NRT-2
DEVELOPING A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
EXERCISE PROGRAM"?::-: _"-~^:. .,*
A Handbook for State and Local Officials
September 1990
NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM
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To date, the NRT has published the following four documents:
NRT-1 - Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Guide (March 1987)
NRT-1A - Criteria for Review of Hazardous Materials Emergency Plans
(May 1988)
NRT-2 - Developing a Hazardous Materials Exercise Program - A Handbook
for State and Local Officials (September 1990)
- Directory of Federal Information Resources for Emergency Planning
and Response (August 1989)
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National Response Team
of the National Oil and Hazardous
Substances Contingency Plan
G-WER/12. 21OO 2nd Street SW, Washington, D.C. 2O593
NRT
Environmental
Protection
Agency
United States
Coast Guard
Department of
Commerce
Department of
Interior
Department of
Agriculture
Department of
Defense
Department of
State
Department of
Justice
Department of
Transportation ,
Department of
Health and
Human Services
Federal
Emergency
Management
Agency
Department of
Energy
Department of
Labor
Nuclear
Rcyuuiory
Commission
The National Response Team (NRT) ~ composed of 14 Federal agencies
having major responsibilities in environmental, transportation, emergency
management* worker safety, and public health areas - is the national body
responsible for coordinating Federal planning, preparedness, and response
actions related to oil discharges and hazardous substance releases.
The NRT member agencies are: Environmental Protection Agency
(Chair), Department of Transportation/U.S. Coast Guard (Vice-chair), and
Department of Transportation/Research and Special Programs
Administration, Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior,
Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of State,
Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services,
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Energy,
Department of Labor, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, the
NRT is responsible for publishing guidance documents for the preparation
and implementation of hazardous substance emergency plans. In 1987, the
National Response Team published "NRT-1: Hazardous Materials
Emergency Planning Guide." That guidance recommends, among other
things, the testing of emergency plans through regularly scheduled
exercises. "NRT-2: Developing a Hazardous Materials Exercise Program -
A Handbook for State and Local Officials" has been produced to provide
guidance for the initial development of (or refinement of an existing)
exercise program. Further, it identifies Federal level resources available
to States and locals to assist in their implementation of comprehensive
exercise programs to assess their hazardous materials plans and annexes.
This document is not intended to serve as a basis for formal approval or
disapproval of exercise programs; however, its use is encouraged.
The Federal agencies of the National Response Team and thirteen
Regional Response Teams are committed to provide ongoing planning,
training, and exercise support to enhance preparedness capabilities at local,
State, regional, ajM national levels for hazardous materials ^ntingencies.
I
Ti fn ^^M C^^T*I c
Jlill ImjaKTlS
Chai//
National Response Team
CAPT W.F. Holt
Vice-chair
National Response Team
Report Oil and Chemical Spills Toll Free (8OO)424-88O2
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION ' 1
Legislative Background 1
Relationship to Multi-Hazard Preparedness 2
Relationship Between Emergency Preparedness and Exercises . . 2
II. BENEFITTING FROM EXERCISES 5
III. SELECTING THE RIGHT TYPE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
EXERCISE ; 7
Exercise Participants 7
Exercise Types 9
Tabletop 12
Functional 12
Full-Scale 13
IV. AN OVERVIEW OF EXERCISE ACTIVITIES 15
PREPARATION ACTIVITIES 15
Establish An Exercise Design Team 15
Exercise Scale Decisions '. 16
, Selection of Exercise Objectives 16
Exercise Scenario Development 16
Exercise Evaluation 18
Training and Exercising <. . . . 18
Final Preparations , 19
EXERCISE CONDUCT . 19
POST-EXERCISE ACTIVITIES 20
Evaluation Process 20
Exercise Feedback 21
Follow-up 21
V. LEARNING FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS 23
Initial Notification of Response Agencies 24
Direction and Control 24
Communications - Responder 25
Warning Systems and Emergency Public Notification 25
Public Information/Community Relations 26
Resource Management , 27
Health and Medical Services 27
Response Personnel Safety 28
Personal Protection of Citizens . 29
Fire and Rescue 29
Law Enforcement 29
Ongoing Incident Assessment 30
Human Services 30
Public Works 31
Hazardous Materials Identification and Analysis 31
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd.)
VI. TAPPING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 33
FEDERAL AGENCY RESOURCES 34
National Response System 34
Federal Emergency Management Agency 36
Environmental Protection Agency 41
U.S. Coast Guard 44
Department of Transportation 44
Department of Health and Human Services 45
Department of Commerce . 46
Department of Defense 47
PRIVATE SECTOR RESOURCES 47
ABBREVIATIONS/ACRONYMS 51
BIBLIOGRAPHY 53
APPENDIX A:
Hazardous Materials Exercise Evaluation Methodology (HM-EEM) and ^
Manual Objectives A-l^
APPENDIX B:
FEMA Form 95-16: Exercise Data B-l
APPENDIX C:
Sample Tabletop Scenario and Sequence of Events C-l
APPENDIX D:
Sample Full-Scale Scenario and Sequence of Events D-l
APPENDIX E:
Sample List of Participants E-l
APPENDIX F:
Sample Exercise Planning Checklist F-l
APPENDIX G:
Sample Exercise Equipment List G-l
LIST OF TABLES
1 Exercise Types Employed by EPA, FEMA, and USCG 9
2 Exercise Characteristics for a Hypothetical Community 11
3 Federal Resources ; 34
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I.
INTRODUCTION
A comprehensive exercise program is one of the best means for assessing emergency plans and
procedures, for determining the readiness of emergency responders, for resolving questions of coordination and
clarifying roles and responsibilities, and for promoting awareness of potential hazards.
This handbook was prepared as guidance by the National Response Team to provide State and local
governments with practical advice for developing a comprehensive hazardous materials exercise program. It is
not intended to become the basis for a Federal requirement to establish a hazmat exercise program. The
purposes of this handbook are many:
To emphasize the value of exercises in testing and improving emergency plans and training
emergency response personnel.
To provide pointers for selecting the appropriate exercise type and exercise objectives based
on community risk, capability, available resources, and level of support from elected officials.
To apply lessons learned from other exercises and actual incidents.
To describe Federal and private sector support and assistance available for conducting
hazardous materials exercises.
Legislative Background
Public Law 99-499, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), contains some
significant new requirements for Federal and State governments and industry related to hazardous materials
emergency preparedness and community right-to-know. This law amends the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA).
Title HI of SARA, known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, requires the
Governor of each State to establish a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). Each SERC, in turn,
is required to designate Emergency Planning Districts within the State to facilitate preparation and
implementation of emergency plans. Each State Commission is also required (by August 17, 1987) to appoint
members of a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for each Emergency Planning District. At present,
there are more than 3,800 LEPCs across the country.
LEPCs were mandated to prepare emergency plans by October 17,1988. SARA Title III requires that
these plans must include, among other things, "methods and schedules for exercising the plan" (emphasis added).
Other LEPC administrative duties related to planning include holding public meetings to discuss emergency
plans, taking into account and responding to public comments, and distributing emergency plans. Committees
are also responsible for reviewing plans once each year or more frequently as dictated by changed circumstances
in the community or at a facility. Finally, Committees are to evaluate the need for resources necessary to
develop, implement, and exercise emergency plans. These requirements are described briefly to set the stage
for discussing practical advice for the development of a comprehensive hazardous materials exercise program.
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Relationship to Multi-Hazard Preparedness
Prior to the passage of SARA Title HI, many State and local governments were involved in hazardous
materials emergency management programs. In fact, many of the 56 States and territories had included
hazardous materials annexes in their emergency operations plans (EOF).
Commonly, State and local emergency operations plans may be divided into three distinct elements: the
basic plan, functional annexes, and hazard specific appendixes. Plans developed under Title III have often
become the hazardous materials appendix to existing EOPs. The basic plan and functibnal annexes collectively
address the common elements of an emergency response. Hazard specific appendixes contain technical
information and details to address the unique risk and characteristics of a particular hazard. This basic approach
to planning the integrated emergency management system (IEMS) is intended to facilitate a community planning
for each hazard that threatens the particular jurisdiction.
A comprehensive integrated emergency management system is the most effective means for protecting
the community from a variety of natural and technological hazards. Through its Comprehensive Cooperative
Agreements (CCA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides each State a vehicle for
applying for and receiving technical and financial assistance to plan and prepare for multiple hazards. One
clement of the CCA program focuses on exercises to validate emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
FEMA does recognize exercises conducted outside the CCA program, such as those exercises encouraged by
SARA Title III. For more information on the CCA Program, see Chapter VI, Tapping Additional Resources.
Relationship Between Emergency Preparedness and Exercises
Emergency preparedness is a continuous process with three integral functions: planning, training, and
exercising. Each function is dependent upon the other two functions and should not be viewed in isolation.
Although the process generally begins with planning, moves to training, to exercising, and back to planning, there
is considerable interaction among these functions. The diagram below summarizes where exercises fit into the
preparedness process:
PLANNING,
EXERCISING
TRAINING
PREPAREDNESS: A CONTINUOUS PROCESS
Preparedness activities should not concentrate solely on development of an emergency plan, but should
focus upon all functions of the continuous process that result in a response organization being well prepared to
meet the needs that arise during a hazardous materials incident. Once a plan has been developed and personnel
have been trained to implement the plan, the response organization is then ready to determine if its plan is
workable and adequate to meet anticipated needs and if personnel are properly trained.
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After completing an exercise, emergency managers should assess the results of the exercise to identify
plan and resource strengths and weaknesses and to assess the adequacy of training programs and the need for
additional training. This assessment may form the basis for changes to the plan and to the organization's training
program, thereby, resulting in a higher level of preparedness for the community. The LEPC, working with the
SERC, should facilitate the development of an exercise program as part of the overall preparedness process
because: 1) the hazardous materials emergency planning and response organizations are members of the LEPC;
2) Title III reporting information, useful hi the exercise development process, is managed by the LEPC; and 3)
the development and review of Title III plans are coordinated by the LEPC.
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II. BENEFITTING FROM EXERCISES
The question is often asked, "Why conduct exercises?" Exercises serve several important functions for
emergency response organizations:
EXERCISES
Provide a means to assess the readiness of State and local emergency plans and response
capabilities.
Test the knowledge and skills of plan implementers.
Serve as a training tool for emergency response personnel.
Provide an opportunity to practice skills and improve individual performance under varying
degrees of stress.
Require participants to network with each other and coordinate decisions on resources.
Provide a means to educate and involve the public, media, and key community organizations in
emergency planning.
Some benefits of exercises include:
Readiness for response is increased in the event of an actual emergency.
Procedural and policy gaps are identified.
Conflicts are revealed.
Roles and responsibilities are confirmed.
Resource needs are identified.
Effectiveness of training is evaluated and additional training needs are identified.
Modifications and improvements to emergency plans, procedures, and action checklists are
identified based upon the lessons learned from the exercise.
Hazardous materials responders practice working together as a team.
Public support is likely to increase for the overall emergency management program.
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Teamwork among emergency managers and first responders can be created through emergency exercises.
Such teamwork seldom results simply from a group working together and drawing up plans under normal
conditions. Paper plans are not enough and are no substitute for an exercise, because normal everyday activities
differ from crisis actions.
Exercises provide a sense of urgency, and the exercise scenario requires response organizations to
develop alternatives and make decisions under the pressure of time without the possibility of serious
consequences. Exercises also lead to an understanding of how to deal with a threat during a crisis - which is not
an intuitive skill, but one which must be practiced. Evidence shows that exercises have had a substantial impact
on improving performance during an actual emergency.
As part of exercise planning, however, liability issues need to be considered. Before undertaking a
hazardous materials exercise, emergency management personnel and those serving as a member of an LEPC
should check with the SERC and appropriate city and county attorneys about respective State and local laws and
liability protection.
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III. SELECTING THE RIGHT TYPE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS EXERCISE
A comprehensive hazardous materials exercise program is a goal generally achieved by a response
organization over a period of tune. Many response organizations will prefer to start out on a small scale and
move toward more sophisticated exercises. 'This handbook has been developed to help response organizations
select the right type of exercise to meet specific objectives. ,
A response organization needs to consider several factors in deciding the scope of a hazardous materials
exercise. These factors include:
Stage of development of emergency response plan and procedures.
Nature and extent of risk posed b,y various hazardous materials located in or passing
through the community. ' .
Existing emergency response capabilities of community.
Cost of the exercise and level of funding available.
Degree of support from key elected and appointed officials.
Availability of resources from all sources (Federal, State, local, and private sector).
Extent to which the response organization can test its response plan while minimizing the
impact on its ability to deliver routine services.
Other exercise requirements mandated by Federal and State agencies.
A comprehensive exercise program must fit the needs and resources of the community. Some type of
exercise program should be feasible at all levels of government and in all sizes of towns and cities. Every
community can conduct a hazardous materials exercise with the resources available to it.
Exercise Participants
The development of any comprehensive exercise program requires sufficient preparation. An effective
tool for such preparation is the orientation seminar, which can be used to set up a framework for a
comprehensive exercise program, lay a foundation for an individual exercise, or both. These introductory and/or
refresher (review) seminars may cover emergency plans and/or procedures, exercise scenarios, and/or objectives.
Orientation seminars are instructional, and are typically presented using lectures, panel discussions,
media presentations, and verbal "walk-throughs." The seminars can involve all levels of personnel expected to
participate in exercises, particularly emergency responders. The seminars are also frequently used to review
lessons learned from actual incidents or "case histories."
A key aspect of orientation seminars is defining the roles of people .involved in exercises. Frequently
used terms that identify these > roles include: players, controllers, evaluators, and observers. Generally, these
terms are defined as follows: '
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PLAYERS - are exercise participants who have assignments in an emergency response organization or team
that is committed to execute or support specific Federal, State or local efforts. These assignments can
include saving lives, protecting property and public health, obtaining and managing resources, and
coordinating with other local, State, and Federal players upon the occurrence of an oil or hazardous
material spill or release. Players will make decisions and respond to scenario events in as realistic a
manner as possible. All players should be familiar with the emergency, response structure, functions, and
procedures that they will be expected to perform.
CONTROLLERS - are those persons whose role is to ensure that the exercise objectives are sufficiently
exercised to permit evaluation, that the level of activity keeps players occupied and challenged, and that the
pace of the exercise proceeds according to the scenario. Controllers answer players' questions and resolve
exercise issues as they arise, and monitor the safety of the exercise.
EVALUATORS - are those persons assigned to each major "playing" element to observe the exercise and
gather data. Their primary role is to observe actions taken by players and to record their observations.
The evaluators' efforts provide the major portion of the documentation necessary to critique the exercise
and produce an exercise report. The evaluators may also assist the controllers in keeping the exercise on
track, but will not interfere with the players in the performance of their duties.
OBSERVERS - are typically part of an audience who are spectators only.
Each person involved in an exercise plays an important role. A list of potential exercise participants to
be considered when planning and exercise can be found in Appendix E. The "players" respond to the events of
the scenario or simulated emergency. "Controllers" help guide the scenario by interjecting control messages to
ensure that exercise play conforms to the scenario. In a hazardous materials exercise, "observers" might be
emergency management/response personnel from the involved community or neighboring,communities who are
planning their own exercise and may benefit from observing from the sidelines.
The "evaluators" serve as recorders of events. They gather facts, tunes, events, and details relevant to
the exercise. Evaluators assess the actions of the players during the exercise. Evaluators should be trained on
evaluation techniques in advance of an exercise.
Evaluators can be emergency management/response personnel from the involved response organization,
from neighboring communities, representatives from State and Federal agencies, or other observers. Often times,
observers can provide an objective and unbiased view of the exercise.
After the exercise, this objective and factual information collected by the evaluators, and from the
controllers and players, becomes the foundation from which an assessment can be made of organizational
performance and conclusions can be drawn concerning the strengths and weaknesses of the response
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organization. From these conclusions, the results of the exercise are reported, problems or opportunities for
improvement are identified, emergency plans and procedures are reviewed and revised, training programs are
modified and enhanced, and follow-up exercises are scheduled.
Exercise Types
In recent years, emergency managers have utilized a variety of exercise types to assess the adequacy of
emergency plans. A number of these exercises have been conducted with the support of Federal agencies such
as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the
United States Coast Guard (USCG), as well as with the support of private industry. Additional detailed
information on exercise support is provided hi Chapter VI, Tapping Additional Resources.
Several different terms have been used to describe exercise types. FEMA uses the exercise categories
of tabletop, functional, and full-scale. EPA identifies two types of exercises; tabletop and field. USCG uses a
functional type exercise called OSC/RRT and a field type exercise known as OSC/Local. Private sector
organizations may also classify then- exercise types differently from the public sector types.
Table 1 lists the types of exercises employed by EPA, FEMA, and USCG. The groupings of entries in
Table 1 indicate that exercises with substantially similar characteristics are given different names by different
organizations.
* TABLfc,l"BXEHCISK^311>E^
SPONSORING
ORGANIZATIONS
EXERCISE
TYPES
TABLETOP
FUNCTIONAL
Functional
OSC/RRT
FULL-SCALE
Full-Field
OSC/Local
Full-Scale
EPA
X
X
X
FEMA
X
X
X
USCG
X
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In this document, for the purposes of simplicity, increased precision, and internal consistency, three
major types of exercises are described in detail below and summarized in Table 2 tabletop, functional, and full-
scale. Table 2 presents a spectrum of exercise types and characteristics using a hypothetical community. The
table is designed to help in the consideration of options during the process of selecting a type and size of
exercise. It is aimed particularly at communities that are beginning to develop an exercise program.
Regardless of the type and size of an exercise, hazardous materials exercises have the potential to
involve many agencies. At a minimum, hazardous materials exercises should stress the interactions of emergency
response organizations and if possible.conclude with a written report of exercise activities and recommendations
for improvements.
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TABLETOP3
(Verbal "Walk-Through)
FUNCTIONAL3
(Limited, Function-Specific
Activity)
FULL-SCALE3
(Extensive Field and
Functional Activity)
WHO
Elected/appointed officials
Key emergency management
staff
Numerous local agencies,
may include some State and
Federal agencies
Same as Tabletop, plus
functional-specific policy and
coordination
Numerous local agencies,
may include some State and
Federal agencies
Maximum participation
of all relevant agencies
and personnel
WHAT
Discuss actions to be taken
during simulated emergency,
situations
Internal coordination
activities
Exercise specific functions,
e.g., direction and control,
alert and notification
Coordination internally and
externally
Exercise most elements
of the plan
WHERE
Conference room
EOC
EOC
Scene of functional
activities in field (e.g., alert
and notification)
Scene of a fixed facility or a
transportation incident
State and local EOCs
Incident command post
Mass care centers,
medical facilities, traffic
and access control points,
equipment staging areas,
etc.
WHY
Practice problem solving
Test the functional planning
and response capabilities of
personnel and systems
Test major portion of the
plan with high degree of
realism and extensive
involvement
EVALUATORS
NEEDED
Typically l-2b
Typically 4-12b
Typically 10-50b
FORMAL
CRITIQUE/
EVALUATION0
Oral Critique
Participant Debriefing
Exercise Report
Oral Critique
Participant Debriefing
Exercise Report
Oral Critique
Participant Debriefing
Formal Written Report
NOTES: aThe major differences among the three exercise types is the variation in complexity and size.
These ranges of numbers of evaluators are only examples. For actual exercises, the number of evaluators
varies based upon availability, community resources, and the size and type of exercise.
CA FEMA Form 95-16 may be completed following an exercise. See Appendix B for a copy of the form.
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Tabklop
officials
A tabletop exercise is an activity in which elected or appointed officials and key staff with emergency
management responsibilities are gathered together informally, usually in a conference room, to discuss actions
to be taken during an emergency based upon the emergency plan and their standard operating procedures
(SOPs). The primary characteristic is a verbal "walk through" of a response to an emergency situation. The
tabletop exercise is designed to elicit constructive discussion by the participants, without tune constraints, as they
examine and resolve problems based on the emergency plan.
The purpose of a tabletop exercise is to have participants practice problem-solving and resolve questions
of coordination and assignment of responsibilities in a non-threatening format, under minimum stress. Tabletop
exercises can be used in preparation for a functional or full-scale exercise. "y>
Tabletop exercises typically involve a limited demonstration of operational response and/or internal
coordination activities. In many cases, responders from only a few local agencies are involved. Post-exercise
evaluation activities are usually limited to an oral critique session during which recommendations for
improvement are discussed with and among participants. A brief written report summarizing exercise activities
and recommendations for improvement may also be prepared. The FEMA Form 95-16 may be completed. The
use of evaluators who are not players in the exercise can help identify opportunities for improvement. The
number of evaluators needed will vary depending upon the size of the community, resources available, and
number of functions exercised. One or two evaluators are frequently used, but six or even more could be used
for a large exercise. Table 2 summarizes the characteristics of a tabletop exercise in the context of the full
spectrum of exercise types for a hypothetical community. }
Functional
A functional exercise is more extensive than a tabletop exercise in that activities are conducted beyond
a conference room atmosphere. It can take place in some type of Emergency Operating Center (EOC), with
concurrent field activity (e.g., at the scene of a simulated transportation related incident). Often times, this type
of exercise focuses on a single function or activity within a function (e.g., direction and control). It can also
involve deploying equipment in a limited, function-specific, capacity.
The purpose of a functional exercise is to test the planning and response capabilities of personnel and
systems relative to the tested function. For example, a direction and control functional exercise would be
designed to test and evaluate the centralized emergency operations capability and timely response of one, two,
or several units of government under a stressful environment. The exercise might be centered in one or more
EOCs or command posts and could either simulate or involve the use of limited outside activity and resources.
The level of resources mobilized should be adequate to demonstrate the direction and control operations in
response to the simulated emergency.
Another example might be a transportation exercise designed to test the capability of local response
officials to establish a command post at the scene and coordinate the on-site response activities with emergency
response personnel, the transportation carrier (e.g., railroad, trucking company, airline), and the shipper(s).
The scope of activity in a functional exercise will include more poh'cy and coordination personnel than are
usually involved in tabletop exercises. The level of response agency coordination should increase as more
agencies from State and local governments participate. Federal participation may also be involved, and include
exercise design, coordination, and evaluation support. The number of evaluators needed is usually more than
for a tabletop exercise, and four to 12 evaluators is a fairly typical range. These numbers are only examples,
however, and the number of evaluators will vary from exercise to exercise, depending on locale, size of the
community, resources available, and number of functions exercised. Post-exercise activities often include an oral
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critique and frequently result in a written report of the exercise activity and recommendations for follow-up
activity being submitted to local officials. Table 2 summarizes the characteristics of a functional exercise in the
context of the full spectrum of exercise types for a hypothetical community.
Full-Scale
A full-scale exercise is used to evaluate response organizations' operational capabilities in an interactive
manner over several hours.
The purpose of a full-scale exercise is to test a major portion of the functions in an emergency plan. A
full-scale exercise incorporates a high degree of realism, extensive involvement of resources and personnel, and
an increased level of stress.
' ' -I
This type of exercise includes mobilization of personnel and resources to many sites (e.g., State and local
EOCs, incident command posts, mass care centers, medical facilities, equipment staging areas) and the actual
movement of emergency personnel, equipment, and resources required to demonstrate a coordinated response
capability.
As with the functional exercise, types of activity will include operations, coordination, and policy-level
personnel, but with broader participation. State and Federal participation may include exercise design,
coordination, and evaluation support. The number of evaluators is usually more than for either a tabletop or
functional exercise, and 1ft to 50 eyaluators is a fairly typical range. These numbers are only examples, however,
and the number of evaluators will vary from exercise to exercise, depending on locale, size of the community,
resources available, and number of functions exercised. Post-exercise activities could include an oral critique,
a participant debriefing, and generally conclude with a formal written report. Table 2 summarizes .the
characteristics of a full-scale exercise in the context of the full spectrum of exercise types for a hypothetical
community.
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IV. AN OVERVIEW OF EXERCISE ACTIVITIES
PREPARATION ACTIVITIES
Once a response organization has an emergency plan in place, certain advance planning activities need to
be completed before an exercise is conducted. These activities include: Establishing An Exercise Design Team,
Exercise Scale Decisions, Selection of Exercise Objectives, Exercise Scenario Development, Exercise Evaluation,
and Training and Exercising. After these advance planning activities have been completed, there are other final
preparations which must be completed immediately before the exercise.
Establish An Exercise Design Team
A key element in the, successful development of an exercise is to establish an exercise design team. The
responsibility of the "team" is to select the functions and the objectives of the exercise.
A multi-disciplinary approach to team composition provides an excellent opportunity to understand the
needs of others. Team members should be knowledgeable in the disciplines or functions being exercised. It is
also beneficial if these ^persons have experience in emergency management and response, are creative, and
possess "team building skills."
The team should include representatives from various local agencies such as fire, police, emergency
medical services, emergency management, public works, utilities, schools, hospitals, the weather service, the
media (it is advantageous for the public to know you are addressing community needs), and nearby organizations
participating through mutual aid agreements. The team should also include industry representatives from the
hazardous materials facility, or, for transportation-related scenarios, representatives from the shipper or carrier.
Because they will generally be made aware first of unusual and potentially dangerous events, they play a crucial
role in the design of a realistic exercise. The representation of a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)
is a good base for an exercise design team.
Once the team is established, the next step is to appoint or elect one member to be the team director.
Exercise development is a complex task, therefore this person should be someone who can motivate people to
continue working when things get difficult.
The team is responsible for coordinating exercise "play" activities (e.g., the type of exercise, response
organization/s involved, etc.) between the multiple levels (i.e., State, county, and local) of emergency response
organizations. This will help avoid fragmented or redundant decision making play and confusion which is
particularly important if an exercise is conducted on the borderline of States, counties, or cities. The team is
also responsible for writing the scenario. In order for the exercise to be successful, the players should not be
included hi writing the scenario, and the scenario should be kept confidential. Team members would also make
ideal controllers or evaluators of an exercise. An exercise team should consider the types of participants to be
involved in then- exercise. A sample list of participants is included hi Appendix E, and a list of potential exercise
equipment needs is included in Appendix G.
There are two additional ingredients necessary for a successful exercise program. The first is to ensure
that sound safety practices and principles are designed into the exercise to prevent injuries to players and the
public (e.g., how will the public and bystanders be handled the day of the exercise). The second is to ensure that
key elected and appointed officials support the exercise, particularly for multi-community exercises. The team
and local officials can promote good-will and encourage mutual aid support by inviting neighboring officials to
observe the exercise.
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Scale Decisions
The team should select the right type of exercise based upon its experience, needs, and resources. A good
strategy may be to start with a less ambitious exercise (tabletop or functional) and to build up to a full-scale
exercise. This approach builds on exercise successes, boosts confidence, and gains management support. This
"gradual" approach avoids the frustration of holding a full-scale exercise as an initial effort and having everything
go wrong.
As with the exercise design team, get as many organizations as possible involved in the exercise.
Encourage industry representatives to be involved from the beginning. When all parties are interested, the
chances of getting industry commitment for a full-scale exercise are much greater. Consider combining efforts
with another response organization or hold a county-wide exercise to test the ability of a response organization
to request, receive, and utilize resources from other jurisdictions.
In addition to joining efforts with neighboring response organization(s) or counties, solicit exercise support
from mutual aid groups. Use this group to share resources and identify people with training and exercise
experience include them on the exercise design review team. Increase the complexity of the exercise
commensurate with the number of participants.
Selection gfJSxercise Objectives
Regardless of the type of exercise (i.e., tabletop, functional, full-scale), objectives give an exercise focus^
To assist in establishing exercise objectives, the team should conduct a needs assessment to identify areas that
have not been previously tested or need improvement based upon previous exercises. Once the needs assessment
is completed, the exercise objectives for each major participating response organization can be defined.
For example, FEMA has developed the Hazardous Materials Exercise Evaluation Methodology (HM-
EEM) and Manual which consists of 15 major hazardous materials exercise objectives that are linked to specific
emergency functions drawn from guidance contained in NRT-1. Each objective is specific, realistic, results-
oriented, and measurable. Appendix A lists the 15 Hazardous Materials Exercise Evaluation Methodology
Objectives. These objectives may be utilized in the design, conduct, and evaluation of a hazardous materials
exercise.
In addition to Appendix A, Chapter V, Learning From the Experiences of Others, provides a summary
of lessons learned from a large number of exercises conducted throughout the country in recent years. These
lessons can be particularly useful hi selecting additional exercise objectives, developing scenarios, and evaluating
exercises.
Scenario Development
After selecting the exercise objectives, the next step is to develop an exercise scenario. An exercise
scenario is a sequential, narrative account of £ hypothetical accident. The scenario provides the catalyst for the
exercise and is intended to introduce situations which will inspire responses, and thus allow testing of the exercise
objectives. Most scenarios are initiated with an accident resulting hi a release of, or the potential for a release
of, a hazardous material. Sample scenarios and sequences of events for a tabletop and full-scale exercise are
included in Appendix C and Appendix D.
For example, one scenario might entail an incident at a chemical manufacturing facility which results in
the release of chlorine. The scenario would include a description of where, what, and when it occurred, the area
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affected, weather conditions, etc. The scenario would also include clearly defined, preplanned times of the
various stages of the accident; that is, what scenario events should occur to get agencies to carry out response
actions.
These scenario events are often communicated via a control message. The control message describes the
problems which prompt an agency to take action. One example of a preplanned control message may be that
the chlorine valve can not be shut-off. The response action would be to utilize a "C Kit" and trained response
personnel to stop the release until further repairs can be made to the valve. Another example of a preplanned
control message may be that a train is scheduled to pick up some railcars at the chemical plant. The response
action would be to notify the railroad and advise them not to come into the plant because of the accident.
The team might consider varying the exercise by using a transportation incident in lieu of a fixed facility
incident. This type of incident involves many different facets of first response, such as identifying the chemicals
involved from placards and/or shipping papers (manifests) and contacting the shipper and carrier for more
information and support.
A realistic exercise scenario provides the best opportunity for a response organization to evaluate its
emergency plan, training, and overall preparedness to operate under emergency conditions. There are several
ways to incorporate realism into an exercise scenario.
One way to develop a realistic scenario is to evaluate real incidents and consider incorporating this real-
world information into an exercise scenario. A great deal can be learned by reviewing case histories of incidents
and accidents that have occurred across the country. For case history information, consider contacting the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Association of American Railroads (AAR), and/or the Chemical
Manufacturers Association (CMA). For further information, see Chapter VI, Tapping Additional Resources.
Another way to provide a realistic exercise scenario is to develop and use props and other simulation
materials to the extent possible. Because of the lack of genuine physical cues (e.g., visible vapors or leaking
liquids), it can be difficult to exercise field teams. Dry ice o>r smoke bombs are commonly used to simulate a
hazardous material. Above all, think safety first when simulating hazardous materials.
Determine before the exercise whether field kits for environmental monitoring will be fully stocked for
demonstration purposes or if only some of the more fragile equipment or expensive supplies will be simulated.
Use realistic weather conditions in the scenario, but not necessarily the actual weather on the day of the
exercise. Simulated weather is usually best for driving the desired protective actions you can plan what areas
will need to be "sheltered in-place" or "evacuated" in the exercise. Real weather is usually best only for testing
weather instruments and communications with weather agencies.
Develop exercise scenarios that include moulaged victims that must be rescued and given medical
attention. This type of scenario requires responders to instruct rescue vehicles (ambulance, helicopters) via radio,
as to the nature and extent of the victim's injuries and whether it is necessary to change the route or landing site
to avoid a hazardous chemical plume.
Design the exercise scenario so that requirements for protective actions are not predictable. One problem
observed in some exercises is that scenarios virtually always progress to an evacuation of some area. When
players are able to anticipate such a result, the exercise effectively limits the need to utilize the protective action
decision making process. In hazardous materials incidents, especially where evacuation is sometimes the
WRONG decision, the exercise scenario should not be predisposed to requke or prompt an evacuation decision,
but should leave open the option of sheltering in-place. Determine which protective actions will be demonstrated
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and which will be simulated. Consider demonstrating parts of these actions during the exercise, perhaps by
Staffing some traffic control points or running some of the evacuation bus routes.
Design the scenario so that law enforcement personnel demonstrate the decision making process for traffic
management strategies. The actual exercising of traffic control points is seldom required because it is a normal
part of a^police officer's job, but a representative number'of traffic control points should be demonstrated to
evaluate implementation times, communications capabilities, response personnel safety measures, and whether
police officers are knowledgeable about their traffic (routing) and access control responsibilities (e.g., who may
be admitted to an evacuated area).
Consider building in a communications failure-into the exercise scenario so that the backup system is
tested, not merely simulated or explained during the exercise.
Exercise Evaluation
The extent and depth of the evaluation is based on the participating response organization's needs and
resources, plus any State and Federal technical assistance available. Controllers' evaluations and observations
may suffice for many exercises, while additional assessment by trained evaluators may be needed for others.
One method of evaluation is to use related criteria or standards of performance. These standards of
performance, agreed to before the exercise, are based upon observable response measures which must be
performed to meet each objective. It is more useful for a response organization to receive an objective-based
evaluation to know that a particular task was or was not performed and that it was or was not consistent with
the plan, rather than a subjective judgment based solely upon an evaluator's opinion of "how well" an overall
function was accomplished. Opinions are important, but they should be based upon specific observations and
facts. -.".
Another way of evaluating an exercise is to use evaluation techniques, such as FEMA's Hazardous
Materials Exercise Evaluation Methodology Evaluation (HM-EEM) and Manual, described above. It can be
beneficial to use the HM-EEM Manual in advance of the exercise to define the scope of each objective. In some
cases, evaluators may require training on the exercise evaluation technique in advance of the exercise.
When possible, ensure that evaluators are trained, technically qualified to observe hazardous materials
response activities, and experienced at evaluation of emergency response activities. Using qualified evaluators
in technical areas (e.g., chemical characteristics, impacts) and/or evaluators experienced in evaluation can result
in an objective and useful evaluation. If trained evaluators are not available locally, the response organization
can gain its own evaluation experience by participating in a neighboring response organization's exercise, or by
requesting help from State and/or Federal agencies. These agencies may be able to provide assistance in
locating trained evaluators, providing evaluators, or training local evaluators.
Training and Exercising
Some extra training, shortly before the exercise, enhances a response organization's performance and is
particularly useful for communities inexperienced in exercising. As a general rule-of-thumb, however, training
should be conducted throughout the year, not just as a concentrated effort before the exercise.
Pre-exercise training might include communications training for all players involved in response activities
so they can become familiar with equipment and proper protocol for exercises. This will help to eliminate a
major problem experienced hi many exercises.
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exercise.
The team should make arrangements to use a specifically identified radio channel on the day of the
ise. Begin and end each communication with "This is an exercise," because many people monitoring
emergency radio channels may mistake the" messages for a real incident. Everyone must know it is an exercise.
Develop a fail safe mechanism or code (i.e., Code "red") to indicate when to immediately end an exercise for
safety reasons or for a real emergency. Real emergencies take precedence over an exercise.
Final Preparations
Once a community has an emergency plan in place and the advance exercise planning activities are
completed, the next steps are to fine tune the scenario, stage and set-up the site and equipment, and to finalize
logistical and coordination aspects of the exercise.
For example, shortly before the exercise, the team should conduct an orientation seminar (often called
a pre-exercise meeting) to inform players of last-minute changes, and to review roles, responsibilities, and
objectives. Players are instructed on the extent of exercise "play" expected from them during the exercise ~ what
can and cannot be simulated. Often, in exercises, responders say "In an actual emergency I would have done
this, but this is only an exercise." Make the exercise a worthwhile training experience by ensuring that all
involved understand their roles.
The orientation seminar or pre-exercise meeting is a convenient time to distribute badges to all exercise
personnel. These badges can be used to identify players, controllers, evaluators, and observers. The use of
badges minimizes confusion about who may insert control messages, and identifies personnel to one another,
maintaining the integrity of the exercise/evaluation process. Badges will work in only limited situations, however-
-primarily tabletop exercises., In functional and full-scale exercises, something readily visible and distinctive
should be used (colored hats, t-shirts, etc.)
It is important to note that the amount of last minute activities will increase proportionately with the scope
of the exercise. Thus, final preparations for a tabletop exercise will require less effort than those required for
a full-scale exercise. Consequently, appropriate time and resources should be allowed to complete the critical
last-minute, activities.
EXERCISE CONDUCT
Advance planning sets the stage for the smooth conduct of an exercise. A sample exercise planning
checklist is located in Appendix F. It may be useful for the team director to refer to this before the exercise is
initiated. The team director must assume responsibility for the conduct of the exercise to ensure that the
exercise stays on track and thus, the agreed upon objectives are tested. The team director's job is to:
Present the players with the exercise-initiating narrative.
Announce the first event of the scenario.
Stimulate player responses, without intervening hi a way that assumes control of the play,
unless it appears likely that the players will not initiate a response action critical to the
objective(s) of the exercise.
Manage the flow and pace of the exercise by introducing the remaining events in sequence
through the use of control messages.
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Keep the exercise on schedule and terminate play at the specified end-time.
In general, it is best to let the exercise play develop naturally, with the players responding to the scenario
events as they deem appropriate. Some response actions are so critical to the completion of the exercise
objectives, however, that the exercise director and/or controllers may have to intervene in exercise play by
interjecting additional response-stimulating messages in order to ensure that such responses occur. If
intervention is necessary, it should be noted and discussed during the exercise evaluation.
POST-EXERCISE ACTIVITIES
There are numerous activities which should be conducted after an exercise. These activities include: the
Evaluation Process, Exercise Feedback, and Follow-up.
Evaluation Process
Exercise evaluation is the systematic examination of the effectiveness of the emergency preparedness
program. It provides decision makers with justification for improving the emergency plan or providing additional
training.
Evaluation activities are ongoing throughout the exercise as evaluators record data and observations and
make tentative judgments. One important post-exercise activity is a post-exercise debriefing hi which facts and
findings are presented, compared, and discussed by and among evaluators,, players, and controllers, and
conclusions are provided to exercise players. Tentative conclusions are generally provided shortly after the
exercise and final conclusions are often provided later in a formal written report.
The exercise evaluation should address each exercise objective:
Was the objective met?
If yes, what were the results?
If no, what changes are necessary to achieve the objective?
The most successful exercise is not one where all went well and participants walked away thinking "aren't
we great?" Rather, the successful exercise js one that forces an honest look at capabilities and leads to
improvement.
Exercise evaluation answers such important questions as:
Are additional resources necessary?
Are parts of the plan in need of revision?
Is additional training required?
Are staffing levels adequate?
Is the communication system vulnerable to overload?
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Can first response units communicate with one another?
Exercise Feedback
In addition to exercise evaluation, other post-exercise activities may include having exercise players
complete an evaluation questionnaire. This will produce information about the exercise, particularly the
effectiveness of the plans and emergency response to the exercise scenario. Other post-exercise activities may
include:
Arranging for feedback mechanisms (e.g., participant debriefings, oral critiques, or a brief or
comprehensive exercise evaluation report) to provide participants with an indication of
opportunities for improvement in their plans and performance.
Scheduling a follow-up exercise to test corrected deficiencies from previous exercises and to
validate response under more complex situations and increased agency involvement.
Arranging for newspaper accounts of the exercise to enlighten the public about the risk from
hazardous materials and local efforts to respond to any incidents.
Making concrete recommendations for resolving problems and improving procedures
(additional practice, training, staffing, equipment). Re-plan, re-train, and re-exercise where
objectives were not fully met.
Follow-up
\
Of particular importance is "following-up" on the exercise evaluation recommendations. Recommendations
without follow-up would limit the response organizations from receiving the full benefit of thb exercise. The
follow-up is one of the most neglected areas of exercise development. Experts suggest the following techniques
to ensure that follow-up occurs:
1. Use the exercise to establish goals for a long term preparedness program that includes
exercises.
2. Assign tasks, a schedule, and the responsibility for recommended improvement.
3. Monitor the progress of implementing recommended improvements.
4. Test improvements during the next exercise.
Reconvene the original exercise design team following an exercise to determine what follow-up activity
is necessary.
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V. LEARNING FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS
Over the past decades literally thpusands of emergency exercises of varying scope have been conducted
and evaluated by various communities and levels of government in order -to test emergency plans. As a result
of those exercises, such as those conducted under FEMA's Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program
(REP), RRT/OSC exercises, actual hazardous materials incidents, and hazardous materials exercises and drills,
many valuable lessons have been learned. This section utilizes many of the lessons learned from various
exercises and provides a set of helpful hints for conducting effective hazardous materials exercises. Clearly, these
lessons can transfer to hazardous materials exercises as well as plan development and review. For example, these
lessons can be particularly useful hi selecting exercise objectives, establishing requirements for demonstrating
objectives, developing exercise scenarios, and evaluating exercises.
The helpful hints based upon these lessons learned are categorized according to then* relation to the
following specific response functions identified hi NRT-1, Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Guide,
March 1987 (pages 37-38):
Initial Notification of Response Agencies
Direction and Control
Communications - Responder
Warning Systems and Emergency Public Notification
Public Information/Community Relations
Resource, Management
Health and Medical Services
Response Personnel Safety
Personal Protection of Citizens
Fire and Rescue
Law Enforcement
Ongoing Incident Assessment
Human Services
Public Works
Others - Hazardous Materials Identification and Analysis
Some of the activities suggested hi the following helpful hints for exercises may require new plans or procedures
to be developed, if they are not already in place, prior to the exercise. If so,,, all participates in the emergency
response system should be fully briefed and instructed on new plans and procedures prior to the exercise. In
addition, some of these suggestions are more likely to' be used for a full-scale exercise than a tabletop or
functional exercise.
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INITIAL NOTIFICATION OF RESPONSE AGENCIES
Verify the ability to detect and declare an emergency at the facility site or location of a transportation
accident. This should be demonstrated by the hazardous materials facility management,
transportation vehicle operator, and/or first arriving local responder(s) (e.g., police, fire).
Contact the National Response Center (NRC) and the local emergency response organization (e.g.,
police or fire department dispatcher) in a timely manner once an emergency has been detected or
declared. This contact can be made by the hazardous, materials facility management, transportation
vehicle operator, and/or local responder. Emergencies involving releases of reportable quantities of
hazardous materials must, under federal law, be reported by the responsible party to the NRC.
Notify each agency involved in the response effort. By making actual calls, a community can
demonstrate that all required notifications can be made hi a reasonable period of time. Simulating
this may not give a true picture of the tune needed to complete the initial notification. Give special
attention to verifying the accuracy of listed phone numbers and to testing alternate numbers of
contact points, even if the primary number is answered.
Use pagers for notifying key, mobile personnel who are difficult to reach by phone.
Use checklists to ensure that all necessary personnel are contacted.
DIRECTION AND CONTROL
Establish a clear understanding of areas of responsibility for initial emergency response between the
hazardous materials facility or transportation management and off-site officials. The facility, because
of possibly greater resources and technical knowledge, may need to take some responsibility for off-
site actions at the beginning of exercises and real events (e.g., field team monitoring of a toxic cloud).
Implement the Incident Command System (ICS), which is now required under an Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) final rule (29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910.123[a][3]. An
ICS is a combination of personnel, policies, procedures, and equipment working together within a
common organizational structure with responsibility for management of assigned resources to
effectively accomplish stated objectives at the scene of an accident. An ICS can be used to effectively
manage minor incidents such as an automobile accident as well as major disasters. Experience has
shown that an agency which uses ICS for day-to-day operations will be better prepared to handle
major situations. For more information, contact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
Division of Consumer Affairs, Room N-3647, 200 Constitution Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C.
20210, 202/523-8151.
Ensure that the official designated in the local plan to take charge of an emergency response effort
actually assumes control during the exercise. Don't short change the exercise by passing this
responsibility off to a staff member. If the official must leave, only a specified alternate should
perform the official's assigned tasks.'
Strive to get all agencies and organizations to participate. Exercise coordinators should put forth
considerable effort to ensure that all critical agencies and organizations participate in exercise play.
Nothing is more frustrating for local emergency response personnel than to have key representatives
missing during an exercise.
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Incorporate 24-hour staffing and an actual shift change for key positions as part of an exercise. The
area of direction and control is often the weakest with respect to 24-hour staffing. The primary (first
shift) emergency response coordinator is usually quite competent, but the backup is less often capable
of functioning without direct supervision or assistance.
Do not activate the command posts or emergency operating center (EOC) ahead of the exercise.
This pre-positioning can pose an obstacle hi observing whether the EOC can be activated in a timely
manner. An exception to this, of course, is when the community has a full-time, dedicated EOC
available. Make sure all EOC staff have been trained in EOC operations.
COMMUNICATIONS - RESPONDER
Utilize both primary and backup communications links during the exercise. Common communication
problems observed during exercises include the number of different radio frequencies and the lack
of a common channel for coordination of response efforts.
Secure a commitment from the lead communications person at each facility to save copies of all
communications-related documentation including message and radio logs. If such facilities do not
currently use logs, adding them and procedures for then- use should be considered. Such logs can
be especially valuable in a later determination of where things went wrong during an exercise. Radio
logs maintained by local agencies may contain sensitive information about actual agency business and
may not be available for release. To overcome this potential problem, communications personnel
need to keep a separate exercise communications log.
WARNING SYSTEMS AND EMERGENCY PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
Schedule exercises to coincide with the routine test of public alerting systems. Such scheduling will
minimize undue public concern (e.g., siren testing). If this is not possible, emergency response
personnel should proceed with their normal procedure up to the point where the public alert system
would actually be sounded. Evaluators will want to pay particular attention to the actual amount of
time required to complete the activation process to determine if normal staffing can manage the
activation process in addition to their day-to-day duties.
Draft emergency broadcast system (BBS) messages as if they were to be read on the system. To
determine whether the message is readable, ask participating radio stations to read all EBS messages
associated with the exercise into a tape recorder in real-time according to the scenario. The tape can
then be reviewed to verify validity of the message content that would actually have reached the public
in the event of a real incident.
Perform route alerting if it is intended to be the emergency warning system. To realistically assess
the amount of time route alerting would take, read messages while driving slowly, knock on doors,
and deliver the emergency instruction message. Responders should make a special point of
identifying persons with special needs and simulate alerting them. Again, carefully review message
content and clarity. If the area is largely non-English speaking, the message should be in both
English and the dominant language of the area.
Use existing emergency warning systems during hazardous materials exercises. If the area has an
existing coastal storm warning or some other system, use that system, if possible, for hazardous
materials incidents.
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Ensure that all announcements about on-site (e.g., at a chemical facility) protective measures include
the information necessary for employees to implement them. This includes information on sheltering
in-place as well as evacuation. Include information about wind direction, specific routes to follow to
avoid the toxic cloud (plume), and specific assembly area.
Use aspects of the warning system which are not routinely checked. Exercises should focus on
aspects of the system unique to the emergency in the scenario (e.g., finding and using the right pre-
scripted or pre-recorded messages, or writing and transmitting customized messages).
PUBLIC INFORMATION/COMMUNITY RELATIONS s
Treat media relations as realistically as possible during an exercise to adequately prepare for a real
emergency. For example, actually set up a Joint Information Center (JIC) - a central location where
actual media briefings and press conferences are held. A JIC helps eliminate the potential for
conflicting news reports and helps control rumors. Provisions should be made to monitor TV and
radio broadcasts to quickly correct erroneous information. Invite actual media representatives and
other players primed to ask realistic, tough questions.
* Coordinate public information releases. This is particularly important given the large number of
agencies involved and the relatively short time available for release. During an exercise, make sure
all forms and releases are marked "This is an exercise."
If the emergency plan calls for the use of a "citizen's information hotline," include the emergency
telephone number in every news release, mention it at every news briefing, and display it prominently
in the media room for television. This is one way to avoid rumors.
Practice answering the "citizen's information hotline" with correct responses to inquiries. Calls from
the media, insofar as possible, should be handled by the Public Information Officer (PIO) to ensure
accurate uiforrhation.
Assign a full-time PIO to supervise the operators. This PIO supervisor should attend each news
briefing to ensure up-to-date information is provided from the "hotline."
Consider video-recording news conferences. This will be useful backup for post-exercise reference.
Ensure that news releases and conferences are timely and accurately reflect information in the
scenario as well as exercise events (protective action decisions, etc.).
Ensure that news releases are clearly written. Do not expect the media to interpret highly technical
information and then pass this information on to the public with a minimum of distortion.
Explain and define terms and acronyms unique to emergency planning and response as well as terms
related to different modes of transportation (e.g., piggyback, tankcar, boxcar, tanktruck etc.) and
manufacturers or distributors of chemical products. Be careful to fully explain this terminology when
, it is used during briefings. . ;
Explain characteristics and hazards associated with the present emergency and the released materials.
Use simple language easily understandable by the public.
Make full use of the visual aids provided hi the briefing area during the entire emergency exercise.
This will enhance the briefing and result in a clear presentation.
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Provide to the media as soon as possible, accurate information about any injuries sustained by
personnel at the incident and detailed accounts of the emergency response activities, reducing the
likelihood of misunderstandings and inaccurate reporting.
Use an effective leader to coordinate and integrate the information received by the spokespersons
from each agency to ensure that accurate and comprehensive information is being released.
Ensure that all sources of public information given out during the exercise are consistent with
information previously distributed (e.g., information distributed via telephone books, hotel information
cards, brochures, local media).
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Confirm that all of the needed resources are actually available. It is often unpractical and too costly
in an exercise to mobilize all the actual resources that would be needed in a real emergency. So,
when resources are needed, place actual calls to the providers of those resources; request the
simulated provision and the actual numbers needed. Actually placing these calls provides emergency
planners with an opportunity to verify that resource inventories are accurate and up to date.
Keep logs of all requests, by both the requesters and providers, to verify that all needs are met, and
that each provider actually has available the numbers of resources requested from him. This may
involve MOUs with adjacent communities, counties, industry, and/or regional response organizations
with facilities, equipment, and personnel having useful expertise.
HEALTH AND MEDICAL SERVICES
Control the spread of contamination to ambulance and hospital staff when treating contaminated
patients. Although written procedures may be in place, actual demonstration of these procedures
during an exercise will point out if further training is needed or if procedures should be revised.
Place actual telephone calls to the providers of health and medical services, even if only a small
sample will be demonstrated during the exercise. These calls maybe conducted out of sequence from
the rest of the exercise, often in coordination with routine medical facility drills or exercises.
Determine whether medical facilities know how to obtain and use necessary medical and other data
for diagnosing and treating victims exposed to hazardous materials. Many local hospitals will not be
able to treat such exposed victims without consultation with medical experts from other parts of the
State or country.
Ensure that contaminated victims are appropriately decontaminated hi the field or at the medical
facility as needed.
Test procedures for providing hospitals with information on the number of victims, types of injuries
and contamination involved, and estimated time of arrivals (ETAs) of emergency vehicles to allow
adequate preparation by the hospitals. This information can be relayed from the emergency vehicle
to the hospital.
« Utilize Poison Control Centers as another source of health hazard, diagnostic, and treatment
information and as a dissemination point for information to the general public. Exercise design
should test the ability of on-scene personnel to communicate with the Center and vice-versa.
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Consider testing use of color-coded triage tags (green - patient can wait; yellow -patient needs
hospital attention, but, injury is not life threatening; red - patient needs immediate care, injury is life
threatening; black - patient is beyond help or dead).
Protect medical personnel from exposure to high concentrations of hazardous materials because of
vaporization from contaminated clothing of victims in enclosed spaces such as ambulances or
treatment rooms. For example, demonstrate providing personal protective equipment to medical
personnel caring for victims in the ambulance. Medical personnel need to be familiar with and able
to work in various levels of protection as needed. Consider the use of materials that are very
odorous but safe to simulate actual hazardous materials.
RESPONSE PERSONNEL SAFETY
In compliance with applicable OSHA regulations, it is the responsibility of employers to ensure that
sound safety principles and practices are followed during the exercise to prevent injuries to
participants. The Bibliography at the end of this report lists additional sources of safety information.
Verify a working knowledge of the potential hazards of the hazardous material(s) involved in the
simulated incident. Emergency responders frequently receive training on the proper use of their
protective clothing, but may fail to demonstrate a working knowledge of the potential hazards they
face.
Question emergency responders about the type of protective clothing worn, its applicability to the
chemical released in the exercise scenario, and any short- or long-term risks associated with exposure
to that particular chemical.
Issue protective equipment to each responder who needs it. Issuing the equipment will help verify that
supplies are adequate and represent the time required to deploy responders into the "hot" zone.
Simulate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent the danger of evoking heat stress
conditions in an exercise. At a minimum, try on the suits for fit, to test proper donning procedures,
and to detect any defects in garments.
Conduct personnel monitoring and decontamination activities as near as possible to the access control
point and away from the incident site. If the area is located at a considerable distance from showers,
demonstrate the use of a mobile washdown facility (e.g., tanker truck or hazardous materials response
van with portable showers and eyewash capabilities).
Institute a warning system for emergency evacuation of responders in the hazard zone. For example,
SOPs might call for an emergency warning system (e.g., a 30-second blast from an air horn or
electronic siren to signal operating teams to exit the hazard zone immediately) to be in place in case
communication fails between command and the operating teams and a critical situation develops.
Apparatus should be positioned so that the signal can be heard throughout the hazard area.
Check the progress of response actions during the exercise. After implementing the best option, the
response leader (e.g., Incident Commander) must be sure what is expected to happen is actually
happening (or simulated as happening in the exercise scenario or controller messages). If not, he/she
must review the real or simulated problem and select another option to lead to the desired objective.
Monitor the use of field equipment and materials during the response. Ensure that adequate
replacements and backups are available for portable air packs, washdown water (e.g., for portable
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emergency showers and eyewash devices), electricity, neutralizes, sorbents, and expendable
equipment.
PERSONAL PROTECTION OF CITIZENS
Ensure that sound safety principles and practices are followed during the exercise to prevent injuries
to the public. The Bibliography at the end of this report lists additional sources of safety information.
Test the local emergency responder's ability to resolve problems that are likely to arise while
protective actions are being implemented. For example, have people call the EOC and request
special transportation assistance.
Consider the time of day, season of the year, transient populations, and traffic conditions when
discussing potential protective actions. Any decision made should be based upon incident assessment
information rather than an ad hoc reason to act.
Test the coordination between incident command personnel and school officials on any decisions to
release students early or to evacuate the school. School evacuation has, for many communities, been
an action that has come under intense scrutiny. As a result of this increased attention, officials may
elect to evacuate the schools prior to a recommendation to do so. In hazardous materials incidents,
such action may expose students to a greater risk than a decision to shelter in-place.
FIRE AND RESCUE
Develop procedures to ensure a timely arrival at and entry into a fixed facility or scene of a
transportation related incident by appropriate local emergency responders such as fire, police, and
emergency medical services personnel.
Challenge response personnel by having them demonstrate functions that are unique to hazardous
materials incidents. Rather than engaging in routine functions, consider demonstrating: recognizing
and identifying hazardous materials from shipping papers, identification numbers, labels, placards,
and the shape and type of transport package (e.g., tankcar, cylinder, drum); victim decontamination;
assessing injuries caused by a hazardous material and giving emergency medical treatment; using
chemical sensing and neutralization equipment and materials.
Require emergency responders to demonstrate proper procedures for decontamination of victims
exposed to hazardous materials.
Verify that emergency responders are able to communicate with other responders while wearing
protective equipment; using a portable radio, headset, or cellular telephone.
Test procedures and arrangements for necessary air supplies to ensure that air supplies can be
augmented or recovered quickly during a lengthy incident.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Verify how protective equipment and supplies are provided to law enforcement personnel, as well as
their effective use of these materials. Although state police are in charge of hazardous materials
emergency responses in some states, local law enforcement personnel are often overlooked as
emergency responders and need resources and training to enhance their response capabilities.
29
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Inform law enforcement personnel about the current incident status and recommended protective
action. They have frequent contact with the public during hazardous materials incidents and are
often asked for current information about the situation, protective action recommendations, and
where the public might turn for more information (BBS stations, "hotline" numbers, etc.).
ONGOING INCIDENT ASSESSMENT
Ensure adequate quantities of expendable field supplies such as portable air supplies, air or water
sample containers, chemical monitoring equipment, etc. This precludes premature termination of
monitoring or reduction in field capability.
Provide for varying assignments of responsibility for incident assessment. For example, early in the
exercise, a fixed facility simulating a hazardous materials emergency may demonstrate both on-site
and off-site tracking of toxic cloud size, contents, and movement. Later, off-site activities will be
taken over by local or State emergency responders. In a transportation exercise, the carrier may
demonstrate initial assessment of the damage to a dented tank truck or railroad tankcar, and then
call in experts for example, an inspector from the Bureau of Explosives of the Association of
American Railroads.
Confirm that field equipment (such as air sampling devices) is currently calibrated and certified as
accurate. Establish procedures to assure this is done on a routine, periodic basis, and not just for
the exercise.
Confirm that designated team leaders are responsible for directing field team operations. Each team
member should have clearly defined duties.
Brief teams, prior to deployment, on the nature of the incident, the chemical(s) released, and
meteorological information. Remind team members of team and individual duties as well as all
safety procedures.
Test procedures calling for instruments and communications to be checked prior to deployment. This
precludes having to return to the site to replace the equipment once the team has deployed to the
incident.
HUMAN SERVICES
Make allowances for previous work commitments that may prevent full participation of volunteers
in a exercise. All key positions must be filled by primary or alternate staff.
Challenge agencies responsible for mass care by having them demonstrate their capability to provide
health for citizens with special needs (e.g., people in wheelchairs).
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PUBLIC WORKS
Include public works personnel in an exercise. Generally, they are called upon to furnish equipment,
materials, and personnel (e.g., for diking of spilled chemicals) to aid in mitigating a hazardous
materials incident. While they are quite experienced.in routine duties, they may lack the special
training needed during hazardous materials incidents (e.g., protective equipment, hazard awareness).
Many of the suggestions found under INITIAL NOTIFICATION OF RESPONSE AGENCIES,
DIRECTION AND CONTROL, and WARNING SYSTEMS AND EMERGENCY PUBLIC
NOTIFICATION response functions also apply, especially since Public Works is often not thought
of as an "emergency response" agency.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS
Identify and determine the characteristics and risks of the hazardous materials(s) involved in the
;> exercise. Once the hazardous material and its form (e.g., liquid, gas, or solid) is identified using a
material safety data sheets (MSDS), shipping papers, waybills, identification numbers, labels, placards,
and the shape and type of shipping package (e.g., tankcar, cylinder, drum), its risks should be studied
and analyzed using emergency response guidebooks and other technical references. This skill is
particularly important for transportation accidents, which are more unpredictable than incidents at
fixed facilities which use the same hazardous materials. The U.S. Department of Transportation's
"Emergency Response Guidebook" (1990) and the Association of American Railroads', "Emergency
Handling of Hazardous Materials in Surface Transportation" (1989) and "Emergency Action Guides"
(1984, with supplements up to and including 1990) are useful guidebooks for aiding first responders
in identifying the hazardous material, analyzing its hazards, and establishing an effective course of
action.
« Contact manufacturers of the hazardous material(s) involved and appropriate industry organizations
and services for information and help in hazard identification and analysis. Contacting the
manufacturer of the hazardous materials can provide the most useful information. Industry services
such as the Chemical Manufacturers Association's Chemical Transportation Emergency Center
(CHEMTREC) can also provide initial response and medical information and assistance in contacting
the manufacturer, transporters, and shippers. The number for CHEMTREC is 1-800-424-9300,
Demonstrate the use of CAMEO II or other computer tools to assess the situation and their use in
managing the response.
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VI. TAPPING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
In preparing for a hazardous materials exercise, a response organization utilizes its own resources and
may. also look for resources that may be available through mutual aid agreements. Additionally, the response
organization might consider tapping resources from the State government, Federal government, and the private
sector.
State and Federal agencies have been conducting emergency exercises over the years as a prudent course
of action for ensuring emergency preparedness to deal with catastrophic situations. Private sector companies
are increasingly holding exercises at facility sites to test their response procedures and safety systems. As a
result, a good deal of "outside" expertise may be available for supporting a local exercise. At the State level, the
SERC would be an obvious point of contact. Other State agencies that may be of assistance include the State
emergency management office, environmental health agency, and transportation agency.
A response organization can also access a variety of Federal resources and technical assistance to
support its exercise. Resources include pre-scripted scenarios, a computer exercise generator that allows a
scenario to be tailored to local circumstances, training courses that incorporate exercises, and written guidance
on conducting exercises. Also available are specialists who can assist in exercise design and evaluation,
videotapes, incident data that can be used to develop an exercise, and computer software for modeling chemical
spills, plume movement, effectiveness of in-place sheltering, and movement of evacuation traffic. These models
can be used for planning, developing exercise scenarios, helping to make protective action decisions, and
measuring the effectiveness of protective actions. A number of Federal agencies in sponsoring their own
exercises, actively encourage State and local participation.
Table 3 provides a summary of the resources available from Federal agencies. Following Table 3 is
more detailed information on available Federal agency resources. Depending upon the type of resource required,
local officials may contact a Federal agency directly or contact the Regional Response Team (RRT) which is
composed of Federal agencies and State RRT representatives. The State RRT representative is the most direct
conduit for obtaining RRT support. It is strongly recommended that a response organization seeking substantial
Federal assistance and support coordinate any requests through the State. Many States have resources that could
be used to complement or supplement Federal resources. Start by contacting the SERC, State agencies, and
Federal Regional Offices.
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TABLE 3: FEDERAL RESOtMCES
AGENCY3
RESOURCE
Pre-scripted
Scenarios
Computer Exercise
Generator
Computer Resource
Tools"
Computer-Based
Modeling
Exercise Training
Courses
Written Guidance
Exercise Specialists/
Evaluators
Videotapes
Incident Data
Exercise Sponsorship
HMIXb
FEMA
HR
HR
HR
HR
HR
HR
HR
HR
H
HR
HR
EPA
HR
HR
HR
R
HR
R
HR
USCG
HR
R
R
HR
DOT
RSPA
H
H
DHHS
ATSDR
HR
H
H
DOC
NOAA
R
R
DOD
H
H = Headquarters R = Regional Offices or Districts
"See list of acronyms on page 51.
bSee discussions of appropriate Federal agency's resources listed below (i.e., CAMEO, IEMIS, CADET).
FEDERAL AGENCY RESOURCES ,
I
National Response System
The National Response System was created under the authority of the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) which required the development of the National
Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (commonly known as the National Contingency Plan
or NCP). The purpose of the plan is to provide the Federal organizational structure and procedures for
preparing for and responding to discharges of oil and releases of hazardous substances. The plan establishes
three organizational levels: the National Response Team (NRT), Regional Response Teams (RRTs), and On-
Scene Coordinators (OSCs). .
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NRT - A national planning, policy, and coordinating body consisting of 14 Federal agencies with interests
and expertise in emergency response to oil discharges and hazardous substance releases.
RRTs - Regional planning, policy, and coordinating bodies located in the ten Federal regions, the
Caribbean, Pacific Oceania, and Alaska. RRT membership parallels NRT membership with the addition of
a representative from each State in the region. Neither the NRT nor the RRTs respond directly to
incidents although they provide technical advice to an OSC and have access to resources (e.g., equipment)
during an incident. Three Joint Response Teams have also been established to promote international
planning and coordination along our borders with Canada, Mexico, and the USSR.
OSC - A Federal official predesignated by the Environmental Protection Agency for inland areas and the j
U.S. Coast Guard for coastal areas. The OSG coordinates all Federal containment, removal, and disposal j
efforts and resources during an incident. Other Federal agencies, such as the Department of Defense and j
Department of Energy, also have designated OSCs for dealing with any releases from their facilities. \
Through the National Response Team and Regional Response Teams (RRT), Federal agencies are
working to combine their exercise resources, to share information, to broaden exercises to include hazardous
materials scenarios, and to expand exercise involvement to include all interdisciplinary elements. Each RRT is
co-chaired by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG). To
contact the RRT Co-Chairs, utilize the FEMA-DOT Hazardous Materials Information Exchange (HMIX) for
an up-to-date list of names, addresses, and telephone numbers^
The NRT, RRTs, and OSCs, together with the National Response Center (NRC), form the National
Response System, which is responsible for the overall coordination of Federal activities related to oil discharges
and hazardous materials releases. The National Response Center, a central point for receiving incident
notifications and collecting incident information, provides technical data to support OSCs in response during an
incident.
The National Contingency Plan also establishes requirements for Federal regional and OSC contingency
plans. A regional contingency plan must be developed by each RRT as a means for coordinating timely, effective
responses by Federal agencies and other organizations to oil discharges and hazardous substance releases. An
OSC contingency plan may be developed for responses in each OSCs area of responsibility. OSC contingency
plans should be compatible with all appropriate response plans of State, local, and other non-Federal entities.
,» National ResponseCeaier ,' * , ,
J>"*vv.*"%% '' ''' ' '
*ToU-lr«e telephone inunber for repertiag oil and IJazsardous substance releases!'
35
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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides a number of resources to assist State
and local officials in designing, conducting, and evaluating emergency exercises.
Regional Offices
FEMA Regional Office Hazardous Materials Program Staff members are available, as time permits, to
assist State and local governments in all aspects of planning, conducting, and evaluating exercises. Moreover,
an Exercise Specialist in each FEMA Regional Office serves as a focal point for scenario development, pre-
cxercisc training, and post-exercise evaluation.
FEMA also supports a State Training Officer and an Exercise Training Officer (ETO) in almost all
State Emergency Management Offices. The ETOs are available to aid local communities by furnishing materials,
planning exercises, conducting pre-exercise training, evaluating exercises and preparing after-action reports.
Exercise Training Officers meet once a year at FEMA's National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg,
MD, to discuss exercise issues. The Exercise Training Officers are usually responsible for coordinating the State
and Local Exercise Annex (SLE) required under FEMA's CCA.
Comprehensive Cooperative Agreements (CCA)
FEMA's CCA provides State governments with a single vehicle for applying for and receiving financial
and technical assistance available under FEMA's grant programs. Under the CCA, participating State and local
jurisdictions receiving FEMA funding are required under the SLE Annex to develop/update a 4-year exercise
plan for validating emergency preparedness and response capabilities. As part of this plan, one full-scale exercise
must be conducted during the 4-year period and at least a functional exercise is to be undertaken hi each of the
remaining 3 years. (FEMA may even give credit for an actual major emergency and/or disaster hi lieu of a
functional or full-scale exercise.)
Exercises must be rotated each year among three primary scenarios - National Security (NS), Natural
Hazard (NH), and Technological Hazard (TH). Hazardous materials exercises may be accredited as meeting
the Technological Hazard exercise required by the SLE Annex in the CCA. States are responsible for seeing
that roughly 1/3 of the local communities use one of the three primary scenario types each year. The aim is to
allow a community to exercise all emergency functions (e.g., direction and control, fire and rescue) related to
its major hazards over a reasonable period of tune.
As a result of this 4-year exercise requirement, States are required to submit annually an exercise
schedule for each local community indicating the proposed major scenario event, the exercise type, and the
quarter for each exercise during the year. After an exercise has been completed, FEMA Form 95-16, Exercise
Data is used for documenting the purpose of the exercise, hazard scenario, agencies represented, functions tested,
problems encountered, etc. A computer-generated program is available to States to input FEMA Form 95-16
and generate various reports. (A copy of the form appears hi Appendix B.) In FY 1989, over 1,300 local
exercises included hazardous materials as the primary incident or as a secondary impact according to the data
base.
If a hazardous materials exercise is not included hi the 4-year plan for a given year as the major scenario
event, and there is a desire to conduct a hazardous materials exercise, consideration should be given to
incorporating a hazardous materials consequence as a secondary impact hi an already scheduled exercise (e.g.,
flood, earthquake, national security). A community opting to do this could thus meet the requirements of
FEMA's CCA and at the same time satisfy any expectations for exercising plans developed under SARA Title
ill*
36
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Training Resources
FEMA also offers a 4-1/2 day Exercise Design Train-the-Trainer course to qualify instructors to conduct
the course in the field. Trainers are given an orientation on educational philosophy; exercise design and
methodology; and effective use of the instructor guide, student manual, and other resource materials. The 3-day
field version of the course provides knowledge and develops skills that will enable the students to train a staff
.and to conduct an exercise that will test a community's plan and operational response capability. Through the
Exercise Design Train-the-Trainer course and other courses, FEMA delivers some 12-14 classroom exercises
each year.
FEMA also offers a training course, "Radiological Emergency Preparedness Exercise Evaluation," for
evaluating commercial nuclear power plant offsite exercises. Since many aspects of REP planning and exercises
are applicable to hazardous materials, attendance at this course has some practical utility for hazardous materials
planners. Additionally, FEMA holds periodic earthquake and national security exercises which involve
State/local participation and may include hazardous materials as a secondary scenario.
The Emergency Education Network (EENET) is FEMA's one-way video, two-way audio, satellite-
distributed system that beams live programs on emergency management subjects, such as exercising, across the
country. EENET provides live, interactive training and education to approximately 68,000 emergency managers
and a secondary audience of over 100,000 people.
Computer Resources
FEMA and the Department of Transportation jointly manage the Hazardous Materials Information
Exchange (HMIX) which provides up-to-date information on Federal hazardous materials training courses
(including courses dealing with exercises), regional public and private sector hazardous materials activities,
upcoming events and meetings, recent legislation and regulations, and organizational resources. Information can
be accessed through a personal computer having communications capability or a terminal and modem by dialing
(708) 972-3275. An information systems technician is available to provide assistance Monday through Friday, 8:30
A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Central Time on the toll free line, 1-800-PLANFOR (752-6367); Illinois residents may dial
1-800-367-9592. A toll free line also provides access to HMIX 24-Hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-874-2884.
FEMA's National Emergency Training Center has a library of fully tested exercise scenarios for a broad
range of disasters including hazardous materials. These scenarios may be modified to meet the special needs
of a community. A computerized exercise training design package known as CADET, Computer Aided Design
for Exercise Training, is also available through FEMA Regional Offices. The computer software, consisting of
16 floppy discs, is designed to run on IBM-compatible personal computers. The user selects exercise objectives
and then customizes the program by providing specific names for rosters, places, etc. The computer generates
the complete scenario including events, printed messages, and evaluation forms.
ARCHIE, the Automated Resource for Chemical Hazard Incident Evaluation, is a computerized
consequence analysis tool for the DOT/EPA/FEMA developed Handbook of Chemical Hazard Analysis
Procedures. The ARCHIE can be used to generate realistic hazard scenarios based upon hazard data inputted
by the user. This tool and companion handbook is available from the three producing agencies.
FEMA has developed the Integrated Emergency Management Information System (IEMIS), a general-
purpose, computer-assisted system which can be directly applied to hazardous materials incidents including
support of exercises and real-time responses. Chemical spills, plume movement, in-place sheltering, and traffic
movement can be simulated under varying weather conditions. The resulting technical information can be used
for planning, developing exercise scenarios, helping to make protective action decisions, and measuring the
effectiveness of protective actions.
37
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FEMA's Capability and Hazard Identification Program (CHIP) is a nationwide data base that includes
over 3,800 State and local jurisdictions. Data are available on local hazards, local capability to deal with those
hazards, and plans for addressing capability shortfalls. The CHIP data can be used to identify areas of weakness
that might be tested in an exercise and/or be used for determining exercise objectives.
Exercise Programs
As an element of its Hazardous Materials Program, FEMA has developed the Hazardous Materials
Exercise Evaluation Methodology (HM-EEM) and Manual as a part of its technical assistance to State and local
governments. The document, developed in response to the need for a standardized and objective-based exercise
evaluation tool, is intended for use by State and local governments in evaluating hazardous materials exercises/
conducted to validate emergency plans and identify opportunities to improve preparedness. The HM-EEM is
a scries of modules prepared to evaluate 15 major exercise objectives (see Appendix A) covered by response
plans prepared using the guidance contained in NRT-1 and CPG 1-8. The HM-EEM may be subdivided into
modules using a matrix that links the objectives to specific emergency functions or locations. A companion HM-
EEM Manual defines the exercise objectives and provides additional detailed information on each objective to
aid in hazardous materials exercise evaluation. Additionally, a blank timeline is contained within the document
to facilitate in the reconstruction of significant exercise events.
Under its Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program, FEMA provides technical assistance
to State and local governments for offsite radiological emergency planning and exercising around commercial
nuclear power plants. Currently, 71 nuclear power plant sites are operational in the U.S. involving some 441
local communities in offsite preparedness within the 10 mile emergency planning zone. States and local
governments are required .to participate in a joint exercise with a-, commercial nuclear power plant once every
two years. Federal evaluation of these exercises identifies strengths and inadequacies which the States and local
governments are asked to correct. This process of periodic exercises and corrective actions is a key to the high
level of emergency preparedness around commercial nuclear power plants which has led many officials to
conclude that communities near a nuclear power plant are among the best prepared to cope with any type of
emergency.
38
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For information on these or other resources FEMA has to offer, contact your FEMA Regional Office.
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39
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FEDlBit EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGlNOf
REGION I
FEMA
Room 462
J.W. McConnack Post Office
& Courthouse Building
Boston, MA 02109-4595
617/223-4412,
FTS/223-4412
REGION II
FEMA
Room 1351 }
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278}
212/238-8225
FTS/649-8225
REGION III
FEMA
Second Floor,
Liberty Square Building
105 South Seventh St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215/931-5528
FTS/489-5528
REGION IV
FEMA
Suite 700
1371 Peachtree St. RE.
Atlanta, GA 30309
404/853-4454
FTS/230-4454
REGION V
FEMA
Fourth Floor
175 West Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-2698
312/408-5524
FTS/363-5524
REGION VI
FEMA
Federal Regional Center
800 North Loop 288
Denton, TX 76201-3698
817/898-9137
FTS/749-9137
REGION VII
FEMA
Room 200
911 Walnut St.
Kansas City, MO 64106
816/283-7011
FTS/759-7011
REGION VIII
FEMA
Denver Federal Center
Building 710, Box 25267
Denver, CO 80225-0267
303/235-4923
FTS/322-4923
REGION IX
FEMA
Building 105
Presidio of San Francisco, CA 94129
415/923-7187
FTS/469-7187
REGION X
FEMA ',
Federal Regional Center
130 228th St., S.W.
Bothell,WA 98021-9796
206/487-4696
FTS/390-4696
40
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers a range of resources and assistance for hazardous
materials exercises. EPA Regional Offices play an integral part in working with State and local officials to ensure
effective exercises are conducted. If a State or local community intends to exercise a SARA Title HI plan, the
Regional Office Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention (CEPP) Coordinators are available to
provide assistance and advice. Two sources of direct technical assistance in conducting exercises include the
Environmental Response Team (ERT) and contractor support, particularly from the EPA Technical Assistance
Teams (TATs). ,
EPA's Environmental Response Team (ERT), located in Cincinnati, OH and Edison, NJ, is a group of
highly trained scientists and engineers having expertise in multimedia sampling and analysis, hazard evaluation,
environmental assessment, and clean-up techniques. The ERT offers assistance in conducting full-field exercises,
coordinating the effort with EPA Regional Offices. The ERT works with a community to design a scenario
relevant to the local situation and serves as a facilitator in carrying out the exercise. A debriefing is held on the
day following an exercise which allows participants to evaluate their roles and to identify areas and gaps in
planning activities and response capabilities which need to be addressed. The ERT, which is available to provide
overall technical support to On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) in actual incidents, conducts approximately ten full-
field exercises a year.
EPA offers a number of training courses in safety and technical operations related to hazardous
materials responses. Known as the "165 Series," these courses cover topics such as response safety decision
making, air surveillance for hazardous materials, sampling, hazard evaluation and environmental risk assessment,
and incident mitigation and treatment methods. Three courses in the 165 series include response exercises as
part of the course content: Personnel Protection and Safety (165.2), Hazardous Materials Incident Response
Operations (165.5), and Hazardous Materials Response for First Responders (165.15). These exercises provide
students the opportunity to apply and test the lessons learned during the course in a "hands-on" mode, such as
using monitoring and sampling equipment to assess impacts of incidents and determining level of protective
clothing needed to respond safely.
EPA maintains a tape library which includes "The Day Before," a tape developed by EPA Region VII
on steps to consider hi developing an exercise, and videos of previous ERT exercises.
On a bilateral level, EPA is leading efforts of the Joint Response Team in working with Mexico and
Canada to include exercises as part of joint preparedness activities. Mexican officials participate in exercises
along the U.S.-Mexican border. As a product of these cooperative efforts, a modified table-top exercise has been
recently developed by Mexico and EPA Region IX. This type of exercise, which is called "written notification
exercise," is especially pertinent in those communities just beginning an involvement in hazmat planning and
response and to those with limited resources for exercising. The exercise is conducted in a low-profile,
structured, but non-confrontational manner.
The Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO) system, jointly developed by
EPA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is being used in all types of exercises to
provide information on chemical properties, wind directions, other meteorological information, plume movement,
populations centers at risk, and other significant information required hi an actual event. (See Department of
Commerce/NOAA section of this chapter for a detailed description of the CAMEO program.)
EPA fully supports interagency exercises and believes that better use can be made of the limited
resources available to all parties which recognize the value of exercises as part of their preparedness efforts.
Appendix C and Appendix D include "hands-on" information on scenarios and sequences of events which may
be useful in planning and conducting table-top and full-scale exercises. Appendix E contains a sample list of
41
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exercise participants. Appendix F contains a sample exercise planning checklist, and Appendix G includes a list
of potential exercise equipment needs.
Environmental Protection Agency' ""'; "" "
Chemical Emergency Vpstftf&nt&s ^&> '\7 ,
s s s ^ "" w
Environmental Protection CAgency
Emergeocy J^anniit^
Information Hotiine
1-SOO-S3S-0202 ^5"^
42
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ENVIROJNMEHTAI, PROTECTION AGENCY
' A0ENCY REGIONAL OFFICES
REGION I
EPA
New England Regional
Laboratory
60 Westview St.
Lexington, MA 02173
617/860-4300
FTS/860-4300, ext. 221
REGION II
EPA
Woodbridge Ave.
Edison, NJ 08837
201/321-6656
FTS/321-6656
REGION III
EPA
841 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215/597-0922
FTS/597-0922
REGION IV
EPA
345 Courtland St., N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30365
FTS/257-3931
REGION V
EPA
230 S. Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60604
312/886-1964
FTS/886-1964
REGION VI
EPA
Allied Bank Tower
1445 Ross Ave
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
214/655-2270
FTS/255-2270 or 2277
REGION VII
EPA
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
913/236-2806
FTS/757-2806
REGION VIII
EPA
One Denver Place
Suite 1300 999-18th St.
Denver, CO 80202-2413
303/293-1723
FTS/564-1723
REGION IX
EPA, H-12
75 Hawthorne Street.
San Francisco, CA 94105
415/744-2100
FTS/484-2100
REGION X
EPA
1200 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
206/442-1263
FTS/399-4349
43
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U.S. COAST GUARD
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) sponsors, with RRT support, six On-Scene Coordinator /Regional
Response Team (OSC/RRT) exercise simulation training sessions across the country on an annual basis. Five
of these exercises involve coastal areas; the sixth focuses on an inland incident.
OCS/RRT exercises are comprehensive and realistic simulations of hazardous materials or oil incidents
used to evaluate plans, policies, procedures, and personnel. The focus of the exercise is on the OSC/RRT
relationship and the management of a major incident. Over 150 Federal, State, local, and industry officials
generally participate in a typical exercise. Participation in the exercise provides the opportunity for Federal
predcsignated OSCs and RRT members to assemble in a central location with the local response community.
Industry response representatives and clean-up contractors are also involved. All actions are simulated; no
equipment or personnel are dispatched.
The goal of the exercise is to allow all elements of the response community to work together. The
scenario is designed to reflect actual patterns in the host community. The Coast Guard Marine Safety School
at Yorktown, VA designs the scenarios in coordination with a selected team of local agency and industry
representatives. Generally, each simulation involves a 6-week process from initial planning through scenario
development and exercise conclusion. Exercise length is two days - eight hours of simulation activity conducted
in real time and three hours of open forum debriefing. The debriefing is a means to discuss any deficiencies and
necessary corrective actions as well as to reinforce positive results. Communities interested in participating in
a simulation should contact the RRT or the local predesignated Federal OSC.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
The Department of Transportation/Research and Special Programs Administration (DOT/RSPA) has
a variety of program resources and technical assistance which can support the development of comprehensive
hazardous materials exercises, with particular emphasis on transportation issues.
RSPA's primary source of hazardous materials transportation data, the Hazardous Materials Information
System (HMIS), can be used to identify either individual incident reports or compilations of State incident
history. The actual performance data derived from reports by carriers whenever there is an unintentional release
of hazardous materials can be a useful source of scenario material. Individual incident information includes types
of vehicles and materials involved, deaths and injuries, if any, resulting from the incident, losses and property
damage, estimated cost of decontamination, and nature of packaging failure. New emphasis has been placed on
enhancing HMIS use; RSPA encourages requests for data.
Information emanating from enforcement activity can be used both in determining objectives for
exercises and in setting up scenarios based on identified patterns of chemicals being shipped on major
44
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transportation routes. DOT is encouraging State and local communities to collect traffic flow information in
order to allocate resources and plan emergency response efforts. As information about frequent violations
becomes available, planners will have an additional resource for refining their hazard analysis.
As part of the cooperative training initiatives under the auspices of the National Response Team
Training Committee, RSPA has established a curriculum exchange effort to identify State-developed training
materials, case studies, and exercise scenarios which can be utilized as resource materials. These materials will
be collected and indexed for information sharing. '
As a result of increased communication among local, State, Federal agencies, and industry efforts like
the Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) program, considerable information is being
informally shared about exercise plans. DOT is increasing efforts to load this information on the FEMA-DOT
Hazardous Materials Information Exchange (HMIX).
ARCHIE, the Automated Resource for Chemical Hazard Incident Evaluation, is a computerized
consequence analysis tool for the DOT/EPA/FEMA developed Handbook of Chemical Hazard Analysis
Procedures. The ARCHIE can be used to generate realistic hazard scenarios based upon hazard data inputted
by the user. This tool and companion handbook is available from the three producing agencies.
New DOT guidelines can be used to assist State officials in evaluating alternative routing approaches
which can be tested in exercises. An additional planned resource is RSPA analyses of major transportation
incidents. Site visits are planned to document what lessons can be learned for planning and emergency response
activities.
Another well-established resource to emergency responders is the DOT Emergency Response
Guidebook. It is a guide for initial action to be taken when handling incidents involving hazardous materials.
It covers over two thousand chemicals and includes potential hazards, emergency actions, and initial
isolation/evacuation distances for selected hazardous materials. The information on protective action and
isolation distances can be utilized for exercises.
- ..Research and Special Rragraias
* -' 4fl
-------
input will address contamination reduction and decontamination activities related to response personnel,
emergency medical services, and hospital emergency rooms. Exercises requiring decision making related to
overall public health are also encouraged.
l* of Health and BHJHIMJ' .Resources
8i^«y₯fc** *"*"",. ,
uyior tfcxie Substances a»d Disease Registry "
- ~
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE >
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the Department of Commerce
(DOC) currently makes available operational models for spill responses (spill trajectory and air dispersion) which
can be used in exercises. For example, the Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO)
system, developed by NOAA in cooperation with the fire department of Seattle, WA, is receiving increasing use
by local emergency management organizations. The CAMEO system is a program jointly managed by NOAA
and EPA. CAMEO is distributed by the Environmental Health Center of the National Safety Council in
Washington, D.C.
CAMEO is designed to help emergency planners and first responders both plan for, and safely handle,
chemical accidents. CAMEO contains response information and recommendations for 2,629 commonly
transported chemicals; an air dispersion model to assist in evaluating release scenarios and evaluation options;
and several easily adaptable databases, and a computational program that addresses the emergency planning
provisions of Title III, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. CAMEO can be
used for tabletop exercises and simulations and for hazards analysis training.
CAMEO can include such diverse information as facility floor plans with chemical storage locations;
contacts lists; locations of schools, hospitals, and other population concentrations; response resources; and maps
of the planning area, overlaid with plumes calculated by the air model.
CAMEO operates in Macintosh and MS-DOS (IBM-compatible) computers; both computers programs
are functionally equivalent.
46
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National Oceaaic and. Atmospheric Administration
inf ott$ $fcfc#&l$ «^|>6
Sand Foiat Way,. NJE*
~
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Each military service in the Department of Defense (DOD) has well-established programs for routine
testing of emergency response plans.
The U.S. Army Material Command Surety Field Activity, for example, is responsible for providing
technical supervision of the Army Material Command's chemical surety, nuclear, and nuclear reactor facility
accident/incident response and assistance activities, including exercising of the Army Service Response Force.
'Army installations/organizations that have the mission of storing, handling, or using military hazardous materials
are required to develop contingency or operation response and assistance plans. Additionally, they are required
to conduct quarterly exercises. One of these exercises should involve testing existing State, local, or other
supporting agency plans on an annual basis.
Every two years, the Army through the Army Material Command conducts an Army-wide training
exercise to test and improve the Army's capability to respond to an incident involving chemical surety materials.
The first of these exercises included FEMA and EPA as participants. As a result of this exercise, it was
recommended that offsite response considerations be extended to include greater participation from State and
local government representatives and to focus greater attention on the needs of evacuated civilians. The exercise
also emphasized the needier clarification of OSC designation during an incident at a defense facility.
Department of the Army
' *!$&. &&f% Material
Sarety Field Activity
^ HI
PRIVATE SECTOR RESOURCES
In addition to State and Federal agency support, the private sector can provide numerous resources (e.g.,
technical assistance, planning capabilities, equipment). Industry resources, when combined with local, State, and
perhaps Federal resources and assistance, can improve overall emergency preparedness, promote public safety,
and provide for a multi-disciplinary approach to a comprehensive exercise program.
47-
-------
The Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) program initiated by the Chemical
Manufacturers Association (CMA) is one example of available private industry resources. This program
encourages chemical plant managers to take the initiative in cooperating with local communities to develop
integrated emergency plans for responding to hazardous materials incidents.
Another example is the TRANSCAER program which is jointly sponsored by CMA and numerous trade
associations such as the Association of American Railroads (AAR), National Association of Chemical
Distributors (NACD), National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC), American Petroleum Institute (API), and the
American Waterways Operators (AWO), to name a few. While CAER is focused in communities where
chemical facilities operate, its sister program, TRANSCAER, has begun in towns where hazardous materials are
transported - via air, rail, highway, water, and/or pipeline. It is a three-way communications effort among
industry, transporters, and the public to increase community awareness and improve emergency preparedness -
- especially in communities where hazardous materials are transported.
On another front, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has
issued standards for Plant, Technology, and Safety Management that hospitals and other healthcare organizations
must meet in order to receive and maintain accreditation. These standards require healthcare organizations to
develop an emergency preparedness program designed to manage the consequences of natural disasters or other
emergency situations that might disrupt an organization's ability to provide health care and treatment.
The JCAHO standards require healthcare organizations to demonstrate semiannuallv how they would
implement their emergency preparedness program either in response to an actual incident or through a
planned drill. Communities may want to consider coordinating their hazardous materials exercises with local
hospital drills.
With the increased awareness of chemicals in the environment supported by recent legislation, numerous
quality training programs and computer software applications for data storage and emergency response modeling
are readily available. While all these resources will not be discussed in detail in this handbook, be aware that
additional resources are available which may enhance a comprehensive exercise program.
48
-------
«f American
Bureau of Explosives
28901
M St N'.W.
20037
2G2/8874JU1&
o« Accreditatioa «F Heaitncare
North Michigan Avenue ~
cai^t^
SI2/642-6861
. To contact Federal Agency and Private Sector sources of exercise assistance, utilize the FEMA-DOT
Hazardous Materials Information Exchange (HMIX) at (708) 972-3275 or 1-800-874-2884. The HMIX computer
bulletin board contains an up-to-date list of names, addresses, and telephone numbers as well as other resources
to tap prior to an exercise. The HMIX is one of the best ways to stay abreast of available exercise resources.
49
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-------
ABBREVIATIONS/ACRONYMS
AAR
API
ARCHIE
ATSDR
AWO
CADET
CAER
CAMEO
CCA
CEPP
CERCLA
CHEMTREC
CHIP
CMA
CPG 1-8
DOC
DOD
DHHS
DOT
EBS
EMS
EOC
EOF
EOS
EPA
ERT
ETA
ETO
FE
FEMA
FSE
HAZMAT
HM-EEM
HMIS
HMIX
ICS
IEMIS
IEMS
JCAHO
JIC
Association of American Railroads
American Petroleum Institute
Automated Resource for Chemical Hazard Incident Evaluation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
American Waterway Operators
Computer Aided Design for Exercise Training
Community Awareness and Emergency Response
Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations
Comprehensive Cooperative Agreement
Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980
Chemical Transportation Emergency Center
Capability and Hazard Identification Program
Chemical Manufacturers Association
Civil Preparedness Guide 1-8, "Guide for Development of State and Local Emergency
Operations Plans," Federal Emergency Management Agency, October 1985
Department of Commerce
Department of Defense
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Transportation
Emergency Broadcast System
Emergency Medical Service
Emergency Operating Center
Emergency Operations Plan
Emergency Operations Simulation
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Response Team
Estimated Tune of Arrival
Exercise Training Officer
Functional Exercise
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Full-Scale Exercise
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous Materials Exercise Evaluation Methodology
Hazardous Materials Information System
Hazardous Materials Information Exchange
Incident Command System
Integrated Emergency Management Information System
Integrated Emergency Management System
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
Joint Information Center
51
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ABBREVIATIONS/ACRONYMS (Cont'd.)
LEPC Local Emergency Planning Committee "
MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet
NACD National Association of Chemical Distributors
NCP National Contingency Plan
Nil Natural Hazard
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NRC National Response Center
NRT National Response Team " ..._.
NRT-1 "Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Guide," March 1987, National Response Team
NRT-1A "Criteria for Review of Hazardous Materials Emergency Plans," May 1988, National Response
Team
NS National Security
NTTC National Tank Truck Carriers
OSC On-Scene Coordinator
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PIO Public Information Officer
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
REP Radiological Emergency Preparedness
RRT Regional Response Team
RSPA Research and Special Programs Administration (DOT)
SARA Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986
SERC State Emergency Response Commission
SLE State and Local Exercise Annex
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
STCC Standard Transportation Commodity Classification
TAT Technical Assistance Team
TH Technological Hazard
TT Tabletop Exercise
TRANSCAER Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response
USCG U.S. Coast Guard
52
-------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Argonne National Laboratory. Exercise Summary Report, "Joint Response '87: Evaluation of the April 25,
1987, Hazardous Materials Exercise at the Feed Materials Processing Center, Fernald, Ohio," June 1987.
Association of American Railroads/Chemical Manufacturers Association. "Moving HAZMAT Safely: A
Partnership That Works," July 1988.
Baumgardner, Eileen and Simons, Edward; "Incorporating Multiple Hazard Impacts Into an Exercise," Presented
at the Hazardous Materials Spill Conference, May 1988.
Bledsoe, Clark; "Multidisciplinary Considerations in Exercise Design," Presented at the Hazardous Materials
Spills Conference, May 1988.
Chemical Manufacturers Association. "Community Emergency Response Exercise Program," 1986.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. Video Teleconference, "Liability and Risk Management: Emergency
Management Issues," March 1987.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. Civil Preparedness Guide 1-3, "CCA General Program Guidelines;
Chapter 13, State and Local Exercise Requirements," June 1987. (Supersedes CPC 84-2, "A Conceptual
Approach to State and Local Exercises," April 17, 1984.) ,
Federal Emergency Agency, "Hazardous Materials Exercise Evaluation Methodology and Manual," Interim Use,
October 1989.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. "The Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan Field Exercise -
- FFE-2 Evaluation Report, Volume I. Exercise Planning," April 6, 1988 (2nd Draft)
Federal Emergency Management Agency, et al. Video Tele-conference, "Emergency Exercises - Getting Involved
in Community Preparedness," December 1986.
National Response Team. NRT-1, "Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Guide," March 1987.
U. S. Department of Labor. "Occupational Safety and Health Administraton (OSHA) Form 174: Material Safety
Data Sheet - OMB No. 1218-0072, September 1985.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Preparedness and Prevention Technical Assistance Bulletin #1,
"Simulation Exercises in Chemical Emergency Preparedness Programs."
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Preparedness and Prevention Technical Assistance Bulletin #2, '?A
Guide to Planning a Table-Top Exercise."
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Preparedness and Prevention Technical Assistance Bulletin #3, "A
Guide to Planning and Conducting Field Simulation Exercises."
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII Office. "The Day Before. . .," 1987.
53
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-------
APPENDICES A-Q
-------
-------
APPENDIX A
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS EXERCISE
EVALUATION METHODOLOGY (HM-EEM)
AND MANUAL OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVE 1:
OBJECTIVE 2:
OBJECTIVE 3:
OBJECTIVE 4:
OBJECTIVES:
OBJECTIVE 6:
OBJECTIVE 7:
OBJECTIVE 8:
OBJECTIVE 9:
OBJECTIVE 10:
EMERGENCY CONDITION LEVELS
Demonstrate the ability to understand, use, and monitor emergency condition levels through
the appropriate implementation of emergency functions and activities corresponding to
emergency condition levels. The three standard levels are potential emergency condition,
limited emergency condition, and full emergency condition.
STAFF MOBILIZATION AND 24-HOUR OPERATIONS
Demonstrate the ability to fully alert, mobilize, and activate personnel for emergency
response and maintain operations over a 24-hour period.
DIRECTION AND CONTROL
Demonstrate the ability to direct, coordinate, and control emergency activities.
SUPPLEMENTARY ASSISTANCE
Demonstrate the ability to identify the need for and request emergency assistance from
Federal and other support agencies.
COMMUNICATIONS
Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate with all appropriate emergency response
locations, organizations, and personnel.
FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT AND DISPLAYS
Demonstrate the adequacy of facilities, equipment, displays, and other materials to support
emergency operations.
ALERT AND NOTIFICATION
Demonstrate the ability to alert the public of a hazardous materials emergency and begin
dissemination of instructional messages in a timely manner.
EMERGENCY PUBLIC INFORMATION
Demonstrate the capability of coordinating and disseminating accurate information regarding
a hazardous materials incident to the media and the public in a timely a manner.
POPULATION PROTECTIVE ACTION
Demonstrate the ability to make and implement appropriate protective action decisions based
upon projected risk to the public.
EMERGENCY WORKER DECONTAMINATION
Demonstrate the ability to monitor and control emergency worker contamination, and the
adequacy of procedures for waste disposal and equipment and vehicle decontamination.
A-l
-------
APPENDIX A
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS EXERCISE
EVALUATION METHODOLOGY (HM-EEM)
AND MANUAL OBJECTIVES (Cont'd.)
OBJECTIVE 11: TRAFFIC AND ACCESS CONTROL _
Demonstrate the organizational ability and resources necessary to control evacuation traffic
flow and to control access to evacuated and sheltered areas.
OBJECTIVE 12: POPULATION CONTAMINATION CONTROL
Demonstrate the ability to monitor and control hazardous materials contamination of the
public through an appropriate registration, contamination screening, and decontamination
process.
OBJECTIVE 13: RELOCATION CENTERS
Demonstrate the adequacy of procedures, facilities, equipment, and personnel for the
congregate care of evacuees. If appropriate, demonstrate the adequacy of procedures for the
registration, contamination screening, and decontamination of evacuees.
OBJECTIVE 14: MEDICAL SERVICES - TRANSPORTATION AND FACILITIES
Demonstrate the adequacy of personnel, procedures, equipment, and vehicles for transporting
contaminated and/or injured individuals, and the adequacy of medical personnel and facilities
to support the operation.
OBJECTIVE IS: REENTRY AND RECOVERY
Demonstrate the ability to determine and implement appropriate measures for controlled
reentry and recovery.
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Special Note: For copies of the, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS EXERCISE EVALUATION
METHODOLOGY (HM-EEM) and MANUAL, contact your FEMA Regional Office.
A-2
-------
APPENDIX B
FEMA FORM 95-16
EXERCISE DATA
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
EXERCISE DATA
QUARTER
O.Af.J. Wo. 3067-0139
Explnt October 31. 139
1. FEMA REGION
3. JURISDICTION
4. FIPS CODE
B. POPULATION
6. EMA FUNDED JURIS-
LEVEL OF EXERCISE
D Singlt Jurisdiction Q Sun
Q Multiiuriidictlon
8. EOC ACTIVATED
DYES C]NO
9. FIELD COMMAND
POST ESTABLISHED
CI] YES ONO
10. DATE(S) OF EXERCISE
11. PURPOSE OF EXERCISE fCTwe* at many a apply)
CD Test Reporting Procedures
CH Enhance Agency Coordination
D Validate Emergency Operations Plan (EOF)
D Satisfy CCA Program Requirements
n EMA n REP CD HP
CD Hazardous Materials LD Other:
CD Increase Awareness of Capa-
bilities & Vulnerabilities
D Other:
12. TYPE OF EXERCISE
C3 Functional (FE) CU Tabletop
CD Fullscale (FSE) (TT)
CD Actual Occurrence
(Disaster Response Questionnaire
FEMA Form 90-2 submitted)
d Yes GI No
13. HAZARDS SCENARIO (Circle "f to indicate the Primary Hazard and "S" for all Secondary Hazards.
NATURAL HAZARDS (NH)
t S Earthquake p s Fire (wild)
P S Flood
P S Hurricane
P s Tornado
P S Winter Storm
P s Other:
TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS (TH)
P S HAZMAT:
D Stationary
CU Transportation
P S Dam Failures
P S Nuclear Power Plant
P S Radiological
P S Fire (urban)
P S Transp. Accident
CD Air CU Water
D Rail
CD Highway
P S Other:
NATIONAL SECURITY (NS)
P S Attack
CD Nuclear
CD Conventional
P S Other:
14. NUMBER OF RESPONSE PARTICIPANTS (Indicate numo.r of penonnel In each catesory repre.ented,
Elected Official(s)
Police
Sheriff/Deputies
State Patrol/Police
Fire
Search & Rescue
EMS
National Guard
, Civil Air Patrol
Environmental Agency
Public Works
Hospital Personnel
Social Services
Public Health
Mental Health
Radiological Hearth
City/County Administration
Red Cross
Salvation Army
School Personnel
Amateur Radio
Utilities
Emergency Management
Transportation
Federal Responders
Private Industry
Public Information
News Media
Engineering
Volunteer Victims
Other:
TOTAL Participants
15. FUNCTIONS EVALUATED/TESTED [Check und«r " Y" :.- functor. performed accordin, ,o pian. ".V" if it d(d not. Leave 6ten* ,f not te.t.d,
. YN Y ' N YN
W.arni"9 Law Enforcement Resource Management Evacuation
Alert/Notification Health & Medica, EOC/Direction-Comroi Fire
Communications: Emergency Public Info. Transportation Search & Rescue
LJ Equipment Damage Assessment _ Legal Autn. & Resp. Other:
U Interagency Public Works Er.cr. EMS '
.Shelter utilities Mutual Aid
Radiological Prot. Incident Commano System
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED ICheck as many a appiy,
D Inadequate Emergency Operations Plan
I -
LJ Alert/Notification
Radioiogical Prot
LJ Standard Operating Procedures C Communications
' ' Lack of Resources (generators, equipment) CU Inadeauaie Interagency
n Inadequate Crowd/Traffic Control Coordination
E Lack of Elected Official Suppon LJ Lack of Personnel
C MeSSag8 C°ntr0' ln EOC C Other:
or all of the participant*)
JG (Training counei conducted for either tome
O Exercise Design Cl Table Top Exercise(s)
CU Exercise Briefings/Orientations CU Other:
18. REMEDIAL/FOLLOW-UP ACTION PLANISI
LH Update Plan D Otherf/ist; _
CU Additional Training (type)
NEXT SCHEDULED EXERCISE
Month/Year ^___
Type:
LJ FE CD FSE
Hazard:
CU TH CD NS
BY (Print name and title)
SIGNATURE
21. STATE EXERCISE ASSIST. OFFICER
-------
APPENDIX B
FEMA FORM 95-16
EXERCISE DATA (Cont'd.)
X ACCOMPLISHMENTS/SURVEY (LUt)
B-2
-------
APPENDIX C
SAMPLE TABLETOP EXERCISE SCENARIO AND SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
_._. t XYZ Chemicals, Inc., produces a smaU line of acids for sale in the manufacturing and trade market*
XYZ stores and handles a variety of chemicals on-site for use in its own processes; in aSSf XYZ £otX
are often stored on plant grounds pending shipment to customers. aaamon, A YZ, products
bSLe^
on the south is an mterstate highway that is heavily traveled. Within two miles north of the pS are sev^ L
The supervisor drives to investigate the accident. Smelling the strong presence of HF vapors in the air
the superior stops b. vehicle 200 feet from the accident site and radios the plant gate to n
by ^ 911' IQ '
**********
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND EXPECTED ACTIONS
Message:
From: Plant employee
To: 911
"This is a drill. There has been a chemical spill at the XYZ plant on Elm Street. "
Note: No information is provided on identity of chemicals involved.
C-l
-------
APPENDIX C (Cont'd.)
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND EXPECTED ACTIONS (Cont'd.)
T?xp<;cted Actions;
911 makes necessary notifications, including:
- Police Department
- Fire Department
- Emergency Medical Services
. Other notifications made, including:
- State Department of Environmental Management
- State Police
- Plainville Fire Department (to activate mutual aid)
- Middletown Hazmat Squad
- CHEMTREC/CHEMNET
- National Response Center
**EVENT at
Suffering Bye And S&snlr&fotf trritati <' '-.' "- - < ' ' *"?
;or
Kxpected Actions:
. First Responders (whether Fke, Poh'ce, or Emergency Medical Services (EMS)) - Situation
assessment: .
- Confer ivith plart rgrcnnnft1 trt dp.te.rmine identity of chemical(s)
- Count the number of evacuated personnel
Messages:
From: Plant employee
To: First responders
"The chemical leaking from tank is Anhydrous Hydrofluoric Acid (AHF); judging from the rate
of vapor formation, it is a rapid leak." '
Underlining identifies most important response activities.
C-2
-------
APPENDIX C (Cont'd.)
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND EXPECTED ACTIONS (Cont'd.)
Plant
Oestiifc Supervisor And'
Safely Oat 'Of
From: Plant employee
To: First responders
"Plant personnel have evacuated. Six evacuated workers have suffered injury. Shift supervisor and
^ ^ " miSSln' ^ knOW W°rkers havebee»
Police Departmenf (when they arrive):
- Close off access to plant
£M§ (when they arrive):
- Establish treatment zone in a safe area
- Begin examining/treating injured workers
- Radio for backup units
- Notify City Hospital to expect injured
Fire Department (when they arrive):
- Establish command post in a safe area
- Delineate "restricted areas", staging area, decontamination zone
- Determine personnel and equipment needs
Call for additional resources, as needed
- Squad 1 personnel (and possibly Middletown Hazmat team) suit up in protective clothing
to investigate leak and injured
- Squad 1 approaches accident site from upwind position
- Spokesman issues initial press statement
**EVENF 3i Wind Observed Blowing Out Of SDatb/Soutawesi At S MPH**
Message:
From: Exercise Director
To: Fire Department Incident Commander
"Winds blowing out of south/southwest at 5 MPH."
C-3
-------
APPENDIX C (Cont'd.)
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND EXPECTED ACTIONS (Cont'd.)
Expected Actions;
Begin consideration of evacuation option
Evacuation notices begin:
- School bus company (to dispatch 3 buses)
- Red Cross, Salvation Army
- Lake City Civil Defense
Message:
From: Exercise Director
To: Fire Department Incident Commander
"Three more injured workers have called in pom plant powerhouse."
Expected Actions:
Fire Department/Middletown Hazmat personnel (with protective gear) dispatched to
powerhouse to evacuate additional injured
Shift supervisor, two other initial injured employees evacuated by Squad 1 personnel to
decontamination zone
Initial injured are decontaminated (as necessary)
Initial injured are taken to EMS treatment zone
EMS begins triage/hospital evacuation procedures on initial injured
C-4
-------
APPENDIX C (Cont'd.)
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND EXPECTED ACTIONS (Cont'd.)
^ As A feM$ Of Valve Opww.13* IWCtf Aft? Ife St
'
Messages:
None.
Expected Actions:
Fire Department crew notifies Fire Department Incident Commander that leak has been
stopped
Fire Department begins vapor suppression, pool containment procedures
Fire Department personnel evacuate additional injured from powerhouse to decontamination
zone
Squad 1 members, additional injured decontaminated (as necessary)
Additional injured taken to EMS treatment area
EMS begins triage/hospital evacuation procedures
v,, **EHEJ4T fr Response Completed? Incident:
Messages:
From: Exercise Director
To: Fire Department Incident Commander
"The incident is over."
C-5
-------
APPENDIX C (Cont'd.)
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND EXPECTED ACTIONS (Cont'd.)
Expected Actions;
All response personnel notified
Triage/hospital evacuation completed
Access to plant reopened
Clean-up contractor^) notified
Press is briefed by press spokesman, plant spokesman
C-6
-------
APPENDIX D
SAMPLE FULL-SCALE EXERCISE SCENARIO AND SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
fl Chemical Co' Plant' located on L66 Highway, manufactures a variety of corrosive, toxic, and
flammable chemicals. Many of these chemicals are stored at the plant pending shipment to customers. The
plant occupies 50 acres of land and is situated in an area composed of commercial, industrial, and residential
buddings. The plant property is bounded on the north by Lee Highway, on the east by a rail line, on the south
by Interstate 20 and on the west by the Black River. Beyond the river to the west in the Black River Estates
housing development. South of Interstate 20 is the Clover Hill housing development. On the north side of Lee
Highway hes a mixture of commercial and industrial buildings. East of the railroad line, there are a variety of
industrial facilities. A railroad siding extends into the plant property to the outside storage area.
One clear Saturday morning, a day when the plant is not operating, a repair crew is working on replacins
a section of pipe that is connected to the top of an empty tank. After disconnection, a crane is used to lower
he pipe onto a flat bed truck. As the crane boom is swung over a nearby tank of liquid sulfur trioxide (SO,)
the cable snaps, thus dropping the pipe. The falling pipe shears off the SO3 tank's feedline between the tank
waU and the first block valve. The four-inch diameter feedline leading from the tank to the process plant begins
e7mfnim ** ^^ ^ ^^ between the leak and the tank Hmi^ the & of flow to 30 gallons
Spilled liquid from the SO3 tank collects within the containment dike surrounding the tanks UDOU
contact with the moisture in the air, the spilled SO3 vaporizes into a white mist resembling steam. The wind,
coming from the northwest at 5 mph, blows the vapors directly onto the nearby repair crew that had removed
ton oft £X IT Jl four/.eP^me* ^f "fueled by the vapors, with two of them lying unconscious on
top of the tank they had been working on. The lone conscious repairman drags the remaining workers from the
nazardous area and then runs into the main plant to report the accident. Experiencing burning eyes and difficult
breathing, he decides to remain indoors awaiting the arrival of the fire department
***************************^
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
""' '"--'- ; 111.1 ' IMI.-I .....
**£VENT #1* vTte Mortheasterf^ Wind Blows The YSpor Cloud oini»g Off The SpHted $vmr, "
Att-^Sn°"$ ^^^tl^y^dThk Diked"!^** |
Simulation Message:
Simulators will set off a white smoke grenade or other smoke/cloud generation device to simulate the SO, vapor
cloud. Large portable fans may have to be employed to direct the vapors in the desired direction dictated by
Ae exercise. An exercise "victim" should be lying outside of the diked area by away from the white smoke/cloud
Water from a hosehne ana,h,H t, the feedline of the SO3 tank will be flowing at a rate of 30 gmp into the diked
Written /Verbal Messagp.s-
None.
D-l
-------
APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
**EVENT #1* The N^&te&tfcrrty ^
Trfoxide TovmrdV
Exnected Actions:
. First arriving fire/rescue units report the on-scene situation to the emergency
communications center and request additional fire/rescue and police units (if necessary).
Rescue unconscious person near diked area and provide emergency medical treatment
following rescue.
Incident commander takes command and establishes:
- Command post (in safe location)
- Communications among response agencies at scene
- Staging area for in-coming apparatus
- Mechanism for on-going incident assessment
Ensure that emergency personnel wear appropriate protective gear.
Secure area around the incident scene.
. Attempt to locate a plant official who can identify the leaking material and provide technical
expertise concerning the tank, feedline, control valves, dike, etc.
""EVENT #2; The 1*$$. Repairmam That Reported The Accident Aftf** ^re/Reseiie^
Of Thfe Tvvo, Uh<;oiiS
-------
APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
ttoe Jnjorea B«£a1lrj»8» tfeat Reported The AceMent Advises F»re/E*s«ae
GfTheTW&UBCflnsetotis Workers Qn T0p Of^ The Tank Nesst To The Leaking T^
The Kcpairniai* TeBs fifow "Hie Accident Occotted And WaraS Off Hie Hazards Of the
s Vapers Emanating From The Spllted Liqoid, (Coafd*)** "
Expected Actions:
Plan strategy for the rescue of the two unconscious workers on top of the tank.
Provide emergency medical treatment for the repairman experiencing difficult breathing and
burning eyes. -
Contact CHEMTREC and/or other technical assistance organizations for assistance in
identifying the leaking chemical.
Activate the off-site emergency operations center (EOC) and notify key officials and agencies
of the local government. /
* ' . '' /'
Continue efforts to locate a plant official.
« Continue efforts to identify the leaking material.
Identify strategies and options for controlling the leak.
Arrange for specified equipment to be brought to the scene:
- Encapsulated suits
- Self-contained breathing apparatus
- Environmental monitors
- Patching/plugging materials
- Foam
- Diking materials
- Emergency medical supplies
, Notify the following:
- Community Emergency Coordinator
- National Response Center
- State Environmental Protection Agency
D-3
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APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
-, yr , -, ^
**EVENT $3; The Vapor C10«AT$ Approaching"Jfjibpst^te
Simulation Message:
Simulators will continue to generate the white cloud but not hi amounts great enough to transport the cloud to
the interstate, thus avoiding obstructing the view of passing motorists not involved in the exercise. The purpose
of the cloud is for realism at the actual storage tank area.
Verbal Message: (via two-way radio)
To: On-Scene Incident Commander
From: Emergency Communications Center
"Motorists on Interstate 20 are reporting "white smoke" just north of the interstate. Could that be coming from your
location?"
*
Expected-Aciions;
Initiate monitoring of vapor cloud and spill.
Confirm vapor cloud movement.
Close Interstate 20 downwind of the vapor cloud.
Consider protective actions for residents south of Interstate 20.
Request mutual aid (if necessary):
- Fire/rescue
- Hazardous materials team
- Emergency medical services
- Law enforcement
For arriving mutual aid units:
- Brief them about incident
- Assign tasks to them
- Ensure they wear appropriate protective gear
- Establish inter-organizational communications
Establish communications between the on-scene command post and the EOC, and
coordinate ah* response actions.
D-4
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APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
**EVENT #3: The Yapar Cloud T$ Approaching Interstate 2ft . ,
Simulation Message:
Simulators will continue to generate the white cloud and allow the 30 gpm flow of water into the diked area to
continue. The two "victims" on top of the tank should lie still to simulate unconsciousness.
Written/Verbal Message:
None.
Expected Actions:
Rescue the two unconscious workers if it is decided that adequate protective gear is
available at the scene for rescuers.
Provide emergency medical treatment for the two unconscious workers following then-rescue.
Establish an on-scene triage area for injured workers and emergency response personnel.
Up Tapo* Clowd Has Wato£M *ar As Interstate 30 And Is F^t Appreachlng Tta
Pover Hifl Housing DewKlopnteat A Plant Official Arrives On The Srasne Ahtl
, Ihe |»ci
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APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
EVENT #& Tike Vapor Ctoudl&s Moved A& iW As Interstate &* And Is
Clover Hill Housing B^d$|«nenfc K'Jftsent QKidsl Arrive O« Th£ $<#»* Aaif
The ractdeol Cdtoift&JBtter That The Leaking ftru&M* Is Liquid And T&at; Hie
C»lWC»ty Tank \%s Approximately $* Percent Full PW0r T0 The AwWent,
t he
Verbal Messages:
To: On-Scene Incident Commander
From: Emergency Communications Center
"Motorists are now reporting a white mist coming across the interstate from the northwest. They advise that it's
irritating to their eyes and throats."
To: On-Scene Police Department Commander
From: Patrol Unit
"TTie vapors from your location have reached Interstate 20 and are heading towards Clover Hill. Please advise."
To: On-Scene Incident Commander
From: PQX Chemical Company Official
T7ie leaking product is SO3. As of close of business yesterday, it contained approximately 55 tons o/SO3."
Expected Actions:
Evacuate Clover Hill and other nearby residences.
Open emergency shelters for evacuees.
Disseminate information to all emergency response personnel and agencies involved in the
incident that the leaking material has been identified as liquid SO3.
Contact CHEMTREC and/or other technical assistance organizations for:
- Chemical specific information ,
- Associated health hazards
- Recommended control/cleanup actions
Ensure that protective gear is compatible with SO3 is worn by all emergency personnel
operating in the vicinity of the leaking tank and vapor cloud.
Continue monitoring the vapor cloud for movement and concentration.
Identify strategies and options for reducing the quantity of vapors emanating from the spilled
S03.
Continue efforts to identify strategies and options for controlling the leak.
D-6
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APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
C&ad Has jMa^dTAs Far As Interstate 2ft And & fast Appr*fc*d«ttg
HBI HoiisJag Bev«i»pnttiBt» A Plant Official -Arrives QB-T&e Scene Aarf, Advises
CoiBroaSBaerllidtlligl^ay^FroaiKtl&a^
% Capacity Tank Was Apiproxfanately §& Percent Fall Prior To -Ute^Accideni
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APPENDIX D (Cont'd,)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
**£VENT #7* Winds Bfegia To Shift Frora *lhe Nottli^st To T0»e SoiiibsaSk H*e NaffoM Weattrei'
Service's Forecast l^ts Fo? Tsnrpmitories Attd'lfumidity T# Increase
' '**" '"'
Shift,**
Simulation Message;
Simulators will employ the use of large fans (if necessary) to simulate a wind shift so that the white cloud will
blow towards the west instead of the southwest. The simulated SO3 spill will be continued at 30 gpm.
Written Messages; (via messenger)
To: On-Scene Incident Commander
From: National Weather Service
"Be advised tliat winds will be shifting over the next 10-12 hours to the southeast at 3 mph. Temperatures will rise
5-7 degrees, and humidity will increase as well."
Verbal Messages; (via two-way radio)
To: On-Scene Police Department Commander
From: Patrol Unit
"I'm at the roadblock along westbound Interstate 20. It looks as though the vapor cloud is heading more
towards the west now, in the direction of Black River Estates." ,
To: On-Scene Incident Commander
From: Emergency Communications Center '
"Citizens are reporting irritating vapors in the Black River Estates area. We've received several calls on this."
Expected Actions;
Disseminate information to all emergency response personnel and agencies involved in the
incident concerning the wind shift said weather forecast.
Evacuate the Black River Estates housing development.
Open additional emergency shelters for evacuees.
Expand efforts to secure the area to the west of the plant:
- Set up roadblocks
- Reroute traffic ,
- Control spectators
D-8
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APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
Has
4if$iJWSisat Of lite Plank la Atfdfti
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APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
**BVENT #9? Two Kailro^ Tankers Ifctfe 8*e& Brought Onto Ifce Stdlag Nfatt T* The S,<5
Off-lading Operations Of The Tanfe Wi!i Be Difficult D«e To The J»re0ett<# Of
^**VJ^' "* - -'-" * "-" * ""-" -« -f "" «*** *^,i* . *t .t .. . . V^J..
Spitted Liquid
Simulation Message:
Simulators will continue to allow water to flow into the diked area and will continue to generate a white cloud
and direct it towards the west.
Verbal Messages:
To: Plant Official
From: Railroad Engineer ,
"How should I position the two empty tankcars for off-loading operations?"
To: On-Scene Incident Commander
From: Senior Fire Department Officer
'We're going to have a difficult time gaining access to the unloading outlet on the tank with all this liquid SO3
around the base of the tank. It would be unsafe to have anyone walk through the liquid, even, if they're wearing
Level A protective gear."
"Expected Actions:
Identify strategies and options for gaining access to the unloading outlet on the SO tank
without endangering the lives of the personnel assigned the task.
Off-load the SO3 from the tank to the railroad tank cars.
Continue monitoring the vapor cloud for movement and concentration.
**EVENT #10; Tfae Ptfodttrt Kte$,Bee& Completely Off-Loaded FiN&to The^Bk To Tine
Thus, Ending th£ LealcTVaors*: Hawev^ Contlnme Tp fee Given Off Front
Simulation Message;
Simulators will continue to generate a white cloud and direct it towards the west until actions are taken to
prevent the vaporization of product and/or pump the product to tanks.
D-10
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APPENDIX D (Cont'd.)
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (Cont'd.)
**EVENT #lfe The Vro&wt Has B,eea Completely Off-Loaded Fraaa Hie Tank T& The'Bailors,
:,X, ",",, " I." , Tiros, EmdijBg Tfcs Leak. Tspor% However, Continue To Be Gwea Off From The
% Spilled Li^ttidWithia The Dikes* (Oat'dL)** -- ~
Verbal Messages
To: On-Scene Incident Commander
From: Senior Fire Department Officer
'We just finished off-loading the SO3 to the tankcars. The leak has stopped."
To: On-Scene Incident Commander
From: Senior Fire Department Officer
"The contained liquid is still vaporizing."
Expected Actions:
Disseminate information to all emergency responders and agencies involved in the incident
that the leak has been stopped but that hazardous vapors continue to be generated from the
spilled material.
Continue monitoring the vapor cloud for movement and concentration.
Apply acid-based foam (if available) to the surface of the contained SO3 to prevent the
release of hazardous vapors (if not already done).
Pump liquid SO3 from the containment dikes into rail tank cars or other compatible tanks.
Consider post-incident operations, following the complete elimination of hazards, including:
- Cleanup
- Decontamination of personnel, equipment, apparatus, and property
- Removal and disposal of hazardous wastes
- Re-entry of evacuees to residential areas
- Opening of roads and the evacuated commercial/industrial area
- Continued air monitoring
D-ll
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OS? OF POSSIBLE SIMHIATJON EXE&OSE PARTICIPANTS
Fire Departments:
Local
Industrial
Medical:
Ambulance
Rescue squads
Toxicologists
Doctors
Poison control center
Hospital
Red Cross
Police Departments:
Local
County
State
Highway Patrol
Sheriff
Industrial security
Civil Defense/Disaster Serviced:
Local
State
Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA)
Health Departments:
Local
State
Federal Centers for Disease
Control (CDC)
Public Works/Utilities:
Water
Sewage treatment
Electric/gas
Environmental Scientists:
Local
State
Private
Universities
Local Emergency Response Contractors:
Mitigation
Removal
Heavy equipment
Federal Agencies:
U.S. Coast Guard
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration ,
Department of Transportation
Army Corps of Engineers
National Guard
Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Geologic Survey
Fish and Wildlife Service
FEMA
Local Hazardous Materials Carriers:
Truck
Rail
Barge
Chemical Experts:
Industry
University
CHEMTREC
Meteorologists:
National Weather Service
Television
Airport
Communications:
Radio
Television
E-l
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APPENDIX F,,
CHECKLIST FOR TABLE-TOP OR
MELD
Key Threshold Actions:
- Has the site of the simulated incident been identified?
- Is there a local contingency plan or standard operating procedures in effect?
- Have planning issues or response needs been identified? If so, what are they?
- What type of simulation do you want to undertake?
- Who will participate in the exercise?
- How will the exercise be documented?
- Has the scenario description been developed?
- Have the sequence of events and control materials been developed?
- What equipment is required for the exercise? (See "The Day Before" for exercise
planning guide, EPA Region VII.)
F-l
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" * APPENDIX a ^^
FIELD. SIMULATION EQUIPMENT LIST* . -
Props:
Drums
Tanks
Boxes
Vehicles
Moulage
Water
Simulated hazardous materials
Smoke
Pyrotechnic supplies
Other
Firefighting/Suppression: ,
Trucks/apparatus "
Tools/equipment
Foam and equipment
Fire extinguishers
Other
Rescue and First Aid:
Vehicles
Stretchers
First aid/trauma kits
Oxygen
Other
Containment Devices:
Booms
Patches, plugs
Sand bags
Pneumatic bags
Plastic sheets/tarps
Neutralizes
Sorbents
Shovels
Other
Personal Protective Equipment:
Respirators
Pressure demand SCBA
Air -purifying respirators
Chemical protective clothing
Splash suits
Fully-encapsulating suits
Gloves
Boots
Disposables
Hardhats
Eye protection
Face shields
Duct tape
Other
Monitoring Instruments:
Combustible gas indicators
Oxygen meters
Detector tubes
Organic survey meters
Radiation survey meters
Passive dosimeters
Specific survey instruments
Litmus paper, pH paper
Other
Sampling Equipment:
Sampling devices
Containers
Labels
Packaging
Other
Communications Equipment:
Radios/"walkie-talkies"
Telephones
Megaphones
Horns
G-l
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-. -. > -. f?&f . » .
FIEI^^IMUIAflON EQUIPMENT OST*
Contamination Reduction Equipment:
Buckets, tubs, containers
Plastic
Brushes
Water
Detergent
Sprayers
Other
References:
EPA Extremely Hazardous Chemicals Profiles
Department of Transportation Emergency
Response Guidebook
Documentation Equipment:
Video cameras
Still cameras
Tape recorders
Note pads
Other
Heavy Equipment:
Backhoes
Dump trucks
Vacuum trucks
Offload tankers
Cranes
Bulldozers
Other
Miscellaneous:
Meteorological equipment
Clipboards
Binoculars
Salvage drums
Barriers for site control
Tools
Other
* This list is adapted from "The Day Before.. .", a simulation exercise planning guide developed by the EPA
Region VII Technical Assistance Team (see Appendix F).
G-2
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