Chapter 23: Emergency Response

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Emergency Response

Objectives: By the end of this section, participants will recite the levels of emergency response, the responsibilities of each level and the limitations of each level.

Why this section is important: Emergency responders are responsible for mitigating damage from accidents.

Emergency Responder Level

Description, Responsibilities & Limitations of Awareness Level

First Responder Awareness Level

Individuals who are likely to witness or discover a hazardous substance release and who have been trained to initiate an emergency response sequence by notifying the authorities of the release.

Have sufficient training or have had sufficient experience to objectively demonstrate competency in the following areas:

An understanding of what hazardous substances are, and the risks associated with them in an incident.

An understanding of the potential outcomes associated with an emergency created when hazardous substances are present.

The ability to recognize the presence of hazardous substances in an emergency.

The ability to identify the hazardous substances, if possible.

An understanding of the role of the first responder awareness individual in the employer's emergency response plan including site security and control and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Emergency Response Guidebook.

The ability to realize the need for additional resources, and to make appropriate notifications to the communication center.

Emergency Responder Level

Description, Responsibilities & Limitations of Operations Level

First Responder Operations Level

Individuals who respond to releases or potential releases of hazardous substances as part of the initial response to the site for the purpose of protecting nearby persons, property, or the environment..

Must be trained to respond in a defensive fashion without actually trying to stop the release by containing the release from a safe distance, keeping it from spreading and preventing exposures.

Must receive at least eight hours of training or have had sufficient experience to objectively demonstrate competency in the following areas (in addition to those listed for the awareness level):

Knowledge of the basic hazard and risk assessment techniques.

Know how to select and use provided personal protective equipment.

Know how to select and use provided personal protective equipment.

An understanding of basic hazardous material terms.

Know how to perform basic control, containment and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available with their unit.

Know how to implement basic decontamination procedures.

An understanding of the relevant standard operating procedures and termination procedures.

Emergency Responder Level

Description, Responsibilities & Limitations of Technician Level

First Responder Hazardous Materials Technician

Individuals who respond to releases or potential releases for the purpose of stopping the release. They assume a more aggressive role than a first responder at the operations level in that they will approach the point of release in order to plug, patch or otherwise stop the release of a hazardous substance.

Hazardous materials technicians shall have received at least 24 hours of training equal to the first responder operations level and in addition have competency in the following areas and the employer must certify:

Know how to implement the employer's emergency response plan.

Know the classification, identification and verification of known and unknown materials by using field survey instruments and equipment.

Be able to function within an assigned role in the Incident Command System.

Know how to select and use proper specialized chemical personal protective equipment provided to the hazardous materials technician.

Understand hazard and risk assessment techniques.

Be able to perform advance control, containment, and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available with the unit.

Understand and implement decontamination procedures.

Understand termination procedures.

Understand basic chemical and toxicological terminology and behavior.

Emergency Responder Level

Description, Responsibilities & Limitations of Specialist Level

First Responder Hazardous Materials Specialist

Hazardous Materials Specialists respond with and provide support to hazardous materials technicians. Their duties parallel those of the hazardous materials technician; however, those duties require a more directed or specific knowledge of the various substances they may be called upon to contain. The hazardous materials specialist would also act as the site liaison with Federal, state, local and other government authorities in regards to site activities.

Hazardous materials specialists shall have competency in the following areas and the employer must certify:

Know how to implement the local emergency response plan.

Understand classification, identification and verification of known and unknown materials by using advanced survey instruments and equipment.

Know the state emergency response plan.

Be able to select and use proper specialized chemical personal protective equipment provided to the hazardous materials specialist.

Understand in_depth hazard and risk techniques.

Be able to perform specialized control, containment, and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available.

Be able to determine and implement decontamination procedures.

Have the ability to develop a site safety and control plan.

Understand chemical, radiological and toxicological terminology and behavior.

Emergency Responder Level

Description, Responsibilities & Limitations of Commander Level

On-Scene Incident Commander

Incident commanders assume control of the incident scene

They must receive at least 24 hours of training equal to the first responder operations level and in addition have competency in the following areas and the employer must certify:

Know and be able to implement the employer's incident command system.

Know how to implement the employer's emergency response plan.

Know and understand the hazards and risks associated with employees working in chemical protective clothing.

Know how to implement the local emergency response plan.

Know the state emergency response plan and the Federal Regional Response Team.

Know and understand the importance of decontamination procedures.

Who to contact for assistance

The Chemical Transportation Emergency Center (CHEMTREC). Telephone: 1.800.424.9300.

National Response Center (NRC). Telephone: 1.800.424.8802.

CHEMTREC and NRC work cooperatively to provide 24_hour assistance and expert advice to emergency responders, carriers, shippers, and all others handling hazardous materials. Federal law requires that anyone who releases a reportable quantity of a hazardous substance into the environment must immediately notify the NRC. CHEMTREC is a service of the chemical industry which ensures that the industry's capabilities are available in emergency situations. Callers can be transferred between NRC and CHEMTREC to obtain the needed services. If the spill is in water, the NRC will contact the appropriate Coast Guard station.

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