Terrorism/Hazardous Materials Awareness
for
First Responders in Ontario:
Self-Study
Office of the Fire Marshal
Ministry of Community Safety And Correctional Services
Ontario, Canada
This course has been developed using material with permission from the Michigan State Police Emergency Management Division Michigan Hazardous Materials Training Center, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and in consultation with multi-agency partners and stakeholders
In light of ongoing concerns for public safety as a result of the potential for acts and threats of terrorism, the Office of the Fire Marshal, in consultation with its stakeholders, has revised this self-study course that serves as an introduction to the basic concepts of first responder awareness (fire, police, ambulance and health) at the scene of incidents involving hazardous materials.
This course uses material from existing courses prepared by the Michigan Hazardous Materials Training Centre, Michigan State Police, Emergency Management Division and by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These materials have been modified and used with permission, for delivery in Ontario. Material from the earlier version of the self-study course entitled “Terrorism Awareness” has been integrated into this new course now entitled “Terrorism/Hazardous Materials Awareness for First Responders in Ontario: Self-Study”.
First responders who had previously taken either the “Terrorism Awareness” or the “Hazardous Materials Awareness” self study courses do not have to take this new course. The original two courses have now been removed from the website.
This new course meets or exceeds the standards contained in NFPA 472, Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents (2002 Edition). The purpose of NFPA 472 is to specify minimum competencies for those who will respond to hazardous materials incidents at the awareness level.
We gratefully acknowledge the many multi-agency stakeholders and content experts, who were consulted in the development of this course.
Bernard A. Moyle Fire Marshal of Ontario
The Importance of This Training
Safety, The Most Important Issue
Module 1: Roles and Responsibilities of First Responders
Module 3: Recognition and Identification
Module 4: Response and Incident Management
Appendix A: Application for Certificate of Completion
This course, or any part of it, may be duplicated, for the purpose of training, but not for sale, without copyright restrictions.
You are one of the first to arrive on the scene of an incident that may be the result of a criminal or terrorist act and may involve hazardous or dangerous materials. As a first responder trained at the awareness level, you are among the first to initiate an emergency response sequence by notifying the proper authorities. In this role you require the following competencies, which you can acquire through training and professional experience. They are:
The purpose of this course is to provide participants with a general introduction to the basic concepts for first responder awareness at the scene of an incident that involves terrorism or hazardous materials. This course consists of four Self-Study modules, a glossary, and an appendix. Each module includes study material, learning checks and answers.
Participants who complete this Self-Study course and submit the required application form will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Ontario Fire College (See Appendix “A”).
Module 1: Roles and Responsibilities of Emergency Responders– defines hazardous materials, terrorism, attack vulnerability factors and provides an overview of responsibilities of a first responder trained to the awareness level, at such incidents.
Module 2: Safety- describes the complexity and impact that chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear materials can present, and focuses on the maintenance of safety for first responders, in order to mitigate harm caused by these incidents.
Module 3: Recognition and Identification- explains how first responders can use the many clues and resources available to recognize and identify hazardous materials. Limitations of class and placarding systems are also addressed.
Module 4: Response and Incident Management- describes initial response and arrival considerations and the appropriate course of action for scene isolation and evacuation in a suspected terrorist incident involving hazardous materials.
A Bibliograph is included to help you continue learning after you have completed the course. This consists of a list of references that may be helpful in learning more about terrorism and hazardous materials incidents.
The Glossary contains definitions of terms related to first responder awareness responsibilities and operations. Many of these terms are used in the four modules.
This course is based on the NFPA 472 Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents, at the awareness level. It is intended for first responders who have not taken other existing courses based on this Standard.
The primary target audience for this course includes the following groups of people:
Here are a few suggestions to help you gain more from your Self-Study learning experience. You will benefit most if you do not rush through this course. Do not try to read it cover-to-cover in one sitting.
At the end of each Module, there are learning checks. The learning checks will help you evaluate your understanding of the material. If you are unable to answer all of the questions correctly, you may want to read the corresponding materials again and repeat the questions until you are confident of the correct answers.
As a first responder, safety is your most important concern. You must protect yourself so that you can protect your fellow responders and the public. If you do not arrive safely at the incident scene, or if you become injured or incapacitated in any way, you will be unable to provide the services required by the initial call for help. This program examines some of the pertinent issues of scene control while keeping your safety and survival in mind.
All emergency operations must be organized to be successful. Remember that the initial actions taken by the first responders will affect the final outcome of the incident. An organized and well-managed incident creates a safer environment for all involved. One of the best ways to understand the nature of organization is to view it from a systems approach. A system is a unit of interrelated, dependent parts or functions designed to achieve a common goal.
Many first responders think they are capable of handling any hazardous materials incident, which may occur in their jurisdiction. These same first responders feel obligated to the people in their organizations and communities to quickly handle any and all hazardous materials incidents, many times without additional help. However, recent experiences indicate that many of us are extremely limited in our ability to deal with these incidents. It is this limited ability that all response personnel must recognize, acknowledge and accept.
The first responder’s response plan for a terrorist or hazardous materials incident must focus on the limitations of the organization, the individual responder and other contingencies. If responders can safely and effectively handle an incident within the boundaries of their limitations, they should do so. If not, the scene should be secured to assure the preservation of evidence, the safety of the response personnel as well as the citizens located in the immediate area. The first responder may perform some limited tasks such as population protective actions as soon as the scene is secure, providing it is done in a safe manner. This may mean that any rescue attempt of trapped victims exposed to the hazardous materials is delayed until the arrival of the agencies capable of such a task. A Hands Off! approach must be initiated and maintained until the safety of response personnel can be assured. Emergency response personnel and organizations must accept the fact that, given these circumstances, trapped victims may be beyond help.
We must accept the Hands Off! approach to handling hazardous materials or potential terrorist incidents.
WARNING: If you suspect a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incident, this course does not provide you with the necessary training to protect yourself. Your principal responsibility in such an instance is to call those responders who have the appropriate training and equipment.
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