HAZ MAT
HAZ MAT RESPONSES
 ANY CALL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TURN INTO A HAZ MAT CALLMEDICAL AIDS, FIRES, TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, ODOR CHECKS, GAS
SPILLS AND LEAKS, SERVICE CALLS, ETC.
 GOOD SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS THE KEY TO A POSITIVE OUTCOME
 IF HAZ MAT IS SUPECTED, SLOW DOWN AND GATHER INTEL BEFORE
TAKING ACTION
ASSESS THE SITUATION
 FIRE, SPILL, LEAK
 WEATHER CONDITIONS
 TERRAIN
 WHO/WHAT IS AT RISK- PEOPLE, PROPERTY, OR ENVIRONMENT
 ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN- BASED ON LIFE SAFETY, INCIDENT
STABILIZATION, PROPERTY CONSERVATION, ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
 WHAT RESOURCES ARE REQUIRED AND ARE THEY READILY
AVAILABLE
 WHAT CAN BE DONE IMMEDIATELY- MUST HAVE THE PROPER PPE
SCENE MANAGEMENT
 ESTABLISH COMMAND- COMPLEXITY OF INCIDENT WILL DETERMINE ICS
POSITIONS FILLED. SAFETY OFFICER IS A REQUIRED POSITION.
 FIRST DUTY IS TO CONSIDER SAFETY OF PEOPLE IN THE IMMEDIATE
AREA INCLUDING YOUR OWN
 APPROACH CAUTIOSLY FROM UPWIND. DON’T RUSH IN. ONLY TAKE
ACTION AFTER FULLY ASSESING THE SCENE.
 TRY AND IDENTIFY THE PRODUCT- PLACARDS, CONTAINER LABELS,
MSDS, SHIPPING DOCUMENTS, WORKERS, DRIVERS, ETC.
 USE ERG GUIDE TO DETERMINE INITIAL ACTIONS
 SET UP A PERIMETER AND ISOLATE THE HAZARD – ELEVIATE IGNITION
SOURCES IF INDICATED. BETTER TO INTITIALLY SET UP A LARGER
PERIMETER THAN NEEDED. CAN ALWAYS REDUUCE IT. ZONES WILL BE
ESTABLISHED BY HAZMAT TEAM
 GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES RESPONDING ASAP- LAW
ENFORCEMENT, HAZMAT, PUBLIC WORRKS, MASS DECON ETC.
 DECIDE ON INITIAL ACTIONS- ENTRY, PRODUCT CONTAINMENT,
EVACUATIONS, EMERGENCY DECON OF AMBULATORY VICTIMS
DECIDING ON ENTRY
 MUST HAVE PROPER PPE TO MAKE ENTRY- IF NOT, YOU BECOME PART
OF THE PROBLEM. OBTAIN PROPER LEVEL OF PPE FROM ERG GUIDE
 REASONS FOR ENTRY- RESCUE OF VICTIMS, OR BEING ABLE TO
CONTROL SOURCE OF SPILL/RELEASE.
 HAVE AN EMERGENCY DECON PLAN FOR PERSONNEL AND VICTIM(S)
 MONITOR ATMOSPHERE IF INDICATED
 DO NOT WALK INTO OR TOUCH SPILLED MATERIAL
 KEEP SCBA ON UNTIL PROPERLY DECONNED
EMERGENCY DECON
 PERFORM ANYTIME YOU SUSPECT CONTAMINATION- VICTIM(S)
RESPONDERS AND EQUIPMENT MUST BE DECONTAMINATED
 MOVE VICTIM(S) TO LEAST ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA
 FLUSH WITH COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER-CONTAIN RUN OFF IF
POSSIBLE- DO NOT USE BRUSHES, HOT WATER, OR DECON SOLUTIONS
 REMOVE ALL CONTAMINATED CLOTHING- MAY HAVE TO CUT OFF,
MINIMIZE YOUR CONTACT WITH CONTAMINATED CLOTHING. ISOLATE
REMOVED CLOTHING.
 ENSURE MODESTY OF VICTIMS- SET UP BARRIERS, PROVIDE
TEMPORARY GARMENTS, SEGREGATE SEXES
 VICTIMS MUST BE DECONNED PRIOR TO TRANSPORT- LEAVE
CONTAMINATED BELONGINGS AT SCENE.
EVACUATION VS. SHELTER IN PLACE
 MATERIALS INVOLVED- THE AMOUNT. IS IT A GAS, LIQUID, SOLID.
EXPLOSIVE, DEGREE OF TOXICITY, ETC.
 POPULATION THREATENED- RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL,
SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS ETC. ARE THEY DOWNWIND, DOWNGRADE, OR
DOWNSTREAM
 CAPABILITY OF RESPONDERS-CAN PRODUCT BE CONTROLLED OR
CONTAINED. WHAT SPECIALIZED RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE
IMMEDIATELY?
 TIME FACTORS- TIME OF DAY. HOW LONG BEFORE RELEASE REACHES
POPULATED AREAS. HOW LONG WILL RELEASE LAST.
 CURRENT AND PREDICTED WEATHER- WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION,
TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY AND PERCIPITATION
 ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH PUBLIC- REVERSE 911, DOOR TO
DOOR, PA’S
PERIMETER AND ZONES
 PERIMETER- OUTSIDE SECURITY LINE AROUND ALL ZONES.
 EXCLUSION ZONE (HOT ZONE)- ONLY PERSONNEL WITH SPECIFIC
TASKS AND PROPER PPE ALLOWED IN THIS AREA
 CONTAMINATIN REDUCTION ZONE (WARM ZONE) - USED TO CONTROL
SAFE REFUGE AND DECON. LOCATION OF RIC TEAM. PPE FOR DECON
MAY BE ONE LEVEL DOWN FROM ENTRY TEAM.
 SUPPORT ZONE (COLD ZONE) - SAFE AREA, NO PPE REQUIRED.
LOCATION OF COMMAND POST, MEDICAL, ETC.
ICS STRUCTURE
 COMPLEXITY OF INCIDENT WILL DICTATE SIZE OF ICS STRUCTURE
 UNIFIED COMMAND IF IMPACT TO MULTIPLE AGENCIES
 REQUIRED TO HAVE A SAFETY OFFICER ON HAZ MAT INCIDENTS
 HAVE LIASONS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OR OTHER MAJOR PLAYERS
 ESTABLISH PIO TO DEAL WITH MEDIA, PUBLIC INFORMATION
 INCIDENT MORE THAN LIKELY ORGANIZED BY GROUPS INSTEAD OF
DIVISIONS- HAZ MAT GROUP, MEDICAL GROUP, FIRE GROUP, ETC
 HAZ MAT GROUP WILL CONTAIN- HAZ MAT GROUP SUP., ENTRY
LEADER, DECON LEADER, SITE ACCESS CONTROL LEADER, AND
ASSISTANT SAFETY OFFICER.
STATION DRILLS
 REVIEW ERG GUIDE- PLACARDING SYSTEM
 PRE PLAN TARGET HAZARDS IN YOUR FIRST INS
 REVIEW SETTING UP FOR MASS DECON, EMERGENCY DECON
 REVIEW LOCAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO HANDLE HAZ MAT
INCIDENTS- REQUESTING HAZ MAT, MASS DECON TRAILER, PUBLIC
WORKS CAPABILITIES