Use This Activity to Motivate Students to Learn the Knowledge and Skills Needed to Implement

Chapter 30: Hazardous Materials: Implementing a Response 1

Pre-Lecture I. You Are the Fire Fighter

Time: 5 Minutes Small Group Activity/Discussion

Use this activity to motivate students to learn the knowledge and skills needed to implement a hazardous materials response.

Purpose To allow students an opportunity to explore the significance and concerns associated with implementing a hazardous materials response.

Instructor Directions 1. Direct students to read the “You Are the Fire Fighter” scenario found in the beginning of Chapter 30. 2. You may assign students to a partner or a group. Direct them to review the discussion questions at the end of the scenario and prepare a response to each question. Facilitate a class dialogue centered on the discussion questions. 3. You may also assign this as an individual activity and ask students to turn in their comments on a separate piece of paper.

Lecture I. Introduction

Time: 15 Minutes Slides: 1-14 Lecture/Discussion

A. Identify the resources that can assist you in the process of reporting the hazardous materials incident. B. Fire fighters must follow their local standard operating procedures (SOP). C. Who to Contact 1. First call should be for additional resources 2. Support personnel 3. Trained technicians 4. Technical specialists a. Will help identify the hazardous material b. Control the incident 5. Decontamination personnel and equipment 6. Other notifications a. CHEMTREC b. National Response Center c. Local and state environmental agencies d. Local emergency planning commission 7. Predetermined list of contact names, agencies, and numbers should be established and maintained at the dispatch center. D. No offensive action should take place until the identity of the hazardous material is confirmed. 1. Identity should be confirmed in a minimum of three references. Chapter 30: Hazardous Materials: Implementing a Response 2

a. For example, first identified by a placard. b. Placard is used to look up information in North American Emergency Response Guidebook (NAERG). c. Then the shipping papers or Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are checked. d. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) references and CHEMTREC are consulted for a final confirmation of the identity. 2. A variety of information sources should be compared for consistency. a. If there is a variation, follow the information that reflects a more conservative course of action. E. Protection and safety of fire fighters is the first priority. 1. Cannot be compromised for any reason 2. If two references indicate that the use of water is acceptable and one cautions against it, do not use water until further information is obtained. 3. On-scene research should continue throughout the incident. 4. After the material is identified, an operations-level responder should perform only actions that do not involve contact with the material. 5. Responder must maintain full protective equipment during any activity. 6. Responder must complete decontamination procedures prior to leaving any area where hazardous materials are present. F. What to Report 1. When agencies are contacted, it is important that the information given is as clear, concise, and accurate as possible. 2. An error in spelling, an incorrect measurement, a mispronunciation of a chemical name, or incorrect identification of a hazardous substance can be disastrous. a. The change or omission of just one letter in a chemical name could lead to incorrect identification. b. If a chemical is incorrectly identified, the proper response and safety procedures will not be carried out. c. This type of error can be deadly to both the responders and the public. 3. Fire fighters should keep information as simple as possible, spell names that are complex or potentially confusing, and confirm that the receiver of the message has heard the correct information by repeating back what was heard. 4. In order for these agencies to plan, prepare, and begin assisting the fire fighters, they must have as much information as can be obtained. 5. This will help ensure that every possible situation can be taken into account and planned for, in order to prevent any further injury, property loss, or environmental damage. G. Information to report includes: 1. Exact address and location of spill or leak 2. Identification of indicators and markers of hazardous materials 3. All color and class information obtained from placards 4. Four-digit UN/NA numbers 5. Hazardous material identification obtained from shipping papers or MSDS and the potential quantity of hazardous material involved 6. Description of container, including size, capacity, type, and shape 7. Amount of chemical that could leak and amount that has leaked 8. Exposures of people and the presence of special populations (children or elderly) 9. Environment of the immediate area 10. Current weather conditions, including wind direction and speed 11. A contact or callback telephone number and two-way radio frequency or channel

II. Plan an Initial Response

Time: 10 Minutes Chapter 30: Hazardous Materials: Implementing a Response 3

Slides: 15-23 Lecture/Discussion

A. When planning an initial hazardous materials incident response, the first priority is to consider the safety of the responding personnel. 1. Responders are there to isolate, contain, and/or remedy the problem, not to become part of it. 2. Proper incident planning will keep responders safe and provide a means to control the incident effectively, preventing further harm to persons or property. B. Planning the response begins with the initial call for help. 1. Information obtained during the call is used to determine the safest, most effective, and fastest route to the hazardous materials scene. 2. Choose a route that approaches the scene from an upwind and upgrade direction, so that natural wind currents blow the hazardous material vapors away from arriving responders. 3. A route that places the responders uphill of the site is also desired, so that a liquid hazardous material flows away from responders. C. Responders need to know the type of material involved. 1. Is the material a solid, liquid, or gas? 2. Is it contained in a drum, barrel, or pressurized tanker? 3. Response to a spill of a solid hazardous material will differ from response to a liquid-release incident or vapor-release incident. a. A solid can be widespread and constantly moving. b. A gas can be widespread and constantly moving, depending on the gas characteristics and weather conditions. D. Characteristics of the affected area near the location of the spill or leak are important factors in planning the response to an incident. 1. If an area is heavily populated, evacuation procedures and a decontamination process will have to be established very early in the incident. 2. If the area is sparsely populated and rural, isolating the area from anyone trying to enter the location may be the top priority. 3. A high-traffic area such as a major highway would necessitate immediate rerouting of traffic, especially during rush hours. E. When responding to an incident, the more information that can be obtained the better. 1. If information is unknown or is unconfirmed, then plan for the worst-case scenario. 2. When planning for hazardous materials incidents, always plan for the largest margin of safety possible.

III. Response Objectives

A. At the operational level of training, all response objectives should be primarily defensive in purpose. 1. Personnel are not actually in contact with the hazardous material. 2. Some effective defense actions can be taken safely at a distance. 3. Defensive objectives are ones that do not involve stopping the leak or release of a hazardous material. B. Defensive objectives are as follows: 1. Isolate the area affected by the leak or spill, and evacuate victims who could become exposed to the hazardous material if the leak or spill were to progress. Chapter 30: Hazardous Materials: Implementing a Response 4

2. Control where the spill or release is spreading. 3. Contain the spill to a specific area. C. Defensive Actions 1. Some of the defensive actions that can be taken include: a. Diking and damming b. Absorbing or adsorbing material c. Stopping the flow remotely from a valve or shutoff d. Dilution or diverting material e. Suppressing or dispersing vapor D. Proper Personal Protective Equipment 1. The determination of what personal protective equipment (PPE) is needed is based on the hazardous material involved. 2. At a minimum, fire fighters should wear full protective gear with no skin exposed, and use self- contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). 3. This gear provides some respiratory protection, but standard structural firefighting PPE offers limited hazardous material protection depending on the type of hazardous material involved. E. Identify Emergency Decontamination Procedures 1. There must be a procedure or a plan in place to decontaminate any responder who accidentally becomes contaminated. 2. Victims removed from a contaminated zone must be decontaminated by personnel who have donned the appropriate protective gear and have been trained in the proper methods of decontamination. 3. The methods of decontamination are dictated by the hazardous material, the physical state of the material, and the hazards involved. 4. Decontamination can be as simple as removing clothing and flushing material away with water or as complex as using drug therapy.

IV. Gauging the Potential Harm or Severity of the Incident

A. During evaluation, responders need to consider factors such as: 1. Size of the container 2. Nature of the hazardous material involved 3. Amount released 4. Area exposed 5. Based on the toxicity and the concentration of the hazardous material, how the incident might progress can be gauged. a. For example, the difference between a 20-pound propane cylinder and an 18,000-gal propane tank will determine how extensive and lengthy an incident will become. B. Resources for Determining the Size of the Incident 1. Use two resources to determine the size of the incident. a. First is the North American Emergency Response Guidebook (NAERG) i. Identifies and outlines predetermined evacuation distances and basic action plans, based on spill estimates, for thousands of chemicals. b. Second is a computerized or hard-copy preincident plan. i. Includes reports submitted to the fire department and topographical mapping information. 2. Monitoring devices such as wind direction and weather forecasting equipment are critical resources for the incident commander (IC) in formulating response plans. Chapter 30: Hazardous Materials: Implementing a Response 5

a. Computer modeling programs such as ALOHA can plot the predicted movements of vapor clouds and plumes. b. The availability of monitoring and portable detection devices will allow the IC to determine the hot, warm, and cold zones and the evacuation distances required. C. Reporting the Size and Scope of the Incident 1. Reporting the estimated physical size of the area affected by a hazardous materials incident is accomplished by using information available at the scene. 2. If a vehicle is transporting a known amount of material, an estimate of the size of the release can be made by subtracting the amount remaining in the container. a. For example, a gasoline tanker containing 9,000-gal overturns, and 4,500-gal remains in the tanker. b. An estimated 4,500-gal of gasoline has thus spilled. c. The actual spill area can then be estimated in square feet. d. The affected area can be expressed in units as small as square feet or as large as square miles. 3. When it is initially unsafe to approach a vehicle and shipping papers are not immediately available, other methods must be used to determine the original amount of hazardous material and the remaining contained amount. 4. Remember that the safety of responders is paramount to maintaining an effective response to any hazardous materials incident. D. Determine the Concentration of a Released Hazardous Material 1. This information can be obtained from the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). 2. MSDS usually states the concentration of the hazardous material. 3. Litmus paper (pH strips) can be used to determine the hazardous material’s pH. 4. To determine the concentration of a gaseous hazardous material, monitors are used to analyze the atmosphere from a safe distance. 5. Once the concentration of the hazardous material is known, the IC can evaluate the incident response plan. a. A high concentration of an acid would call for a higher level of personal protection. 6. It may also require the evacuation of civilians due to the concentration of the hazardous material in vaporized form.

V. Incident Management System

A. IMS can be expanded to handle an incident of any size and complexity. 1. Hazardous materials incidents can be complex. 2. Local, state, and federal responders and agencies will be involved in many cases of long duration. 3. The basic IMS system consists of five functions: a. Command b. Operations c. Logistics d. Planning e. Finance and administration B. In an incident involving hazardous materials, a special technical group develops under the Operations section. 1. This special branch consists of some or all of the following positions: a. A second safety officer Chapter 30: Hazardous Materials: Implementing a Response 6

i. Reports directly to the hazardous materials team officer ii. Responsible for the hazardous materials team’s safety only b. A hot zone entry team c. A decontamination team d. A backup team e. A hazardous materials information research team C. The Command Post 1. The main hub of the IMS is the command post. 2. The collection point for all information and resources 3. Command post must be located upwind and upgrade from the spill or leak in the cold zone to keep it from becoming contaminated or unsafe. a. If the command post and personnel inside the command post became contaminated, the personnel inside the command post would no longer be able to control the operation. b. The officers in that location would become victims and the command post would become part of the hot zone. c. All operations would have to be re-established elsewhere using a completely different pool of personnel, equipment, and supplies. d. The overall efficiency of command would be negatively affected. e. Control of the scene would be temporarily lost during transfer of command. 4. Based on the potential threat or severity of the hazard, the command post could be as close as one block away or as far as miles away from the hot zone. 5. When choosing a site for the command post, the maximum margin of safety must be used.

VI. Summary

A. An important early notification to make is the request for additional response personnel, such as support personnel, trained technicians, and technical specialists. B. The approach to the incident should be from upwind, and from a direction that ensures that released liquids or vapors flow away from responders. C. Possible defensive actions include stopping the release with a valve or shutoff, absorbing, adsorbing, diking, damming, diverting, or diluting escaped material, and suppressing or dispersing vapor. D. The type of personal protective equipment required depends on the material involved and the nature of the incident; structural firefighting PPE provides no protection against hazardous materials. E. In a hazardous materials incident, a hazardous materials branch develops under the Operations sector in the incident management system. This branch includes a second safety officer and a number of specialized operational teams.

Post-Lecture I. Wrap-Up Activities Chapter 30: Hazardous Materials: Implementing a Response 7

Time: 40 Minutes Small Group Activity/Individual Activity/Discussion

A. Fire Fighter in Action This activity is designed to assist the student in gaining a further understanding of implementing a hazardous materials response. The activity incorporates both critical thinking and the application of fire fighter knowledge.

Purpose This activity allows students an opportunity to analyze a firefighting scenario and develop responses to critical thinking questions.

Instructor Directions 1. Direct students to read the “Fire Fighter in Action” scenario located in the Wrap-Up section at the end of Chapter 30. 2. Direct students to read and individually answer the quiz questions at the end of the scenario. Allow approximately 10 minutes for this part of the activity. Facilitate a class review and dialogue of the answers, allowing students to correct responses as needed. Use the answers noted below to assist in building this review. Allow approximately 10 minutes for this part of the activity. 3. You may also assign these as individual activities and ask students to turn in their comments on a separate piece of paper.

Answers to Multiple Choice Questions 1. Answer C: It is important that no offensive action take place until the identity of the hazardous material involved is confirmed. It makes no sense to try to deal with a hazardous material until it is properly identified. This identification should be confirmed in a minimum of three references. For example, the hazardous material could first be identified by a placard. The placard is used to look up information in the North American Emergency Response Guidebook (NAERG). Then the shipping papers or Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are checked to ensure that they list the same hazardous material as the placard. Then the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) references and CHEMTREC are consulted for a final confirmation of the identity of the hazardous material. 2. Answer B: After the material is identified, an operational responder should only perform actions that do not involve contact with the material. The responder must maintain full protective gear during any activity, and must complete decontamination procedures prior to leaving any area where the hazardous material is present. 3. Answer D: At the operational level of training, all response objectives should be primarily defensive in purpose. Personnel are not actually in contact with the hazardous material. Some effective defense actions can be taken safely at a distance. Defensive objectives are ones that do not involve stopping the progress of the leak or release of a hazardous material. 4. Answer B: Level II. A hazardous materials team is needed at this level. Fire fighters only support the hazardous materials team. Additional PPE required will be specialized and only carried by the hazardous materials team. Civilian evacuations may be required. Decontamination may need to be performed. Example: a gasoline tanker has overturned in a tunnel and is spilling gasoline onto the highway.

B. Technology Resources This activity requires students to have access to the Internet. This may be accomplished through personal access, employer access, or through a local educational institution. Some community colleges, universities, or adult education centers may have classrooms with Internet capability that will allow for this activity to be completed in class. Check out local access points and encourage students to complete this activity as part of their ongoing reinforcement of firefighting knowledge and skills.

Purpose To provide students an opportunity to reinforce chapter material through use of online Internet activities.

Instructor Directions 1. Use the Internet and go to www.FireFighter.jbpub.com. Follow the directions on the web site to access the exercises for Chapter 30. Chapter 30: Hazardous Materials: Implementing a Response 8

2. Review the chapter activities and take note of desired or correct student responses. 3. As time allows, conduct an in-class review of the Internet activities and provide feedback to students as needed. 4. Be sure to check the web site before assigning these activities, as specific chapter-related activities may change from time to time.

II. Lesson Review

Time: 15 Minutes Discussion Note: Facilitate the review of this lesson’s major topics using the review questions as direct questions or overhead transparencies. Answers are found throughout this lesson plan.

A. What is the first priority at a hazardous material incident? B. What notifications must be made? C. What information must be reported? D. What are defensive actions? E. What determines the severity of an incident? F. What resources help estimate the size of a spill?

III. Assignments

Time: 5 Minutes Lecture

A. Advise students to review materials for a quiz (determine date/time) B. Direct students to read the next chapter in Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills as listed in your syllabus (or reading assignment sheet) to prepare for the next class session.