SOP 209.02A HAZ-MAT SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

GENERAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Due to the wide variety of situations Fire Department personnel may encounter in dealing with hazardous materials, these considerations will not attempt to provide specific guidelines on any one individual chemical or situation and are not listed in any priority.

It is imperative that the first arriving Fire Department unit determine what hazardous materials is involved, and how much, prior to taking action to stabilize the incident.

Entering the scene to make positive identification may be a considerable risk. The danger of explosions, leaking gas and poisoning may be great.

Action taken prior to determining the product involved may be totally wrong and may severely compound the problem.

Transportation emergencies are often more difficult than those at fixed locations. The materials involved may be unknown, warning signs may not be visible, or obscured by smoke and debris, the driver may be killed or missing. D.O.T. hazardous materials marking systems are inadequate because some hazardous materials in quantities up to 1000 lbs, do not require a placard and there may be combinations of products involved with only a "dangerous" label showing. Sometimes only the most evident hazard is identified, while additional hazards are not labeled.

The following items may be significant to consider at any Hazardous Materials incident. (Not all will be significant at any particular incident.)

Cooling Containers

Use adequate water supply.

Apply heavy streams to vapor space.

Use unmanned streams.

Use natural barriers to protect personnel.

Remove Uninvolved Materials.

Move individual containers.

Move tank cars away from flame. Cool containers before moving.

Stop the Leak.

Close valves.

Place plug - in openings.

Place container in upright position.

Use water spray to approach leak.

Apply Diluting Spray or Neutralizing Agent.

Dilute water soluable liquids.

Flush corrosives to reduce danger.

Use spray streams to absorb vapor.

Use water with caution on some materials.

Construct Dams, Dikes or Channels.

Direct running liquid away from exposures.

Control run off from corrosive materials.

Use sand or dirt.

Remove Ignition Sources.

Start down wind.

Eliminate all sources of heat, spark, friction .

Call for Additional Resources when their need is only anticipated. The actions taken by the F.G.C. in the first few minutes of an incident affects the outcome more than any other single factor.

Alarm has a Reference List of personnel and or organizations that may be helpful during a Hazardous Materials Emergency.

These include:

Fire Department personnel with particular experience or knowledge.

Authorities in charge of landfills and dumps where Hazardous Materials may be disposed.

Commercial Chemical experts with experience in handling and disposing of most common chemicals.

Pesticide consultants and disposal teams with equipment to clean up agricultural chemical spills.

Personnel from State and Federal Regulatory Agencies. These personnel should be contacted for incidents involving transportation of Hazardous Materials.

Railroad information numbers.

Tank Truck Companies with de-fueling capability (in case carrier involved in incident has none).

Radioactivity and Military Weapons emergency contacts.