32 Hazardous Materials: Response Priorities and Actions

2 Objectives Discuss search and rescue missions at hazardous materials incidents. Discuss exposure protection. Discuss defensive control activities. 32

3 Risk-Benefit Assessment IC needs to decide if any response: –Will be effective in controlling the problem –Will unnecessarily risk harm to responders with little or no benefit If hazardous material is covering a large area and negatively affecting many people, responding personnel must withdraw for their own safety. 32

4 Exposures Can be people, property, structures, or the environment that are subject to influence, damage, or injury Number of exposures is dictated by location. –Urban areas—many exposures –Rural areas—fewer exposures 32

5 Evacuation (1 of 7) One of the top priorities of the first responder Has significant risks, even when properly planned May include traveling to homes to advise residents to leave 32

6 Evacuation (2 of 7) Before evacuation order is given, a safe area and suitable shelter are established. Temporary evacuation areas may be needed until evacuation sites or structures can be accessed and opened. 32

7 Evacuation (3 of 7) Transportation to evacuation area must be arranged for all populations. Refer to NAERG to determine initial areas that need to be evacuated. –Provides minimum basic guidelines for initial response 32

8 Evacuation (4 of 7) To determine area of evacuation, hazardous materials technicians use devices to monitor concentrations and rate of movement of hazardous material. 32

9 Evacuation (5 of 7) Fire fighters may be exposed to the hazardous material when performing the evacuation. Evacuated residents may pass into or through the hazardous material. Adequate protection from the hazardous material is required. 32

10 Evacuation (6 of 7) Shelter-in-place: –Safeguards people by keeping them indoors in a safe atmosphere –Doors and windows stay closed. –Ventilation systems shut off to avoid bringing in contaminated air. 32

11 Evacuation (7 of 7) Toxicity of spill determines whether to shelter- in-place or evacuate. –The more toxic, the less effective shelter-in-place is. Expected duration of incident is a factor. –The longer the incident, the more time the material has to enter into protected areas. Ability to evacuate is determined by resources. 32

12 Search and Rescue (1 of 2) Protection of life is always first priority. Search and rescue in a fire environment is different from a hazardous materials incident. –Fire—Rescue done quickly to remove victim from smoke-filled environment –Hazardous materials—Conditions must be evaluated before attempting search and rescue. 32

13 Search and Rescue (2 of 2) IC must determine if search and rescue in the hot zone can be accomplished safely. Rescue teams must wear proper PPE to enter the hot zone to retrieve victims. Victims are then decontaminated in the warm zone. 32

14 Exposure Protection Remove exposure from the threat by evacuating residents. Place a barrier between the threat and the exposure. Neutralize the threat. –Performed only by a responder at the technician level 32

15 Confinement and Containment Confinement—keeping material on-site or within immediate area of release –Damming or diking material –Confining vapors to a specific area Containment—procedures to stop the leak or release –Plugging and patching containers –Righting an overturned container 32

16 Fire Extinguishment (1 of 2) Fires involving hazardous materials must be handled cautiously. Nature of material must be known before attempting to extinguish fire. Some hazardous materials react violently to water Physical properties of material must be known. –Specific gravity, flash point, explosive range 32

17 Fire Extinguishment (2 of 2) Most flammable liquid fires can be extinguished by foam agents. Types of foam: –AFFF –Fluoroprotein –Special purpose –Protein –High expansion 32

18 Applying Foam Should be gently applied or bounced off another adjacent object. Can also be applied in a rain-down method –Less effective when fire is creating an intense thermal column Can also be applied in the roll-on method 32

19 Defensive Control Activities Natural control points—areas in the terrain or structure that can contain hazardous materials –Doors to a room –Doors to a building –Curb areas of roadways 32

20 Absorption (1 of 2) Process of using a material to soak up and hold a spill Makes collection and disposal of liquid material more manageable Involves adding dry, granular, clay- based material or dry sand to a spill 32

21 Absorption (2 of 2) Places personnel in close proximity to spill Adds volume to the spill Absorbent material may react with spilled material. Special nonsparking tools may be needed to apply and pick up absorbent. 32

22 Diking, Damming, Diversion, and Retention Diking—placing a barrier to prevent a material from entering an area Damming—stopping flow by blocking route or channel Diversion—redirecting flow away from sensitive areas Retention—creating an area to hold released material 32

23 Dilution Addition of water to weaken the strength or concentration of a material Can only be used when the identity of the material is known Greatly increases volume of spill and may overwhelm containment measures 32

24 Vapor Dispersion Process of lowering the concentration by spreading the vapor over a greater area Can be accomplished with fog streams, large displacement fans, or heating/cooling systems Consider all consequences before dispersing vapors. 32

25 Vapor Suppression Technique of controlling fumes or vapors that are given off by certain materials The use of foam agents is the primary procedure for vapor suppression. Reducing the temperature of hazardous material may also suppress vapor formation. 32

26 Decision to Withdraw IC may decide that the incident cannot be handled without unnecessary risk to personnel. –Resources unavailable –No exposures to be saved IC may decide to withdraw to a safe distance. –To wait for additional resources –To let the incident run its course 32

27 Recovery Occurs when eminent danger has passed Cleanup effort begins Transition between emergency responders and commercial cleanup companies Incident is NOT over at this point 32

28 When to Terminate the Incident Decision to terminate made by the IC Recovery phase can go on for days, weeks, or months. Ultimate goal is to return the site to a preincident condition. –Often takes place long after fire fighters are released from the scene 32

29 Summary (1 of 2) Options for mitigating a hazardous materials incident include: –Evacuation –Confinement –Containment –Absorption –Dilution –Dispersion 32

30 Summary (2 of 2) Concerns about evacuation versus sheltering-in-place are very serious. –Incident may progress and be over before you can intervene. –Incident is so deadly that responders should undertake no action. Concerns for life safety must weigh on the side of fire fighters. 32