IC’s Incident Action Plan (IAP) Must Have A Solid Technical
Basis; The Actions Proposed Must Be Within The Limits Of
Science And Technology, Laws Of Engineering, Chemistry, And
Physics.
Chapter 9 - 6
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Managing Information In The Field
• Decisions Cannot Be Made Without Reliable Information.
• The Reliability Of The Information Used In Decision-making
Depends On The Quality Of The Data And Facts Used To Compile
That Information. [Data + Facts = Information]
• Data — Individual Data Elements That Are Gathered And Organized
For Analysis.
• Facts — Statements Made Or Observations About Something That
Has Occurred And Has Been Verified And Validated As Being True.
• Data + Facts = Information
Chapter 9 - 7
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Information Management Must Begin Early
•
Some Important Decisions That Must Be Made Include:
•
•
•
•
•
What Type Of Information Will Be Needed At The Emergency
Scene? How Should The Information Be Compiled?
What Is The Priority Of The Information That Is Needed? What
Do You Need Immediately Versus An Hour Into The Incident?
How Will The Information Be Stored For Quick Recovery At The
Incident Scene—manually Or Electronically?
Are The Information And Retrieval Systems Suitable For Field
Applications?
Who Will Be Responsible For Managing And Coordinating
Information At The Incident Scene? Are They Properly Trained
And Equipped For The Job?
Chapter 9 - 8
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
What Do You Really Need To Know?
•
•
•
What Are The
Hazards Of The
Materials - Flammability,
Toxicity, And Reactivity?
What Are The
PPE Requirements
(Or What Must I Do To Protect Myself)?
What Are The Health Concerns (E.G.,
Exposure Values, Signs And Symptoms Of
Exposure, Antidotes, Etc.)?
Chapter 9 - 9
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
What Do You Really Need To Know?
•
•
•
What Is The Container
Type And Condition
(Integrity, Size,
Orientations Etc.)?
What Are The Initial
Tactical Recommendations
(E.G., Spill Control, Leak Control, Fire Control,
Public Protective Actions)?
What Type Of Decontamination Procedures And
Methods Will Be Required?
Chapter 9 - 10
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Initial Information
• There Are Basic Groups Of Information Sources That
Should Be Immediately Accessible From The Incident
Scene. These Include:
• Facility Emergency Response Plans
• Pre-incident Tactical Plans
• Published Emergency Response References
• Shipping Documents
Chapter 9 - 11
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Facility Emergency Response Plans
• Refineries, Chemical Plants, And Facilities That
Manufacture Or Store Hazardous Materials On Site Are
Required By OSHA To Have A Facility Emergency
Response Plan.
• Process Safety And Risk Management Documents Can
Also Be Good Sources Of Hazard Analysis Information.
• Familiarize Yourself With These Different Techniques So
That You Know What To Ask For When You Write Or
Visit A Facility For Information.
Chapter 9 - 12
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Pre-incident Tactical Plans
• Pre-incident Tactical Plans (Or Pre-plans) Are Like The
Quarterbacks Play Book On A Football Team.
• Criteria For Developing Special Pre-plans In These
Situations May Include The Following:
• Type Of Hazards And Risks Present.
• Environmentally Sensitive Exposures.
• Unusual Or Poor Water Supply Requirements.
Chapter 9 - 13
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Pre-incident Tactical Plans
• Locations Which Will Require Large Quantities Of Foam
Concentrate Such As Bulk Petroleum Storage Facilities,
Pipelines, Etc.
• Restricted Or Delayed Response Routes.
• Poor Accessibility.
• To Be Useful, Pre-planning Documents Must Be Completed
Using A Standardized Format.
Chapter 9 - 14
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Published Emergency Response References
• Most Emergency Responders Have Some Capability To
Access Hazard Information From Laptops, On-board
Computer Systems, Or By Tapping Into The Internet
Through Cellular, Wireless Or Hard-line Connections.
• Reference Manuals And Guidebooks (E.G., DOT ERG,
AAR Emergency Action Guides).
• Technical Information Centers Accessible By Telephone
(E.G., CHEMTREC®, CANUTEC).
• Hazardous Materials Data Bases Accessed Through The
Internet Either As Public Domain Or Subscription
Databases (E.G., TOXNET, TOMES).
Chapter 9 - 15
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Information Storage And Recovery
• The Key To Successfully Managing And Retrieving
Hazmat Information Under Emergency Conditions Is
Good Organization And Simplicity.
• When Evaluating Systems, Consider The Following:
• User Friendly
• Durability
401
Chapter 9 - 16
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Information Storage And Recovery
• Commonly Encountered Products Should Be
Preplanned.
• Remember—a Computer’s Outstanding Attributes Of
Speed, Storage Capacity, Consistency, And The Ability
To Process Complex Logical Instructions Are Of No
Value Unless They Are Applied Within A Good
Management Process And The Computer Works 24 X 7
When You Need It.
Chapter 9 - 17
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Coordinating Information Among The Players
• Coordinating Information Is A Dynamic
Process
• It Must Adjust Its Scale Over Time To Provide
The Correct And Credible Information To The
Right People At The Right Time.
• Information Must Flow Freely to and From the
Incident Scene to off-site support facilities
Chapter 9 - 18
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Hazmat Group Functions
• Primary Functions And Tasks Assigned To The Hazmat
Group Include:
•
•
•
•
Safety Function
Entry / Back-up Function
Decontamination Function
Site Access Control Function
• Secondary Support Functions:
• Information / Research Function
• Medical Function
• Resource Function
Chapter 9 - 19
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Checklist System
• The Most Simple And Reliable Method Of Coordinating
Information Between The Various Hazmat Group
Functions Is To Use The Checklist System. Formal
Checklists Have Several Distinct Advantages As They
Relate To Information Management In The Field. These
Include:
• Checklists Don’t Panic.
• Checklists Have Institutional Memory.
• Identifying The Tasks Assigned To Each Hazmat Group
Function.
Chapter 9 - 20
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Checklist System
• Listing Critical Activities And Action Items Required For
Each Function.
• Prioritizing Actions So That Important Activities Are
Completed Early In The Incident.
• Providing A Framework For Development Of The IAP.
• Identifying Which Hazmat Group Functions Or
Individuals Need To Be Formally Contacted Tom
Coordinate Information.
• Providing The Required Documentation Of The Incident
For The Post-incident Analysis And The Critique.
Chapter 9 - 21
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Checklist Systems
• In Order For Checklist System To Be Effective They Must
Be Updated Regularly
• Responders Should Take Ownership of their Checklists
• While There Is Nothing Wrong With “Borrowing” An
Established Checklist System From Another
Organization As A Beginning Point, Checklists Should Be
Adapted And Customized To Suit Local Needs.
Chapter 9 - 22
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Hazmat Information Officer
• The Person Designated As The Hazmat Information
Officer (INFO) Will Play A Key Role In The Successful
Mitigation Of Any Hazmat Incident.
• Extended Incidents Or Incidents Involving Multiple
Chemicals (E.G., Train Derailment, Building Explosion
With Multiple Chemicals) May Require That An
Information Unit Be Formed.
• In Situations Where There Is Insufficient Room For
Everyone To Comfortably Function, One Or More
Coordinators Can Move To Nearby Offices Or Houses To
Complete Their Assignments.
Chapter 9 - 23
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Resource Coordination
• What Are RESOURCES And How Do They Differ From
INFORMATION?
• As Previously Described, Information Is Knowledge That
Is Based Upon Data And Facts Which Can Be Used To
Support Decision-making. In Contrast, Resources Are
Made Up Of The People, Equipment, And Supplies
Required To Manage A Hazardous Materials Emergency.
407
Chapter 9 - 24
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Resource Coordination
• Human Resources - Include Responders, Support
Personnel, Technical Information Specialists, And
Product Or Container Specialists.
• Equipment Resources - Include Items Which Are Reusable, Such As Hand Tools, Generators, Pumps,
Monitoring Instruments, Etc.
• Supply Resources - Differ From Equipment Resources In
That They Are Usually Considered Expendable.
Chapter 9 - 25
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Resource and Support Relationship
Each Resource Must Be Backed Up By A Support Function
408
Chapter 9 - 26
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Coordinating Resources
• Hazardous Materials Incidents Are Unique To The Emergency Response
Business Because Of The Resources Required To Mitigate The Problem.
• Some of These Could Include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Railroad
Container Specialists
Contractors
Environmental Specialists
Emergency Services
Governmental Officials
• Special Events Could Make the List Grow to 20-30 Agencies
Chapter 9 - 27
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Internal Resource Coordination
• Coordinating Resource Requirements Within The
“Internal” Structure Of The Emergency Response
Organization Can Be An Easy Process If Your
Organization Understands And Regularly Operates
Within An Incident Management System Framework.
• Special Resource Requirements Are Funneled Through
The Chain Of Command To The Logistics Section,
Chapter 9 - 28
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Coordinating Resources
• Within The Hazmat Group, Resources Are Coordinated By
The Resource Unit.
• Logistics Section Chief And/Or Hazmat Resources
Leader? Key Traits And Characteristics Include:
• Self-starter—looks At The Scope And Nature Of The Incident And
Starts To Determine The Necessary Type And Level Of Resources.
Needs Little Direction.
• “Scrounger”—knows Everyone And Has The Ability To Get Anyone
And Everything!
• Good Listener And Prioritizer—can Anticipate What We Need
Immediately Versus 3 Hours From Now.
Chapter 9 - 29
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
External Resource Coordination
• Coordinating “External” Resource Needs And
Requirements Can Present A Real Challenge If The
Participating Agencies And Players Are Not Familiar With
The Incident Management System And Cannot Play The
Game By Using Unified Command Structure Rules.
• Outside Agencies, Whether Public Or Private Sector, Will
Almost Always Be Involved In Providing Some Type Of
Resources At A Major Incident.
Chapter 9 - 30
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
External Resource Coordination
• Some Important Items That Should Be Addressed By
The IC Include:
• Make Sure That All Players Understand That You Are Running
The Operation Using A Unified Command Structure.
• Determine At What Capacity The Agency Or Organization Is
Going To Participate.
• Physically Identify Each Agency Or Organization Representative
As They Arrive.
• Either Establish A Liaison With Or Integrate External Resources
Within The IMS Organization.
• If External Agencies Have A Problem, Make Sure It Is Brought To
Your Immediate Attention.
Chapter 9 - 31
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Resource Coordination Problems
• Major Emergencies, Like Train Derailments, Plane
Crashes, And Petrochemical Plant Fires, Can Shift The
IC’s Role From One Of A Strategist And Tactician To A
Politician And Diplomat.
• Most Resource Coordination Problems Fall Into Three
Categories:
• Failure To Understand Or Work Within The IMS Structure.
• Given The Type And Nature Of The Incident, Failure To
Anticipate Potential Problems And “Gaps” In Information Or
Resources.
• Communications And Personality Problems Between The
Players.
Chapter 9 - 32
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Resource Coordination Problems
• The IC Can Resolve Many Communications And
Personality Problems By Using A Little Psychology And
Some Group Leadership Techniques At The ICP. Some
Useful Techniques That Can Be Effectively Applied In
Stressful Situations Include:
• Listening: Pay Attention To Others As They
Communicate.
• Clarifying: Clarify What The Person’s Issue Or Concern
Is.
Chapter 9 - 33
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Resource Coordination Problems
• Summarizing: If Large Groups Of People Are Involved In A
Unified Command Setting, The Decision-making Process
Can Get Bogged Down Or Fragmented.
• Empathizing: If A Special Interest Emerges And Becomes
A Problem, Try Empathizing With The Individual To
Reassure Him Or Her That The Concern Is Valid.
• Develop A Good Working Relationship With Supporting
Agencies, Suppliers, Contractors, And Consultants Before
The Incident And Most Of The Personality Issues Will
Dissolve, Or At A Minimum They Won’t Get In The Way Of
On-scene Operations.
Chapter 9 - 34
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Summary
• The Function Of Information Management And Resource
Coordination Can Be Viewed From Two Perspectives.
• From A Strategic Perspective, It Is A “Constant” That
Starts With The Notification And Dispatch Of Emergency
Responders And Ends With The Termination Of The
Incident.
• From A Tactical Perspective, It Is The Transition Point
From The “Size-up” Phase Of The Hazmat Incident To
The Mitigation And Termination Phases.
Chapter 9 - 35
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
Summary
• Both Perspectives Share A Common “Bottom Line”—
failure To Get The Right Information To The Right People
At The Right Time Can Jeopardize Both The Safety Of
Responders And The Overall Success Of The
Emergency Response Effort.
• Information And Resources Must Be Managed Within
The Framework Of The Incident Management System.
• When Resources (People, Equipment, And Supplies) Are
Committed To An Incident, They Must Be Backed Up By
A Support Component
Chapter 9 - 36
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005
Information Management and Resource Coordination
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
Managing The Incident
O.T. and The Kid
Chapter 9 - 37
© Hazardous Materials - Managing the Incident 2005