Hazardous Materials Managing the Incident CHAPTER 3 Managing

Hazardous Materials: Managing the Incident CHAPTER 3 Managing the Incident: Problems, Pitfalls, and Solutions

Learning Objectives Overview • Knowledge Objectives • Skills Objectives

Introduction • Direct and effective command control operations are essential • Hazardous materials incidents place a special burden on the command system – Often involves communications among separate agencies – Coordination of many different functions and personnel assignments

Managing the Incident: The Players (1 of 5) Hazardous materials incidents can bring many different players and agencies to the scene.

Managing the Incident: The Players (2 of 5) • A hazmat incident requires different skill sets. • Each response discipline brings its own: – Agendas – Organizational structures – Priorities

Managing the Incident: The Players (3 of 5) • The basic ICS organization includes: – – The incident commander Unified commanders ICS general staff ICS command staff

Managing the Incident: The Players (4 of 5) • ICS players: – – – Fire/rescue/EMS companies Law enforcement officers Emergency response team Hazardous materials response teams Special operations teams

Managing the Incident: The Players (5 of 5) • ICS players (cont’d): – – Facility managers Support personnel Technical specialists Environmental clean-up contractors – Government officials

Managing the Incident: The IC • Responsible for establishing and managing the overall IAP • Includes – Developing an effective organizational structure – Developing an incident strategy and tactical action plan – Allocating resources – Making appropriate assignments – Managing information – Continually attempting to achieve the basic command goals in a safe and competent manner

Managing the Incident: Command Staff • Those individuals appointed by and directly reporting to the IC – Safety officer – Liaison officer – Public information officer

Managing the Incident: General Staff • The mechanism to divide and delegate tasks and develop a management structure to handle the overall control of the incident. – Section chiefs • responsible for the broad response functions of operations, planning, logistics, and finance/administration. – branch, group, or division • frontline supervisors who implement tactical objectives to meet the strategies established by the IC within a branch, group, or division

Managing the Incident: Unified commanders (UCs • Command-level representatives from each of the primary responding agencies – The UCs manage their own agency’s actions and make sure all efforts are coordinated through the unified command process. – They may be the lead IC or play a supporting role within the command function.

Managing the Incident: The Incident Command System (1 of 2) • OSHA 1910. 120(q) • Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 • Experience beyond regulatory and governmental requirements • NIMS is the baseline incident management system.

Managing the Incident: The Incident Command System (2 of 2) • Five major components within NIMS: – – – Preparedness Communications and information management Resource management Command management Ongoing management and maintenance

Incident Management vs. Crisis Management (1 of 3) • Crisis management is an integral element of corporate and industrial organizations. • Experience has shown there is a direct relationship between incident management and crisis management concerns.

Incident Management vs. Crisis Management (2 of 3) • An incident: – Interrupts normal procedures – Has limited and definable characteristics – Has the potential to precipitate a crisis • Examples of incidents may include: – Fires – Hazmat – Medical and rescue emergencies

Incident Management vs. Crisis Management (3 of 3) • Crisis – Unplanned event that can exceed the level of available resources and – Has the potential to impact significantly on an organization • operations • credibility • reputation – May pose a significant environmental, economic, or legal liability

ICS Lessons Learned • ICS must be a foundational element of any successful hazmat response program. • There is no single agency that can effectively manage a major emergency alone. • Plans that are not regularly updated and user friendly do not get used • Plans that are poorly understood by the players are poorly executed in the field

ICS Lessons Learned • The real issue is not only command, but also coordination • Organizations that attempt to maintain the normal organization or bureaucracy in a major event – Will have inherent problems in implementing a timely and effective emergency response

ICS Lessons Learned • Emergency response programs are either “people-dependent” or “system-dependent. ” – HMRTs tend to be people-dependent programs • Special operations teams are often very people-dependent – Rely on the experience of a few key individuals – Can result in failed emergency response efforts if these key individuals are not present • System-dependent organization delivers a consistent level of quality and service – Regardless of personnel or location

ICS Elements • Basic management concepts: – Division of labor – Unity of command – Span of control • Establishment of both line and staff functions within the organization

Common Terminology (1 of 3) • Incident commander: – Single command structure – Unified command – Multiagency coordination center Courtesy of Eric Bachman

Common Terminology (2 of 3) • Sections: – – Operations section Planning section Logistics section Administration/finance section • Branch • Division/groups

Common Terminology (3 of 3) • Command staff officers: – Safety officer – Liaison officer – Public information officer South Central Task Force (GGN)

Modular Organization (1 of 2) • ICS organizational structure develops: – In a modular fashion – Based on the size and nature of the incident – From the top down • IC must be identified on all incidents.

Modular Organization (2 of 2)

Predesignated Incident Facilities (1 of 2) • Incident command post – The ICP is the nerve center of on-scene operations and is usually located near the scene of the emergency. – ICP is primarily oriented towards tactical control issues pertaining to the on -scene response

Predesignated Incident Facilities (2 of 2) • Emergency operations center (EOC) – EOC deals with both strategic and external world issues and coordinates all logistical and resource support for onscene operations – The EOC is normally remote from the emergency scene – EOC should provide: • • Phone, radio, and fax communications Internet access Information technology (IT) resources ability for a large number of personnel to work in a comfortable and secure area

Integrated Communications • Communications are critical to safe and efficient incident management. – IC should be able to communicate directly with all onscene units and support personnel • Critical that the IC be provided with regular and timely progress reports • Communications of a sensitive nature should not be given over nonsecure telephones or radios

Unified Command • Unified command is not management by committee – There must always be a lead agency • Multijurisdictional/ Multiagency – Determining common set of incident objectives and strategies – Developing a single IAP – Maximizing use of all assigned resources – Resolving conflicts between the players

Consolidated Plan of Action • Consolidated action plan ensures: – Common emergency response goal – Agendas are coordinated – Everyone works safely

Consolidated Plan of Action • The IAP consists of: – – Incident priorities Strategic goals Tactical objectives Resource requirements

Comprehensive Resource Management (2 of 2) South Central Task Force (GGN) Implementing an Incident Action Plan without sufficient resources is like writing a check with insufficient funds in the bank.

Managing the Incident: Hazmat Group Operations • Hazardous materials group – Normally under the command of a senior hazmat officer • (hazardous materials group supervisor) – Reports to the operations section chief or the IC • Responsible for all tactical hazmat operations in hot and warm zones • Hazardous materials group primary functions: – Safety function – Entry/back-up function – Decontamination function – Site access control function

Managing the Incident: Hazmat Group Operations § Safety function § Hazardous materials group safety officer § Entry/back-up function § Responsible for all entry and backup operations reconnaissance, monitoring, sampling, and mitigation § Decontamination function § Research and development of the decon plan § Setup, and operation of an effective decontamination area § Site access control function § Establish hazard control zones § monitor egress routes at the incident site § Manage the safe refuge area

Managing the Incident: Hazmat Group Operations • Hazardous materials group secondary functions: – Medical function • Responsible for pre- and post-entry medical monitoring and evaluation • Provides technical medical guidance to the hazardous materials group – Resource function • Responsible for control and tracking of all supplies and equipment used by the hazardous materials group – Coordinates, as necessary, with the logistics section chief

Managing the Incident: Hazmat Group Operations (5 of 5) The Hazmat Group is responsible for all tactical-level hazmat response operations.

Hazardous Materials Group Staffing • Hazardous materials group staffing: – Group supervisor – Trained to the hazardous materials technician level – Group safety officer • Assistant safety officer–hazmat • Responsible for all operations within the hazardous materials group and within the hot and warm zones • Identify and monitor personnel operating within the hot zone

Hazardous Materials Group Staffing • Hazardous materials group staffing: – Entry team & Entry Unit Leader – The entry team is managed by the entry unit leader – Implement all offensive and defensive actions – Direct rescue operations within the hot zone – Back-up team – Safety team that will extract the entry team in the event of an emergency – Entry support personnel – Responsible for the proper donning and outfitting of both the entry and back-up teams

Hazardous Materials Group Staffing • Hazardous materials group staffing (cont’d): – Decontamination team & Decon Officer • Determine the appropriate level of decontamination to be provided • Ensure proper decon procedures are used • Coordinate decon operations with the entry leader – Site access control • Monitor the control and movement of all people and equipment through appropriate access routes • Oversee the placement of the hazard control zone lines • Establish a safe refuge area and appoint a safe refuge area manager

Hazardous Materials Group Staffing – Hazardous materials information/research team • Provide technical support to the hazardous materials group • Research, gather, and compile technical information and assistance • Provide recommendations for the selection and use of protective clothing and equipment • Provide and interpret environmental monitoring information, including the analysis of hazardous materials samples and the classification and/or identification of unknown substances

Hazardous Materials Group Staffing – Hazardous materials medical unit • Provide pre-entry and post-entry medical monitoring • Provide technical assistance for all EMS-related activities • Provide emergency medical treatment and recommendations – Hazardous materials resource unit • Located in the cold zone • Responsible for acquiring all supplies and equipment required for hazardous materials group operations

Managing the Incident: Street Smarts • A hazardous materials response is viewed by the outside world two ways: – “Technical merit” • Did responders make the “problem” go away? – “Artistic impression” • How well did we manage the “external world” effects of the problem – An incident can become a crisis when the political and external issues are not effectively addressed. – An effective field response effort can be compromised or completely negated by poor management of the political and external issues.

Command Control § If command presence is not strong, both individual and organizational “freelancing” can occur. § Those who look they know what they are doing set a tone for the management of the emergency § Plan ahead and operate with a backup plan. § Constant reassessment and possible revision of tactical operations are needed to maximize response effectiveness. § Where will the incident be in 30 minutes? § 60 minutes? § Given the current problem, what is our worst-case scenario?

Incident Potential (1 of 2) • Elements of incident potential can include: – Incident severity – Magnitude and duration of the event – Nature and degree of incident impact – Community impact – External world and media affairs impact – Legal concerns Situational awareness and assessment of incident potential go hand-in-hand

Incident Potential (2 of 2) • Causes of a delayed assessment of incident potential include: – – – Loss of “big picture” Do-it-all attitude Failure to request aid Downplaying the problem Inexperience Lack of information

Decision Making § Begins with both Command the hazmat group supervisor recognizing the need to avoid dead-end decisions § Recognize: § Distinction between assumptions and facts § Response operations must sometimes be based upon incomplete or assumed information. § Factual information is often not available or is incomplete § A flexible approach to decision making § Regular feedback allows for revisions to the general strategy, specific tactics, and all major decisions. § A shift to a management role after initiating action § An IC cannot make all ongoing response decisions

Definition of “Assume” OF & ?

Information is Power (1 of 2) • Information may become random – Requires time to gather – Has a “half-life” • Is valuable for a limited period of time – Tactical worksheets can help • Reluctance to provide timely information – True picture vs. made-up

Information is Power (2 of 2) Regular situation status reports must flow from the Operations Section to the Incident Commander.

The Rules of Engagement • ROE provides the structure for engaging the enemy, including: – – Chain of command Decision-making authority Accountability Responsibility • ROE should clarify the relationship between the IC and the HMRT. • Deal with unacceptable risk.

Liaison Officer • Liaison is: – A member of command staff – Viewed as “political officer” – Point of contact for: • Assisting agencies • Cooperating agencies

What You See Is Not Necessarily What You Get (1 of 2) • Underestimating the significance of a hazmat emergency can increase the level of risk to both responders and the public. • Consistently overreacting is also a problem and can damage the credibility of emergency responders. • A problem may be perceived when there is not an emergency but physical indicators are present. • Public intolerance is directly proportional to the length of time citizens are inconvenienced.

Working with Technical Specialists (1 of 2) Technical specialists and environmental clean-up contractors can be key players in the safe and successful management of a hazmat incident. https: //video. search. yahoo. com/video/play? p=Overt urned+Truck+rolls+away+video&vid=7 aa 6 cf 6622 845 d 1 c 27205 c 1 d 4 dcd 7743&turl=http%3 A%2 F%2 Ftse 3. mm. bing. net%2 Fth%3 Fid%3 DWN. zdv. GFP HIk. Du 79 P%252 b 1 VKc%252 f. Dw%26 pid%3 D 15. 1 %26 h%3 D 225%26 w%3 D 300%26 c%3 D 7%26 rs%3 D 1&rurl=http%3 A%2 F%2 Fwww. ebaumsworld. co m%2 Fvideo%2 Fwatch%2 F 82194696%2 F&tit=To w+Truck+Rolls+over&c=15&h=225&w=300&l=5 6&sigr=11 gj 4 bthf&sigt=10 k 5 o 2 tsh&sigi=12 pr 5 h 2 h 6&ct=n&age=1326427200&fr 2=p%3 As%2 Cv%3 Av&fr=yhs-mozilla-004&hsimp=yhs 004&hspart=mozilla&tt=b http: //www. ebaumsworld. com/video/watch/82194696/

Working with Technical Specialists (2 of 2) • Consider: – Specific technical area vs. multi-disciplined nature of emergency response – Knowledge in a structured and controlled environment – No experts, but only information sources – No previous contact – Questioning information sources – Rule of threes

The Eternal Optimists • Remember the PACE model for planning: – – Have a primary plan Have an alternate plan Have a contingency plan Have an emergency plan • If you only ask if everything is okay, don’t be surprised when your people consistently say it is.

Long-Term Incidents and Planning • The majority of hazmat incidents are high intensity – short duration events that are terminated in 8 hours or less. • Campaign incidents extending over a period of days or weeks create different challenges for emergency responders – Issues • Developing a shift schedule, • Determining short-term and long-term logistical requirements • establishing a formal IAP development flow and process.

Final Thoughts (1 of 3) • The effective IC will: – – – Seek out current, accurate, and specific data Delegate information retrieval Know where to find and how to use reference data Collect the right information in the right order Use a wide variety of sources of information

Final Thoughts (2 of 3) • Solicit opinions and ideas. • Those taking risks should have an equal voice in the decision-making process. • Be careful to avoid “groupthink. ” • Never say never. • Consider the art of communications.

Final Thoughts (3 of 3) • When an incident goes bad or is particularly politically sensitive, anticipate being the scapegoat. • In order to minimize political vulnerability, the IC must continuously: – Consult and build a consensus within the IAP – Document – Assume nothing

Summary (1 of 4) • The successful management of a hazmat incident is directly linked to the rapid development of an effective incident management process and organization. • A variety of different players will respond to a working hazmat incident. • There is no single organization that can effectively manage a major hazmat incident.

Summary (3 of 4) • If ICS is not used for all routine emergencies, don’t expect it to function when a major emergency occurs. • The hazardous materials group: – Reports to the operations section chief – Is managed by a group supervisor – Contains an ASO−hazmat

Summary (2 of 4) • There is no single organization that can effectively manage a major hazmat incident. • The point of contact for the media and other organizations? • The hazardous materials group supervisor must be trained to what NFPA level?

Summary (4 of 4) • An effective response effort can be compromised or completely negated by poor management of the political and external issues. • Individuals who provide specific expertise to the IC and emergency responders? • _____ is the baseline incident management system established under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5