Responding To
Emergency Medical Needs
During Terrorist Attacks:
Meet Dr. Ken Berry and
the PREEMPT Program
In the world of emergency response, providing
fast and potentially life-saving medical services is
a tremendous challenge. For those on the scene,
such as EMS technicians, and those behind the
scenes, such as the emergency medical doctors
it EMS technicians consult, an effective
ponse protocol often means the difference
oetween life and death. The development of
such a protocol has become the life calling of Dr.
Ken Berry, founder of Planned Response
Exercises and Emergency Medical Preparedness
Training (PREEMPT). The PREEMPT
program was designed for the express purpose of
training Emergency Medical Personnel in
response protocols for foreign or domestic
terrorist attacks using chemical, biological
and/or nuclear weapons.
According to Dr. Berry, there is a need to
create a national network of trained EMS and
medical doctors who are ready to respond to a
local terrorist attack involving weapons of mass
destruction (WMD). "The U.S. Department of
Defense (DOD) has taken an important first
step in responding to terrorist threats," said Dr.
Berry in a recent phone interview. "PREEMPT,
however, is a complementary model that goes
one step further and provides training to a much
broader base of emergency care specialist."
The DOD program, known as "Train the
Trainer," is an interface program that was initi-
ated in 1995 when President Clinton instructed
e federal government to devise a program that
Lid handle emergency response in the case of
a terrorist attack. Since terrorist events are
generally localized, the DOD program provides
training to EMS and medical doctors in 127
cities throughout the country. "While the DOD
program is important, it is limited to only
certain cities. Just think, could we possibly have
predicted the blast in Oklahoma City? As a
result, the PREEMPT program is designed to
reach out to a wide range of towns and rural
areas, particularly those not included in the
DOD program."
The PREEMPT program has one primary goal,
to train as many as
200,000 EMS and
medical physicians
over the next 5 to 10
years to address
emergency response
needs in the case of a
terrorist attack. Since local
primary responders ulti-
mately function under the
license and authority of medical command
physicians, this program will begin by first
training 2,000 emergency physicians over the
next 3 to 5 years. Efforts toward this have already
begun The first pilot civilian emergency physi-
cian training program was held in March 1997 at
the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.
An essential component of the PREEMPT
program is it's annual conference. This year's
conference, held in April in Philadelphia, PA,
featured sessions on acute radiation syndrome,
poxviruses, cyanide, and chemical casualty
I
triage & management. The next PREEMPT
conference will be held on September 18 - 20,
1999 at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC.
Note that this conference is held just prior to
EPA Region Ill's 10th Hazardous Materials
Preparedness Conference. See announcement
on page 3. This conference, entitled "Medical
Domestic Preparedness Against WMD
(Chemical, Biological, & Nuclear) Terrorism"
will feature workshops and is a must for
anyone in the emergency medical
community. There is a $200
conference fee, and anyone
interested can register by
filling out a form provided
on the PREEMPT
website (see address on
page 2). You may also call
607-587-4734 for more information.
7 he conference is sponsored by the
PREEMPT Project with participation from EPA,
emergency medical organizations, the Center for
Disease Control, and others, with various experts
from the military and civilian sectors serving as
course faculty.
Dr. Berry's program is receiving international
attention. He recently attended the 6th Annual
International Symposium on Chemical
Biological Weapons Protection in Stockholm
where he gave a presentation entitled, "How to
(continued on page 2)
EPCRA
EPA Region III Is Moving
0D
EPA Region III will be moving on July 16-17. Currently, the office is located
at 841 Chestnut Street. The new address will be 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia
PA 19103-2029. While the individual telephone extensions will remain the
same, the first three digits will change from 566 to 814. Please make a note of
these changes. Also of note, the Regional Response Center's emergency telephone number will
change to (215) 814-9016, fax number (215) 814-3254.
1

-------
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region III
August, 1998
(continued from page 1)
Protect Against Biological Weapons: Civil/-
Domestic Preparedness Attacks." "WMD are
considered by the federal government to be the
nation's number one threat to national security,"
says Berry, "Their threat to national security is
quite different from the one posed during the
cold war. Back then, we had a six trillion-dollar
warning system. That simply doesn't exist
anymore. There are no warnings. We have to be
prepared to respond at a moment's notice."
While PREEMPT is currently a recognized
training program throughout the country, there
is as of yet no certification process. According to
Berry, this certification will become part of the
program sometime in the future. Currently,
PREEMPT is partnered with the Farm Medic
National Training Center, an organization that
trains agricultural EMSs. As part of that
outreach program, PREEMPT has 900 certified
EMS technicians instructed in 48 states to
conduct WMD training. In addition, a
PREEMT network consisting of the
Congressional Fire Caucus, and the National
EPCRA
Internet Services
Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI)
This website's mission is to promote better
risk management. PERI is charged with
serving public sector organizations and small
nonprofit organizations and businesses. The
website includes links to other sites associated
with risk management.
The Tiirning Point Group, Inc.
The Turning Point Group is a Canadian emer-
gency management and product service
company. It recently announced that it has
established "Canada's first fully
accessible bulletin board focusing
on the complete range of emer-
gency management topics." The
bulletin board is intended to cover
any issue related to emergency
management, and may be of use to first
responders south of Canada.
The Emergency Management
E-Mail Discussion List
llitiervBiiptodel .offlce-aol.com
The discussion list is intended for anyone
interested in the protection of local communi-
ties from hazards resulting from emergencies.
To subscribe, send a e-mail to the address
above and the message "subscribe emergency-
management" in the body of the message. The
list is owned by Public Safety America -
America Online's new all-public safety infor-
mation service. You do not need to be an AOL
member to subscribe.
Publications
Emergency Planning on
the Internet
By Rick and Ryan Tobin, 1998. This publica-
tion was written to assist emergency profes-
sionals in locating and using the vast resources
available on the internet. The authors have
compiled, categorized, and evaluated hundreds
of diverse Internet sites related to emergency
management. 230 pages. $49 plus $6 S&H. For
information contact the Government Institutes,
Inc. at (301) 921-2355.
Disaster Recovery Yellow Pages
This publication is a directory of recovery
services throughout the United
States and Canada. It includes
over 3,000 vendors in 350 cate-
gories. It also includes a tutorial
on preparing disaster recovery
plans. For information contact the
Order Department at Systems Audit Group,
Inc. at (617) 332-3496.
Emergency Preparedness in
Health Care Organizations
By Linda Young Landesman, 1996. Designed
to help hospitals and health care organizations
prepare for major disasters and emergencies,
includes information on proactive emergency
management, command center operation, and
community interaction. Almost half the book
contains accounts of actual hospital emer-
gency response situations. 194 pages. $35 plus
$7.95 S&H. For information contact the Joint
Commission on Accreditation of Health Care
Organizations at (603) 792-5800.
Association of the Chiefs of Police exists,
relationships created through these networl
essential to the success of PREEMPT," says
Berry. "Without their support, we could never
reach the 200,000 technicians and physicians we
hope to reach over the next 5 years."
For more information on this exciting and
important new program, check out the
PREEMPT website at preemptffipreempr-org.
You may also contact Dr. Berry via e-mail at
kenberrv^eznet.ner
RRT Notes
by Joe Albert
If you have been keeping up with UPDATE, you
may have noticed a few articles about the RRT
meeting and its function. This article is the last in
the series (my wife, choosing to relinquish her
newfound notoriety, has decided to read about the
meeting. I added her name to the UPDATE
mailing list).
On May 19-21,1 attended the RRT meeting in
Ocean City, Maryland. This meeting was part
lar'y exciting because it became clear that the H
has begun to address a variety of activities or
importance to first responders at a local level.
These activities are related to Chemical
Emergency Preparedness and Prevention (CEPP)
activities such as Tier-Two Training, Toxic Release
Inventory (TRI)-313 Information, Emergency
Response Contingency Planning, Information
and Resource Management, and First Responder
Training and Exercising. By addressing these activ-
ities, the RRT will be in a position to enhance and
facilitate new and improved relations between
local emergency response organizations and itself.
In addition to the above programs, the RRT
meeting included discussions on first response and
planning efforts in both Kanawha VaUey, West
Virginia and the Three Rivers area in the southwest
Pennsylvania/Wheeling West Virginia area. The
RRT meeting also included discussions on the 1990
Clean Air Act amendments of 1990 that will
become effective in July 1999. These amendments
will create a lot of interest over the next year, which
means we will have something new to offer
Emergency Management Agencies and Local
Emergency Planning Commission (LEPCs).
In addition, the RRT meeting addressed an is
of great importance throughout the cour
weapons of mass destruction (WMD). During uic
meeting, Special Agent Jim Berry, of the Federal
(continued on next page)
2

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region III
August, 1998
(RRT Notes continued)
|>au of Investigation, led a presentation entitled
'mesne Terrorism and Weapons of Mass
iJestruction." This is the first time an RRT meeting
has included information on WMD.
During the meeting, a newly defined "Strategic
Plan" was developed. The Plan represented a
renewed effort to develop a closer working relation-
ship among the states and local response and
planning groups. The development of the Plan is
just the beginning. Once the RRT representatives
start attending SERC and LEPC meetings, they will
become fully aware of what the local organizations
know and what their needs arc. This will certainly
be an eye opener for RRT representatives, and will
provide many opportunities for improving relation-
ships.
Prior to the meeting, a training session was coordi-
nated by EPA Region Ill's Al Brown for the Inland
Area Planning Committee meeting. The training
covered working with and effectively managing the
media during emergency responses. The presenters
were Gerda Parr, Julie VanderBosch, and Steve
Hammond.
For more information contact Joe Albert, SATA
Team Member at (304) 243-0800.
Delaware Seniors Assist
Wilmington LEPC
by Paul Wilkinson
The Wilmington, Delaware Local Emergency
Planning Committee (LEPC) has enlisted the
assistance of the Delaware Alliance for Senior
Involvement (DEL-EAS1) to update the reporting
of Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS) in the
Wilmington Emergency Operations Plan. The
LEPC is required under Section 302 of EPCRA
(SARA Title III) to maintain emergency plans for
all facilities with EHS. Members of DEL-EAS1
reviewed reports of hazardous chemicals that had
been submitted to the state, and with an LEPC
introductory notice to the facilities, followed up
with contacts, including visits to the sites to
confirm the information in the reports. It was
found that several facilities no longer have EHS at
their sites, and some facilities misreported infor-
mation to a lack of understanding of the legal
requirements. This monitoring will be conducted
periodically to ensure an accurate database for
^ 4^ 4^ 4? 4^ 4^ 4^
# # # # # ,# #
# # # #
/ / / /

EPA REGION I
II10TH

CHEMICAL EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS & PREVENTION
emergency planning.
EASI is a national alliance of organizations
that enlist retirees to help improve the environ-
ment. In Delaware, DEL-EASI is a volunteer
group of retired technical and managerial profes-
sionals sponsored by the Delaware Retired Senior
Volunteer Program (RSVP).
For more information on this program,
contact Paul Wilkinson at (302) 654-4778, or
fax at (302) 654-4337.
Note: These courses are only offered to non-profit
response agencies.
August 3-4 and 11-12
32-nour Technician, Philadelphia, PA
August 8
8-hour Spills on Waterways, Potter County, PA
August 15
8-hour Spills on Waterways, Indiana County, PA
August 18
4-hour Hospital Decon, Buchannon, WV
August 26
4-hour Hospital Decon, Mercer County, PA
August 22-23 and 29-30
32-nour Technician, Warren County, PA
September 1-4
32-hour Technician, Beckley, WV
September 16
4-nour Hospital Decon, McKean County, PA
September 19-20 and 26-27
32-hour Technician, Mineral County, WV
For
morr information on any of these training
¦ses, please Contact EPA's Chris Wagner at i
courses,
814-3261
(215)
CONFERENCES
w** -
September 20 through 23,1999
This upcoming conference is a definit
must so add it to your long-term plannei
It is the NATION'S BIGGEST and BEST
conference and will be held in
Washington's Hilton Hotel.
More information in upcoming
UPDATES

# # „# # # # # # „# „# # ,# „# # .# .#
3

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region III	August, 1998
Covering All The Bases
News From The States
Around Region III
Washington DC& C ^1
Virginia
by George Roarty
Approximately 90% of Virginia's 114 LEPCs
took advantage of the free CAMEO software
offer that was provided by the U.S. EPA in
conjunction with the
National Safety Emergency
Response program. The
software provides a unique
opportunity to establish a
statewide database quickly
and effectively. Critical
hazardous materials information will be readily
available, and will be applied in a more mean-
ingful, effective, and efficient manner to fulfill a
variety of purposes such as planning, training,
response, recovery, and mitigation.
The Virginia Department of Emergency
Services, Technical Hazards Division, applied
for and received a Technical Assistance Grant
from EPA to develop the database. Work-study
students from a local technical college began
entering the data in February, 1998. The data
are being entered by jurisdiction and will be
aggregated regionally to support a hazardous
materials emergency response organization
already in place. The Virginia Department of
Emergency Services has established eight
hazardous materials regions within the
Commonwealth. Each is serviced by a
Hazardous Materials Officer (HMO), who
provides on-scene technical assistance and
response support as required. In addition to the
eight field HMOs, there is a Radiological
Hazardous Materials Officer and a Field
Supervisor stationed in the Richmond office. If
it is determined that a hazardous materials
incident exceeds local capabilities, the
Hazardous Materials Officer will activate one
or more of the 13 Hazardous Materials
Response Teams in place statewide. These
teams are locally based, and supported by local
and state funds.
In addition, a subcommittee was formed in
December 1997 under the Virginia Emergency
Response Council (VERC) to develop update
procedures while the database was being devel-
oped. The procedures will be distributed to all
stakeholders at the same time the data are being
distributed. In addition, to develop a greater
understanding of the CAMEO program, nine
regional training sessions were set-up and
conducted with the invaluable support of EPA
Region III. Four additional regional classes and
a Train-the-Trainer class are planned between
June and September of this year.
Once the database is established and in place,
it will strengthen the links between the
planning, training, response, and the regulatory
components of the Virginia Hazardous
Materials Response Program. It will also facili-
tate the interface between
LEPCs statewide, promote
and support regional
planning, training and
exercise initiatives, and
ensure the most efficient
and effective use of
resources during the response and recovery
phases of an incident.
For more information on this program,
contact George Roarty at (804) 897-6574.
George Roarty is the Hazardous Materials
Preparedness Branch Chief in the Division of the
Virginia Department of Emergency Services.
Delaware
by Bud Foster
As a result of concerns raised by members of the
Delaware State Emergency Response Comm-
ission (SERC), a program has been initiated to
provide a Statewide Decontamination (DECON)
capability for use during Hazardous Materi'J
Incidents within the state.
This concept has been approved and is being
financed as a result of legislation passed by the
Delaware State Assembly. Upon its completion,
mobile DECON capabilities will be available
within self-contained portable units. These units
will be available to provide statewide decontam-
ination services in hazardous incidents.
The first of these units is expected to arrive
shortly and will be followed by training courses
held throughout the state. For more information
contact Bud Foster at (302) 326-6000.
Bud Foster is the Chemical Hazards Supervisor
for the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.
Washington, DC
by Dr. Michele Penick
The Washington District has submitted a Letter
of Intent to EPA's Region III for Project Impact.
The District partnered with the National Fire
Administration for this program after fire wa
chosen as the most significant emergency haza^
within the region. The Letter of Intent identifier
five activities that would be conducted under
Project Impact if the grant is awarded:
•	Identify special high-risk areas in the district;
•	Emphasize special-risk populations such as
youngsters and the elderly;
•	Conduct a public awareness campaign;
•	Create partnerships with area businesses. For
example, businesses may denote smoke detec-
tors or develop public awareness brochures
together with the district office; and,
•	Work with the LEPC to implement the
program.
In addition, the District has begun a program
in which institutions of higher education and
the district office work together to plan and
conduct emergency management programs.
For more information on these and other
programs in the Washington, DC area, please
contact Dr. Michele Penick at (202) 727-6161,
extension 3159.
Michele Penick is the Director of The Division of
Planning and Training in the Washington, DC
Office of Emergency Preparedness.
Virginia Develops a
Hazardous Materials
Database

-------
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region III
August, 1998
Is The Time Right For
LEPC Unification?
by Timothy R.S. Campbell
As we approach the end of the twentieth
century, we should ask ourselves an important
question—should the various LEPCs (Local
Emergency Planning Committees) unite to form
a national organization? There are undoubtedly
some valid reasons to support unification. But
there are also some important arguments against
it. Let's explore both.
Proponents of unification argue that a unified
LEPC voice is lacking on the national level even
though several organizations have proposed
legislation that affects and even changes the
structure of LEPCs. Examples include amend-
ments to the Clean Air Act and the expansion of
LEPC roles as suggested by US DO 1 several
years ago. Proponents also argue that even
though LEPCs are charged with the responsi-
bility of public preparedness during chemical
emergencies, they have had little involvement in
: recent domestic preparedness initiatives,
In though attacks on SARA Title III sites are
mscussed as major terrorist targets.
Opponents of unification argue that national
groups exist that can address issues that affect
LEPCs. These groups are made up of LEPC
members affiliated with national organizations.
These groups include the Fire Chiefs, CMA,
NCCEM, ICMA, and NACO, and they speak
out on many matters as they are raised before
Congress. Recent discussions included
Hazardous Materials Team capabilities during
terrorist events.
But do these groups represent all the
constituencies that sit on a local LEPC? If not,
is there a need for another organization that
would represent LEPCs as a group? There are
similar national models that could be used to
advance national LEPC interests. For example,
there are equivalent groups that represent state
SARA interests. Even if a national LEPC orga-
nization were formed, could or should LEPCs
support such an organization through dues?
Based on my 18-year career as Director of
Emergency Services for Chester County,
Pennsylvania, I feel that the concept is inter-
esting enough to pursue. If any LEPCs and their
members feel that the need exists, please let me
know. You can fax me a message of interest at
(610) 644-9560 or send me an e-mail at
trscampbell@compuserve.com. Let me know
what you think of the idea, whether you feel
that there is enough interest to call a meeting,
and whether you feel people would support a
dues structure.
Timothy Campbell is a private consultant.
He was the Director of Emergency Services for
Chester County. Pennsylvania for 18 years.
For Your Information
The Timeline for Risk
Management Plan Submittals
As most readers are probably aware, on June
20, 1996, EPA published new Clean Air Act
rules known as 112(r), otherwise called the
Risk Management Program Rule. An estimated
64,000 facilities are subject to this rule,
depending on the quantity of regulated
substances they have on-site. These facilities
must implement a Risk Management Program
and submit a Risk Management Plan (RMP).
In 1996, an EPA workgroup determined that
an electronic submission system, called
RMP*Submit, would be the most appropriate
means of gathering and disseminating infor-
mation. Facilities may also choose an Internet-
based public access system called RMP'Info.
RMP*Submit will provide RMP facilities with
an automated tool for submitting RMPs. The
timeline for submittal of the plans is as follows:
TIMELINE
1.	April 5-9, 1998 —The first demonstration of
the RMP*Submit and RMP'Info prototype at
the 1998 Hazardous Material Spills Conference
(www, n rt.org/ nrt/hazmat98 ,nsf)
2.	August 1998 — The final Method and Format
for RMP submissions will be published in the
Federal Register.
3.	January 4, 1999 — RMP*Submit diskettes
and and hard copies will be available to the regu-
lated community.
4.	June 20, 1999 — deadline for compliance
with the Risk Management Program.
5.	After June 21, 1999 — RMP*Info will be
available on diskettes and hard copy for those
who do not have Internet access. A technical
assistance help line will be developed that will
distribute RMP'Info data
For more information contact the Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Hotline (800) 424-9346 or (703) 412-9810
TDD (800) 553-7672, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m., EST. Visit the CEPPO Headquarters
Home Page: http://www.epa.gov/ceppo.
Information Management In The Kanawha Valley
A new step in information management was taken on May 6-7, 1998, at the State Police Academy
Institute, West Virginia. The EPA conducted a class entitled, "Introduction to the CAMEO Suite for
Windows" in which 23 members of the first response community in Kanawha Valley participated.
Those in attendance included members from KPEPC staff, emergency management, fire, EMS,
police, 911 personnel, and the State Fire Inspector. The class attendants all agreed that the program is
prompting more interest than they had expected, and is versatile enough to accommodate all
responding agencies. These agencies can use the program to manage pertinent information.
The goal of the class was to introduce the "Computer Aided Management of Emergency
Operations" (CAMEO) Suite program, which is a combination Data Management (CAMEO), Plume
Dispersion Model (ALOHA), and Mini-GIS Mapping Program (MARPLOT). The program is
enhanced with a Site Plan Viewer, which offers emergency personnel real-time access to a myriad of
general and site-specific information that assists both planners and responders.
The class piqued the interest of many of the attendees. Fire personnel were interested in the
chemical data and the program's ability to map other pre-plan information. In addition, there was
interest in the import/export capability of the "Tier-Two" annual inventory information, and in
gaining access to this information without the requirement of the additional data entry. Most of the
attendees were impressed with the usefulness of the program during real-time emergency response.
:L: need for real-time response was also demonstrated during the recent tabletop exercise held in
ro in conjunction with the new tabletop model that was delivered on May 13, 1998.
The training session EPA/SATA has found a way to easily import the "Tier-Two" program data into
the CAMEO system, which will be a great addition for CAMEO users.
For more information on this program contact Joe Albert at (304) 243-0800.
5

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region III	August. 1998
Safely Corner
by Bill McHale, RE.
Many accidental releases of ammonia have been
reported from refrigeration facilities. Some of
these releases have killed and injured workers,
caused injuries off site, or resulted in evacua-
tions. Under its Accidental Release Information
Program (AR1P), U.S. EPA collected informa-
tion on nearly 5,000 emergency incidents that
occurred between 1986 and 1993. More than
850 of these incidents, or about 18 percent of
the total, involved ammonia. Nearly 300, or
about 35 percent, of the ammonia incidents
occurred at facilities likely to use ammonia as a
refrigerant. As a result, a Chemical Safety Alert
will soon be released that details Hazard
Awareness and Hazard Reduction as proposed
for Region III ammonia refrigeration plants.
Problem Identified
Anhydrous ammonia is used as a refrigerant in
mechanical compression systems at a large
number of industrial facilities. Ammonia is a toxic
gas under ambient conditions. Many parts of a
refrigeration system contain ammonia liquefied
under pressure. Releases of ammonia have the
potential for harmful effects on workers and the
public. If the ammonia is under pressure the
potential for rapid release of larger quantities of
ammonia exists. A number of accidental releases
of ammonia have occurred from refrigeration
facilities. Causes of these releases include plant
upsets, leading to the lifting of relief valves; leaks
in rotating seals; pipeline failures; vehicular traffic
striking pipes, valves, evaporators, etc.; and
failures during ammonia delivery, such as hose
leaks. Some explosions have occurred because of
the presence of oil vapor in the released ammonia.
The oil/ammonia mixture has a wider flamma-
bility range than the uncontained ammonia.
Examples of Accidents
The ARIP determined that ammonia was
released at facilities in quantities ranging from
less than 10 lb to 20,000 lb, with the majority of
the releases in the range of 100-1,000 lb. Worker
injuries were reported in more than 10 percent
of ammonia refrigeration facilities, and public
evacuations were reported at about five percent
of facilities. Some examples of accidents
involving ammonia used for refrigeration are
briefly described below.
In a 1992 incident at a meat packing plant, a
forldift struck and ruptured a pipe carrying
ammonia for refrigeration. Workers were evacu-
ated when the leak was detected. A short time
later, an explosion occurred that caused exten-
sive damage, including large holes in two sides of
the building. The forklift was believed to be the
source of the ignition. In a 1996 incident, a
refrigeration line ruptured, releasing ammonia.
Eight workers were critically injured, suffering
respiratory burns from ammonia inhalation, %
17 others were less severely hurt.
A 1989 ammonia release in a frozen pizza
plant led to the evacuation of nearly all of the
6,500 residents of the town where the plant was
located. The release began when a compressor
cap blew off a 16-inch supply line to the refrig-
eration system. Up to 45,000 lb of ammonia
was released, forming a cloud 24 city blocks
long. About 50 area residents were taken to
hospitals, where they were given oxygen treat-
ments, and dozens more were treated with
oxygen at evacuation centers.
Contact Information
If you would like more information on
ammonia hazards or the Ammonia Chemical
Safety Alert, contact Bill McHale at (215) 566-
3310. After July 16th, (215) 814-3310.
Bill McHale, P.E. is a Technical Advisor for the
Chemical Accident Prevention Group, U.S.
EPA Region III.
EPA Headquarter s
Spills Conference Held
in Chicago
by Robert Mayhugh
From April 5-9, 1998 over 730 members of the
response community gathered in Chicago,
Illinois for the U.S. EPA's 14th International
Hazardous Material Spills Conference. The
conference was kicked off with a plenary session
based on the "Cross Fire" format. A panel of
experts were questioned by an award-winning
journalist and given the opportunity to discuss
issues. Conference participants were given an
opportunity to ask questions of the panelists
after the break. Following the plenary, attendees
decided their schedule based on a wide variety of
sessions. These sessions addressed such diverse
topics as Regional Management Plans (RMPs),
counter-terrorism, case studies, methyl
parathion, and cross-boundary issues. A variety
of computer training sessions were also offered.
The conference also gave the public its first loqJi
at RMP*Submit and RMP'Info. During m
demo, participants were given an opportunity to
comment on the product.
(continued on next page)
Plan AHEAD™-A11 Hazard Exercise Administration
And Development Provides Free Demonstration Offer
Unique in the world, this Windows Plan AHEAD software builds materials needed to exercise all
emergency, disaster, crisis, military, safety, security, medical, and other contingency management
plans, even 2000 plans. Use Plan AHEAD to build the directive, send messages, develop the script
and narrative, fill out evaluation forms, compile packets for each participant type, and even write
thank-you notes. The product includes excellent help text and an exercise tutorial, and has "Tour
Guides" that provide information on product operation. The software documents exercise logistics
and tracks corrective actions. Shuttle Technology, which is included, enables non-owners to share
data entry workload, which facilitates exercise design team building, builds training exercises, trains
plan participants (functional exercise), and ensures operational readiness (full-scale exercise), The
software follows the FEMA guidelines for exercise design and evaluation. Commercial List Price is
$995. A discount price of $395 is offered to government entities. Please include a $15 shipping
and handling charge.
For ordering information, contact Michael W. Frishberg, President of Cliffside Software, Inc. at
(888) 752-6489. You can download a free demonstration from www.cliffsidesoftwarc.corn.

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region ill
August, 1998
(Hazardous Spills Conference continued)
Dn Thursday, April 9, tours of the Chicago
Fire Academy and the 911 Communication
Center were provided. These tours were well
attended and very informative. At the Chicago
Fire Academy, Chief John Eversole, Director of
the Chicago Fire Department's Hazardous
Material Response Team, acted as tour guide.
Chief Eversole described both the classroom and
hands-on training that the Chicago Fire
Department s recruits must complete. The 911
Center tour gave attendees an opportunity to view
the nerve center of Chicago's first responders. The
Chicago Fire Department receives over 1,100 calls
per day for which units must be dispatched.
Finally, Region V hosted an equipment
display in the Federal Plaza that ran in conjunc-
tion with the conference. Equipment on display
included Region IV's new mobile command
center, equipment from USCG MSO Chicago,
response units from the Chicago Fire
Department, Chicago Department of
Environment, Commonwealth Edison, the
Chicago Transit Authority, and many other
groups. Displays were also set up in a tent for the
iblic to view and gather information.
'For more information contact Robert
Mayhugh at (312) 886-5929.
Robert Mayhugh is an Environmental Protection
Specialist from U.S. EPA Region V.
Nine Stales
Request Authority To
Implement Risk
Management Programs
At least nine states are asking EPA for authority
to implement chemical accident prevention
programs that otherwise would have been set-up
by the federal agency. According to Bill Finan,
regional, state, and local team leader at EPA's
Chemical Emergency Planning and Prevention
Office (CEPPO), the number of states seeking
delegated authority is likely to rise.
EPA officials will play a central role in the
collection and review of the risk management
plans from around the country regardless of
which states are delegated authority to imple-
ment the Clean Air Act program. The EPA will
also administer a publicly accessible database
containing risk management planning data on
the 64,000 chemical facilities throughout the
country that must submit the plans to EPA.
According to a recent EPA guidance
document, state and local agencies can imple-
ment other facets of the program, including
inspection and enforcement, outreach and tech-
nical assistance, and any other requirements of
good risk management plans.
The nine states requesting either partial or
total authority to implement section 112(r) are:
California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, South
Carolina, Delaware, Hawaii, and Oregon.
While the details of the federal implementa-
tion program have not been worked out, the dele-
gation of authority is a process that includes an
official request by state or regional officials, and a
decision by EPA that the state or local program
will be at least as stringent as the federal program.
For more information on this program and the
implementation tools under development at EPA's
Chemical Emergency Planning and Prevention
Office, go to www.epa.gov/swercepp/table.html.
TRAINING COURSE OFFERED
Risk Management Planning and Chemical Safety Audits
The EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response is offering a course entitled "Risk Management Programs." The course, which will be
held in August, will introduce the skills and information needed to meet, implement, and use the U.S. EPA's new accidental release prevention risk
management program regulations. The training topics include regulation applicability
using the regulated substances list, program level determination, risk management
plan development, and off-site consequence hazard analysis using EPA's RMP Off-
site Consequence Analysis Guidance.
The course is intended for federal, state, and local enforcement personnel,
government facilities personnel, RMP users, and local emergency management
and response personnel. Private industry applicants must be members of or be
sponsored by an LEPC or SERC to attend. There are no registration fees.
The exact date for this course has not been set. However, if you would like
to attend, and need more detailed information, call Mikal Shabazz, U.S. EPA
Region III Chemical Accident Prevenrion Program Coordinator at (215) 566-
3281. After July 17, call (215) 814-3281.

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We' re Looking For a Few More Good People
In an effort to reach out to all interested parties, UPDATE staff" is looking for a few more good people to add to its mailing list. But we also
want to know: have you moved or do you wish to be removed from our mailing list (we certainly hope not!)? If the answer is yes to either
of these questions, please fill out the form below and return to: A1 Brown, EPA Region III (3HS33), 841 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA,
19107. If mailed after July 17, send to 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029. You may also fax this form to (215) 814-3254 or
e-mail at brown.alang'cpamail.epa.gov.
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Name			 Affiliation ,
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U.S. EPA Region III (3HS33)
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029

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