Module 1
Roles and Responsibilities of
Emergency Responders
Hazardous materials surround us every day, everywhere. As emergency response personnel, it is likely that you will be the first to arrive at an incident involving hazardous materials. It is important for you to be aware of:
Terrorists have the knowledge and capability to unleash chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear hazards anywhere in the world. All communities are vulnerable to incidents involving terrorism. Most communities contain some high visibility targets. These targets are usually situated along routes with high transportation and access potential. Many may have manufacturing and testing facilities. Other examples of prime target areas include:
The primary purposes of this course are to:
When first responders trained to the awareness level approach an incident that could involve hazardous materials, they must use caution and recognize the signs of danger, take protective actions, and communicate appropriately.
This module provides a brief introduction to the roles and responsibilities of first responders in situations to be expanded upon later in this course.
1.1 Terminology
The Act defines terrorist activity by reference to offences set out in a number of United Nations Conventions and Protocols relating to terrorism. For more detail you can read The Criminal Code of Canada Part II.1 at (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-46/41918.html) provides the definitions and their applications in Canada.
- Hazardous material is any substance or form that may pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety or property. In Canada, the term “dangerous goods” is used to describe hazardous materials in transport and/or storage.
- As defined in the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, dangerous goods/hazardous materials are any substances that pose an unreasonable risk to life, the environment or property when not properly contained. Because this course is based on NFPA 472 Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents, 2002 Edition, for the purpose of this course, the terms hazardous materials and dangerous goods will be used interchangeably.
- First responders are those persons who, in the course of their normal duties, could be the first on the scene of an emergency involving hazardous materials. First responders at the awareness level are expected to recognize the presence of hazardous materials, protect themselves, call for trained personnel and secure the area (NFPA 472, 2002). Further, they must have a good understanding of the 2004 Emergency Response Guidebook (2004 ERG), distributed free of charge to Public Safety Organizations by Transport Canada, Safety and Security (CANUTEC))
http://www.tc.gc.ca/canutec/en/guide/guide-2.htm- The Anti-Terrorism Act (Bill C-36) was passed by the parliament of Canada on December 18, 2001. The Act adds a new part (Part II.1 – Terrorism) to the Criminal Code of Canada and amends a number of other federal statutes.
The Anti-Terrorism Act defines terrorist activity" as an act or omission, in or outside Canada,a) that is committed
A. in whole or in part for a political, religious or ideological purpose, objective or cause, and
B. in whole or in part with the intention of intimidating the public, or a segment of the public, with regard to its security, or compelling a person, a government or a domestic or an international organization to do or to refrain from doing any act, whether the public or the person, government or organization is inside or outside Canada, andb) that intentionally
A. causes death or serious bodily harm to a person by the use of violence,
B. endangers a person’s life,
C. causes a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or any segment of the public,
D. causes substantial property damage, whether to public or private property, if causing such damage is likely to result in the conduct or harm referred to in any of the clauses (A) to (C), or
E. causes serious interference with or serious disruption of an essential service, facility or system, whether public or private, other than as a result of advocacy, protest, dissent or stoppage of work that is not intended to result in the conduct or harm referred to in any of clauses (A) to (C).”
2.1 Approach Cautiously
The 2004 Emergency Response Guidebook (2004 ERG) states – “Resist the urge to rush in: others cannot be helped until the situation has been fully assessed”.
Therefore it is important to approach an incident site with caution and only if safe approach avenues are available. In order to exercise appropriate caution:
approach incident from upwind, uphill, upstream
stop at a safe distance and use binoculars (if available) to size up the incident scene; observe markings, placards, or other clues
park emergency response vehicle at the side of the road facing away from the incident
Keep in mind that many chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents and gases are odourless and colourless. Some are heavier than air and hence may accumulate in low-lying areas. Therefore, approach from upwind to keep from coming in contact with vapours dispersed by a misting or spray device.
When approaching the scene of a hazardous materials incident, first responders must be cautious, deliberate and aware that the incident could have been caused intentionally (terrorism) and would therefore be considered a crime scene. During the initial approach, be aware of clues that might indicate a crime has been committed and be sensitive to law enforcement’s need for preservation of crime scene evidence.
In situations where criminal activity is suspected, first responders must approach the scene with extreme caution. Physical evidence obtained at the scene, may provide substantive facts.
All your activities need to be coordinated with law enforcement personnel at the scene who can best identify whether any criminal activity comes under the authority of the RCMP.
First responders must also be aware of and observe for potential deployment or use of secondary explosive devices for the sole purpose of causing bodily harm to anyone responding to the scene of the emergency.
Clandestine drug/chemical manufacturing laboratories often contain toxic and explosive chemicals that may present problems for the first responder. You must be aware of the potential dangers when responding to an incident involving this type of operation. These “facilities” can be located in highly populated areas as well as rural locations. They must always be approached with caution. A location involving this type of incident must be viewed as a crime scene. Under no circumstances should first responders enter such “facilities” until they have been secured and rendered safe by the policing authority. Once identified, these facilities should not be approached by first responders trained only to the awareness level.
2.2 Secure the Area
When chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials are suspected, it is essential to provide good scene security. First responders must:
secure the area surrounding the incident scene
establish a hazard zone that will keep non-emergency response personnel well out of danger
It may be necessary to patrol the perimeter of the zone to keep spectators at a safe distance.
2.3 Assess the Situation
A thorough assessment of the situation is the key to ensuring that a hazardous materials incident is dealt with in an effective manner.
The following points need to be considered:
- is there a spill or leak: vapour or liquid or both?
- is there a fire, or the potential for fire/explosion?
- are there obvious multiple victims, animal or human?
- be aware of the possible presence of a secondary device intended to injure first responders
- what are the weather conditions, winds, wind direction etc?
- what is the terrain like?
- what is at risk: people, property or the environment?
- what should be done: is an evacuation necessary?
- what resources are required and readily available?
- what can be done right away?
3. Identify Products/Targets
Placards and/or labeling symbols will provide information as to the type of hazard involved in an accidental spill or exposure. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or the identity of the products involved can be found by examining the shipping documents if the exposure has occurred from materials being transported legally. Other markings such as rail car number or vehicle license plate number may be used to trace the shipment and determine the contents.
An awareness of potential terrorist targets is an essential component of a risk assessment for any first responder. Terrorist targets often include:
- civilian, government or military installations
- defense contractors
- industries manufacturing environmentally sensitive products
- financial institutions that support the above
- infrastructure components (i.e., transportation, communications, utilities, energy systems
- sports arenas, hospitals, shopping centres
- venues for special events such as synagogues, mosques and temples
Terrorist targets in recent years have included subways, commercial aircraft, government offices and embassies, naval bases, major high- rise buildings and large nightclubs.
As any terrorist incident is a crime, it is essential that the first responder suspecting a terrorist involvement document all observations accurately, secure the scene and preserve all evidence for later use in a criminal court.4. Communicate
The first responder plays a critical role in the communication link. The municipality/community must (Emergency Management Act, 2002 (R.S.O.) have an emergency plan (EP) in place to deal with all hazards including terrorist incidents. An EP is: “a document that assigns responsibility to organizations and individuals for carrying out specific actions at projected times and places in an emergency that exceeds the capability or routine responsibility of any one agency. It includes the response functions of: direction and control; communications; alert, notification and warning; emergency public information; evacuation”.
It also:
- Determines applicability, sets forth lines of authority and organizational relationships, and shows how all actions will be coordinated.
- Describes how people and property will be protected in emergencies.
- Identifies personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies and other resources available, within the jurisdiction or by agreement with other jurisdictions, for use during response and recovery operations.
Good communication upon arrival at the scene of a hazardous materials incident is key to ensuring that the incident is handled appropriately and impacts are mitigated. Such communication includes the following:
- notify local Fire Department, Police Department and Emergency Medical Services, (as necessary) providing as much information as can be gathered.
- communicate hazard information accurately. State chemical name, number of words in the name, and spell letter-by-letter using the phonetic alphabet.
- example: first word A-N-H-Y-D-R-O-U-S, Alpha, November, Hotel, Yankee, Delta, Romeo, Oscar, Uniform, Sierra
- second word A-M-M-O-N-I-A Alpha, Mike, Mike, Oscar, November, India, Alpha
- request the dispatcher to spell back the chemical name to ensure transmission accuracy.
- provide product identification numbers (PIN) (if available) as a cross reference
- describe any obvious symptoms of victims such as blistering, vomiting, burning eyes, breathing difficulties (SLUDGING).
- describe unusual environmental factors such as odours, abandoned spray devices, numerous dead animals, fish or birds
- describe site conditions as thoroughly as possible, including:
- weather conditions and wind direction
- status of hazardous materials (stable, leaking, burning, etc.)
- description of the hazardous material (colour, solid, liquid, vapour)
- description of the area impacted (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, environmentally sensitive)
- indicate if victims are observed and their obvious symptoms
- advise dispatch or other communication contact, which agencies or resources may be needed (e.g. HazMat team, MOE, Public Health, police)
4.1 Initiate Protective Actions
Provided individual safety is not jeopardized, first responders may need to advise vulnerable populations near the incident to take appropriate protective actions. This could include:
- door-to-door notification of homes and businesses in close proximity to the incident
- use of warning sirens and mobile public address (PA) systems
- evacuation of residents
- in-place sheltering
- use of electronic media (radio, television, internet, teledialer, Reverse 9-1-1))
- use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
- maintain scene control
- establishing a safe perimeter
4.2 Brief Incident Commander
A senior emergency response official responding to the emergency must establish an Incident Command Post and establish the Incident Management System (IMS used by public safety agencies in the jurisdiction. That person is then in charge of the incident scene, becomes the Incident Commander (IC) and must be briefed by the first responder. The IC will assess the need for further Regional, Provincial or Federal assistance.
Summary
First responders who are trained at the awareness level are expected to recognize when hazardous materials or dangerous goods are present at an emergency scene. It is their responsibility to protect themselves, attempt to identify the product(s) involved, call for personnel who are trained to handle the incident and to ensure that the area is secure.
Learning Check - Module 1| 1. | T | F | Weather conditions at the scene of a hazardous material incident are insignificant. |
| 2. | T | F | When notifying local emergency agencies about a terrorism/hazardous materials incident, it does not matter whether the area impacted is residential, commercial or industrial. |
| 3. | T | F | The proper spelling of a chemical name is important. |
| 4. | T | F | First responders at the awareness level are expected to recognize the presence of hazardous chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials, protect themselves and secure the area. |
| 5. | T | F | In most situations, the terms hazardous materials and dangerous goods can be used interchangeably. |
| 6. | T | F | The intent to intimidate or coerce people through random acts of violence is a characteristic of terrorist activities. Multiple Choice: Circle your answer. |
Multiple Choice: Circle your answer
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