Purpose
Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities
Plan Development and Maintenance
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Hazardous Materials Emergency
Plan is to comprehensively address the issue of evaluating the potential risks
associated with hazardous materials, and to establish a coordinated, effective
response to better protect the population and environment of
A.
Situation
1. The McDowell County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) was established under the State Emergency Services Act (West Virginia Code, Chapter 15, Article 5, as amended).
2. No single
agency within
3. Facilities in
close proximity to an Extremely Hazardous Substance facility may experience
some indirect effects from a hazardous materials incident or release occurring
at that extremely hazardous substance facility.
a.
Populations in nearby facilities may have to be
evacuated.
b.
Nearby facilities may have to be decontaminated.
4. The approach
method to containing a hazardous materials situation depends upon the product,
the product’s state, the container’s condition, weather conditions, and the
amount of product involved.
5. Our complex, technological society is dependent on many volatile substances used in manufacturing processes. These substances, as classified by the U.S. Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are referred to as hazardous materials.
6.
B.
Assumptions
1. All extremely
hazardous substances and other covered facilities in
2. If a
hazardous materials release occurs, many residents in the affected area will
spontaneously evacuate without official order or recommendation, and may leave
by routes not designated as evacuation routes. Measures must be taken to keep
this population out of the incident’s perimeter (7).
3. The primary hazardous materials responders (local firefighters) will need supplemental resources when a Level II or Level III incident occurs, such as additional pieces of fire apparatus, additional firefighters, hazmat response vehicles, etc.
4. In the event
of a hazardous materials incident occurring in
5. Fire
departments, law enforcement agencies,
A.
General
1. There are
several classes of hazardous materials, including explosives, radioactive
materials, flammable liquids or solids, compressed gases, poisons or toxins,
corrosives, etiologic agents (hazardous biological materials), irritating
materials, and Other Regulated Materials (ORM).
2. Hazardous
materials in various forms can cause serious injury, long-lasting health
effects, possible fatalities, and property damage to buildings, homes, the
environment, and other property.
3. To properly
develop this Hazardous Materials Emergency Plan, the McDowell County LEPC
reviewed the various factors and areas that could be or cause a chemical
hazardous problem in the event of an accident or incident.
4. There are
several choices involved in reducing the dangers of hazardous materials, and
the appropriate choices will vary with different substances. Methods include:
a.
Elimination of the hazardous material.
b.
Reducing the quantities generated.
c.
Restricting the areas contaminated by containing the
waste.
d.
Storing the waste.
e.
Reusing, recycling, or reclaiming materials and
managing distribution.
B. Assessment
of the Hazard
1.
2.
3. A
hazardous materials incident is most likely to occur along
a. A listing of
extremely hazardous substance facilities is included in Appendix 1 of this plan
(1).
b. Components of
the transportation infrastructure likely to see hazardous materials incidents
include US Route 52 and State Routes 16, 80, 83, 103, 161, 635, and along the route
of the Norfolk Southern Railroad (5).
c. Additional
information concerning the identification of routes that may be used for the
transportation of hazardous materials can be found in the Basic Plan section of
the McDowell County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) (7).
4. Hazardous
materials incidents can be intensified by climatic factors, (most notably, wind
direction and velocity in the case of airborne releases) which can require the
re-designation or expansion of risk areas and recommended protective actions.
a.
Average Annual Maximum Temperature – 65.8°F (18.8°C)
b.
Average Annual Minimum Temperature – 40.1°F (4.5°C)
c.
Average Annual Temperature – 53°F (11.7°C)
d.
Average Annual Rainfall – 40.2”
e.
Average Annual Snowfall – 25-35”
f.
Average Days with Precipitation – 13
g.
Average Wind Speed – 8 mph
h.
Normal Wind Direction – South, Southwest
5. Example Situation Factors
a.
The actual situation and its condition (leak, fire,
spill, etc.).
b.
Type of product or chemical involved.
c.
Types of hazards associated with the product or
chemical.
d.
Potential for the product to migrate.
6. Example Location Factors
a.
Location and type of topography where the incident
occurred.
b.
Size of the geographic area affected and the
population within it.
c.
Risks involved in evacuating the population.
d.
Ability of special needs groups to shelter-in-place.
7. Example Resources Factors
a.
Ability to shelter the evacuated population.
b.
Ability to notify and move the affected population.
c.
Ability to respond to the incident quickly and
efficiently.
d.
The amount of time required for the regional hazmat
team to respond to an incident.
8. History of Occurrences
a.
b. The possibility
of an incident escalating into other areas of emergency management has been
demonstrated in the past.
C. Vulnerability
1. There are
currently 20 SARA Title III, Tier II listings for
2.
3. The
combination of mountainous terrain and a large number of creeks and streams could
result in widespread contamination from a single hazardous materials event.
4. There are
four (4) primary routes of entry or ways that a person can be exposed to a
hazardous substance.
a.
Inhalation – The hazardous substance is breathed into
the lungs.
b.
Ingestion – The hazardous substance is accidentally
swallowed.
c.
Skin Absorption – The hazardous substance is permeable
and is absorbed into the skin upon contact.
d.
Injection – The hazardous substance is injected into
the blood stream.
D. HAZMAT Levels
1. Hazardous
materials incidents are separated into categories according to the severity of
the incident and the appropriate emergency response.
a. Level I –
This is an incident involving hazardous materials that can be contained,
extinguished, and/or abated by the initial emergency responders with little aid
or assistance from other local emergency response organizations. The hazardous
materials involved in a Level I incident:
i. Present
little immediate risk to either the environment or public health.
ii.
Present a minimal clean-up or contamination problem.
b. Level IIA –
This is an incident involving hazardous materials that is beyond the
capabilities of the initial emergency responders, but which can be controlled
by local emergency response organizations with a limited level of assistance
from other local elements or state agencies. The hazardous materials involved
in a Level IIA incident:
i. Present a
potential or long-term threat to life, health, or the environment.
ii. Present a significant
clean-up problem.
c. Level IIB –
This is an incident that is beyond the emergency response capabilities of local
emergency response organizations and the chief local elected official has
relinquished control to the Governor, who will appoint a state agency to lead
emergency response activities. The hazardous materials involved in a Level IIB
incident pose the same threat as those involved in a Level IIA incident.
d. Level III –
This is an incident involving hazardous materials that is beyond the control
capabilities of local emergency response units, which is of such a magnitude
that it requires support and assistance from state and federal agencies and
which requires the Governor to declare a State of Emergency. The hazardous
materials involved in a Level III incident:
i.
Present a potential or long-term threat to life,
health, or the environment.
ii.
Present a significant clean-up problem.
A. General
1.
2. The
dangers involved in attempting to bring a hazardous materials incident under
control without adequate training, equipment, and logistical support are
numerous and obvious.
3. Local government is initially responsible for providing protection to the people and property within the jurisdiction.
4. When
a hazardous materials incident occurs, the local first response organizations
and agencies (fire, law, and Emergency Medical Services [
5. Notification for assistance will be made to other agencies in accordance with normal operating procedures, mutual aid agreements, etc.
6. Several state agencies have legal responsibilities to respond to hazardous materials incidents, including the Division of Highways (WVDOH) and the Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP). Others, such as the West Virginia National Guard, can be provided only through the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) after a state of emergency has been declared at the county level. The Governor must approve the use of the National Guard before soldiers can be ordered to State Active Duty (SAD). State agencies are responsible for enacting applicable state plans and procedures. State and local officials will coordinate response efforts as necessary. Federal responsibilities may include containment and cleanup and are outlined in the National Contingency Plan.
7. The
8. Covered facilities subject to the requirements of SARA Title III, Section 303(c) are listed in Appendix 1 (1). These facilities shall:
a. Appoint a facility emergency coordinator (3).
b. Develop an on-site contingency plan, which specifies notification and emergency response capabilities, responsibilities, procedures, and methods (4).
c. Provide technical assistance and support for the development of off-site risk assessment.
d. Provide planning support for off-site release contingency planning to include vulnerable zone identification.
B. Direction and Control
1. For site-specific incidents, the IC is responsible for providing overall direction and control. For multi-jurisdictional or other incidents for which the EOC is activated, the EOC manager (or Emergency Services Director) is responsible for overall direction and control (3).
2. The heads of each department involved in the response to a hazardous materials incident (i.e. fire chief, chief of police, etc.) will be responsible for the direction and control of their departments.
3. Incident Command System (ICS) per the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
a. For hazardous materials incidents, the jurisdictional fire department is the designated action agency. The chief of the jurisdictional fire department, or his/her designee, is responsible for the primary coordination of the on-scene activities of all federal, state, and local agencies that may be involved in the response, and is referred to as the Incident Commander.
i. The Incident Commander is responsible for response activities, including the development of the Incident Action Plan, (IAP), making population protective action decisions, and ordering and releasing mutual aid and other resources. The Commander’s decisions may be based on information received from the affected facility or EOC.
ii. Initially, the Incident Commander will conduct an approach to determine the situation, establish an entry control point a safe distance from the incident site, communicate the initial situation assessment information to dispatch along with initial request for notification and assistance, and establish the Incident Command Post (ICP).
iii. The Incident Commander may appoint the following command staff positions per the National Incident Management System: Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, and Liaison Officer. Other general staff positions may fall under the operations, planning, logistics, and finance/administration sections. The IC may choose to activate or not activate these additional sections. Such considerations as manageable span of control should be considered when making this decision.
b. The Incident Command Post is established by the jurisdictional fire department. The Incident Command Post coordinates on-scene support of emergency service and response elements deployed to the incident site.
i. The Incident Command Post is supported by primary and back-up communications systems that assist the IC to coordinate on-scene activities and with supporting agencies, including the EOC.
c. The National Incident Management System provides a system for incident command and management that creates and allows the use of common terminology (for position titles, etc.), practical spans of control where any one (1) individual has no more than three (3) to seven (7) people under his/her command, and unity of command where each staff person is accountable to his/her section chief and each section chief is accountable to the IC.
4. EOC
a. See the Direction and Control Annex of the McDowell
b. The OES Director is responsible for the activation, operation, and management of EOC operations in periods of emergency.
c. When the incident occurs at a fixed facility, the facility will provide a point of contact for the IC to assist him/her and provide a representative to the EOC. These individuals will be expected to provide detailed facility information and technical assistance.
d. When the EOC is activated, a media center will also be opened. The center will be located in a separate area of the building housing the EOC, or at a place near to the EOC.
i. The media center is responsible for providing an information release point for the county. This operation will be established and operated by the county PIO, or designee, and will be responsible for providing complete, accurate, and timely information and rumor control to the media and public.
ii. Upon EOC activation and the
involvement of the
5. ICS-EOC Interface
a. The Incident Commander will determine as soon as possible the need for a Regional Response Team (RRT), decontamination teams, and other mutual aid requirements. If the incident occurred at a facility, the Incident Commander will seek to gain as much information as possible from facility personnel and the designated facility coordinators. The Incident Commander will notify the EOC if additional resources are needed. The EOC will request such resources and direct them to the staging area.
i. The Regional Response Team can only be requested through the EOC. The Incident Commander must coordinate this request through the EOC Manager.
b. County departments and agencies, technical teams, state and federal officials, and others that are needed at the scene are directed to the staging area prior to going to the Incident Command Post.
c. The EOC staff will support the IC’s decisions on public notification, protective actions, requests for mutual aid and other assistance, and will coordinate for incident command with the responsible party, WVDEP, NRT-1, and others, as necessary.
C. Reporting the Incident (4)
1. Hazardous materials incidents are most often reported in one of the following ways.
a. In the course of normal activities, a citizen may find or cause a release of hazardous materials. In such an instance, the citizen would notify emergency response officials by dialing 9-1-1.
b. The largest number of hazardous materials incidents occur during transportation of the materials. When a vehicle is involved in an accident or there is a failure in the container housing the hazardous materials, the operator or an observer of the incident will notify emergency response officials by dialing 9-1-1.
c. An industrial operation’s facility emergency coordinator would report a release at a manufacturing or other type of facility by dialing 9-1-1.
2. Facility and Vessel Reporting Requirements (4)
a. Facility
i. In accordance with the requirements of SARA Title III (Emergency Planning) and the West Virginia Revised Code 55-1-4, the owner or operator of a facility where a hazardous chemical is produced, used, or stored shall provide emergency notification of any release.
b. Vessel
i. As with facilities above, the owner or operator of a vessel where a hazardous chemical is produced, used, or stored shall provide emergency notification of any release, as required by and in accordance with Section 304 of Title III, 42 Code of Federal Regulations.
c. Reports (4)
i. The following reports should be completed by the facility or vessel owner/operator:
· Initial Report. The following minimum information should be provided.
Ø The location of the release.
Ø The chemical name(s) of any substance involved in the release and whether the substance is an extremely hazardous substance.
Ø An estimate of the quantity released into the environment.
Ø The time and duration of the release.
Ø The environmental medium or media into which the substance was released.
Ø Any known or anticipated acute or chronic health risks associated with the substance.
Ø Information regarding public protective actions that may be required.
Ø Name and number(s) of the person or persons to be contacted for further information.
· Written Follow-up Report
Ø No later than 30 days following the release, the owner or operator of a facility or vessel from which a chemical was released should make a written report to the local jurisdictional fire department, the county LEPC and to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC).
· Transportation Incident Reporting
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