TRAINING PERSONNEL TO HANDLE A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT

TRAINING PERSONNEL TO HANDLE A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

In order to handle a hazardous materials incident a set of special skills is necessary. These skills are over and above that which is taught to fire fighters in structural fire fighting classes. As a result, those without the necessary knowledge and expertise have problems in deciding how to handle these incidents. Mistakes are made, which cause injury to emergency response personnel or the general public, additional property damage occurs, and there can be significant environmental damage.

Just saying that training is necessary is not the answer. Hazardous materials incidents do not occur as frequently as structural fires Therefore, experience in the techniques to use is scarce, and training needs to be reinforced on a continuing basis. A once-a-year drill does not prepare a fire department for an incident.

There is also another problem with training personnel for handling a hazardous materials incident. This problem involves training courses which try to be all things to all people. It appears that when the word is out that there are funds available for training in the hazardous materials, organizations to conduct training come out of the woodwork. There certainly is no lack of programs, with costs ranging from zero to $600, the cost being no predictor of the quality of the program.

—photo by Warren Isman.

One of the key concerns with these training programs is the curriculum. Almost all of the courses are designed to train all emergency response personnel (police, fire, emergency preparedness, and emergency medical services) for handling all types of incidents. The incidents covered can range from a small product to a disaster requiring the two-week evacuation of 10,000 people. And the course will do all of this with a single three-hour class? It may sound ridiculous, but a review of any fire department’s mail will show these offerings.

Now, how can this be corrected? First, establish the kinds of hazardous materials incidents in order, from simple to complex. Determine what levels of emergency response personnel are necessary to handle the various types of incidents. Then establish or choose a training program to meet the objectives for the various response needs. Each of these needs can be met if three levels of training are provided which correspond to three general levels of incidents.

LEVEL I

A Level I response can be defined as one which can be easily handled with the initial emergency response crews. This means that law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services personnel from the immediate area are able to mitigate the incident. Mutual-aid response and evacuation are not necessary.

Examples of a Level I incident include a gasoline spill which is contained and not ignited, a leak of a small cylinder of chlorine not requiring any evacuation, an outside leak from a 55-gallon drum and a small pesticide spill.

The responding emergency response personnel would need training in:

Recognition that hazardous materials are present.

• Identification that hazardous materials are present.
• Resources available for providing information on how to handle incidents involving this specific material.
• Basic decision-making for junior officers or senior fire fighters on containment, control, and safety of minor incidents.

A suggested curriculum for meeting the needs of those responsible for a Level I incident involves:

1. Introduction to the hazardous materials problem (1 hour).
2. Recognition (2 hours).

Placards and labels, size, shape and type of containers, physical appearance of the product.

1. Identification (1 hour).

Shipping documents, container markings, pre-incident plans.

1. Resources (1 hour).

CHEMTREC, chemical companies, reference books, government agencies.

1. Basic decision-making (2 hours).

Decision-making process, safety, containment, vapor suppression, extinguishment.

1. Case study of Level I incidents (1 hour).
2. Development of tactics by students given theoretical Level I problems (2 hours).

This Level I training program is designed for fire fighters, junior officers, law enforcement personnel who respond, and emergency medical service personnel. Senior fire officers should take this course and use it as a basis for the next level of training. Others who would benefit from this short nine-hour program include truckers, local and state government environmental personnel, civil defense officials and local industry.

In addition, as new reference material is developed, legal marking requirements change and personnel forget the material from non-use, a refresher course must be held. It is not sufficient to come to class one time and be set forever.

LEVEL II

A Level II incident is one that is more complex than a level I. At this level some sort of specialized regional response team would be needed. Outside help from other agencies (government and private) will have to be used.

For small fire departments, a Level II incident would require a mutual-aid response. In larger departments, it means bringing units from other areas of the community. Examples of incidents at this level include:

• Leak from a drum of a poison.
• Fire involving pesticide storage.
• Propane truck on fire, with flame impingement on the tank.
• Rail car leaking chlorine.

Training for all personnel who respond at this level would require information in:

1. Containment objectives.
2. Small (under 250) evacuation of civilians.
3. Decision-making at a Level II incident.
4. Requirement for a command post.
5. Fire fighting tactics.

Those personnel who staff a hazardous materials response team would also need some additional training which should include:

1. Spill and leak control using special equipment.
2. Basic chemistry.
3. Safety and control of personnel.
4. Emergency medical service treatment of the injured.
5. Special hazards of specific chemicals.

The Level II training program is designed for senior fire, EMS and law enforcement officials, as well as personnel from civil defense, state response agencies, and local relief agencies.

Then, those personnel who are assigned to a response team will need a great deal of further training. Because of the need for this greater training, the need for continued retraining and the relatively low number of calls, there should be a regional team. In this way the team could respond to a greater number of calls as well as obtain its membership from a wider area. The cost of equipping the team can also be spread out over a wider area if the team is regionalized.

A suggested curriculum for the overall Level II training program should include:

1. Tactics for control and containment (2 hours).
2. Basic chemical hazards (3 hours).
3. Evacuation procedures and planning (3 hours).
4. Emergency medical services contingency planning.
5. Command post establishment and operation (1 hour).
6. Fire fighting tactics (3 hours). Size-up, resource allocation, communication, command and control.
7. Case study of Level I incidents (3 hours).
8. Development of tactics by students given theoretical Level II problems (3 hours).

Additional subjects for hazardous response team members should include:

1. Specialized protective equipment (3 hours).

Full encasement suits, hand protection, foot protection, breathing apparatus, communications equipment, practical session.

1. Testing equipment (1 hour). Category of hazard, specific product identification.
2. Handling specific chemical hazards (I8 hours).

Agricultural and garden chemicals, corrosives, poisons and biological agents, explosives, oxidizers, radioactive material, cryogenics, compressed nonflammable gases, flammable gases and solids, and flammable and combustible liquids.

1. Shipping containers (12 hours).

Rail cars (tanks, box, hopper, etc ), tank trucks, vans and containers, drums, pipelines, barges, practical session.

1. Storage facilities (3 hours). Pre-incident planning, types of containers, practical session.
2. Foam (3 hours).

Types, application rates and techniques.

1. Spill and leak control practical session (6 hours).
2. Use of resource material drill (1 hour).
3. Safety, EMS and operational procedures for response team members (3 hours).

The training for a Level II incident can, thus, be broken down into two areas. The first part consisting of about 21 hours of training would be for senior fire, EMS and law enforcement personnel. Much of the course is also applicable to many of the other agencies that would respond, so their participation and interaction would be extremely helpful.

However, the majority of the training would be for that very specialized group of individuals who would actually control the spill or leak. Remember, it is not necessary to train all people to handle all incidents. If the control of the incident is beyond the capability of the emergency response forces, then that fact should be readily admitted The withdrawal and evacuation of emergency response personnel as well as civilians may be the only action that can be taken. Then, outside help from governmental agencies, shippers and manufacturers can be brought to the scene to provide the necessary technical expertise.

If, though, a hazardous response team is formed, then the training must be complete. The 50^iour program which has been outlined is just the beginning. Practice on the use of the equipment plus constant retraining in all of the subject areas must be carried out. Remember, attending one or two training classes does not make an individual an expert.

LEVEL III

A Level III incident can be simply defined as a disaster for the local community. It is one which has escalated beyond the ability of the local government to cope with problems. As a result many other agencies would now be involved.

Assistance would be provided by transportation companies, manufacturers, Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, National Guard, National Transportation Safety Board, Red Cross, Salvation Army, heavy equipment contractors, Federal Emergency Management Agen’cy, state and local health groups, local elected officials, and local government legal advisers.

Because of the magnitude of this level of incident, the duration is measured in days instead of hours. This means that in addition to all of the control problems, the incident commander must be concerned with the logistical problems of the evacuees as well as the emergency forces.

Training for this type of incident is very difficult. First, there are very few hazardous material disasters during any year so actual on-the-job experience does not occur. Second, the many agencies which become involved make it difficult to assemble for training and drills. This, though, should not discourage fire service personnel from conducting training. It just indicates that it will be difficult.

Each of the agencies that would become involved in a Level III incident needs to conduct training for its personnel. The agencies have the knowledge of what their specific assignment would be and are in the best position to prepare their personnel for an incident.

The fire service in the community should take the lead and conduct training for all of the local government agencies whose assistance would be requested. In this way, a coordinated, well-planned attack on the problems can be mounted in the early stages of the incident. Then when the other agencies arrive on the scene the incident commander has been determined, the decision process started, and the agencies can then mesh with the existing structure.

The objectives for personnel to be trained to handle this level of incident are:

1. Understanding the legal issues and responsibilities.Preparation of a resource list.
2. Preparation of contingency plans.
3. Procedures for conducting a largescale evacuation.
4. Establishing a large command post and emergency operating center.
5. Coordination with outside agencies.
6. Mass casualty plan.

With the fire service organizing the program, the senior local officials (law enforcement, transportation, health, emergency preparedness, public information and elected officials) should take the following training course. This, then, would prepare them for handling a Level III hazardous material emergency.

1. Detailed case study for a Level III incident (3 hours).
2. State and local government legal responsibilities at a Level III incident (1 hour).
3. Responsibility of the federal government at a Level III incident (1 hour).
4. Private agency resource availability (1 hour).
5. Handling the news media (1 hour).
6. Command post and emergency operating center operations (1 hour).
7. Developing a contingency plan (2 hours).

Organization and legal responsibilities, command structure, resource requirement and availability list, personnel availability list, and recordkeeping requirements.

1. Large-scale evacuation requirements and logistics (3 hours).
2. Emergency medical services mass casualty planning (1 hour).

Sources of medical assistance, transportation techniques, specialty hospitals, control of injured (including triage), availability of large quantities of equipment, and communications.

1. Practical session to develop outline for the contingency plan, the evacuation plan, the emergency medical service plan (3 hours).
2. Level III hazardous materials disaster drill involving all responsible agencies (6 hours).

By using this type of curriculum, a useful training program geared for a specific audience can be developed. And, because it is so specific, it should hold the interest of the students.

Summary

Fire departments all over the United States are experiencing funding problems for training. The cutbacks of funds makes it very difficult to send personnel to outside courses even if there are no registration fees. This means that the available resources must be used wisely.

Fire service supervisors should determine which individuals in their organizations will be responsible for handling a Level I, II or III incident. The curriculum of the training program, either within the department or from an outside source, should then be reviewed to determine toward which of the three levels it is directed. Then, and only then, should an individual attend a class.

If this process is not followed, a Level II class could have a wide variety of personnel in attendance. Some of the material will be too high a level for students without the experience and responsibility of major command. As a result, the instructor gets bogged down in basic questions or tries to simplify the curriculum. Those individuals who are ready for the high level become bored and lose interest. In the end, learning does not take place. Valuable resources are then lost.

If senior supervisors are sent to a class in the techniques of spill control, they will learn how to plug the leak-but will they ever do this at an incident? They will turn off to the program. Is this an effective use of everyone’s time?

It must be recognized that there are three levels for a hazardous material incident and the training curriculum should follow these levels. Then the limited fire service resources can be used to their fullest to train personnel in handling hazardous materials incidents.