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Quick Response Guide

• 6 Steps for Initial Response to a Chemical HAZMAT Incident
• Three levels of Incident Recognition
• Cues Lead to Recognition
• Consider Other Explanations
• How to Recognize a Chemical HAZMAT Incident
• How to Recognize a Chemical MEI Incident
• How to Recognize a Chemical WMD Incident
• Declare and Activate the Emergency Reponse System

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6 Steps for Initial Response to a Chemical HAZMAT Incident

1. Recognize the Incident:  Quickly size up the situation and recognize the type and scale of incident you are responding to.  Activate the response system. 
2. Protect Yourself and Others:  Establish an Isolation Zone and move outside it.  Alert others in the danger area to do the same.  Take only actions that you are equipped and trained to take.  
   
   DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME A VICTIM!
3. Determine Initial Response Objectives:  Remind yourself of the critical objectives that should be addressed in the first minutes.  Life safety is always your first priority.
4. Decide and Take Immediate Actions:  Make the decisions that will support your objectives - and take the actions you safely can.
5. Manage the Incident Until Relieved:  The first arriving responder is by default the Incident Commander until relieved. You should control the incident scene and manage and apply resources as they arrive.
6. Transition Command:  Formally turn over incident command when more senior or more qualified responders arrive.

 

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Three Levels of Incident Recognition

Chemical HAZMAT Incident:  The imminent or actual release of a chemically harmful substance into the environment at levels that require urgent response to contain the release and protect humans and the environment. 

 

Chemical Mass Exposure Incident (MEI):  A chemical HAZMAT incident that produces multiple exposed victims.  The event will be similar to but more complex than a Mass Casualty Incident as victims may be contaminated and represent a hazard to responders and others.

 

Chemical Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Incident:  A chemical MEI resulting from the deliberate release of chemicals intended to cause widespread harm.  A chemical WMD incident may involve the release of a toxic industrial chemical or a chemical warfare agent.

 

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Cues Lead to Recognition

Initial responders arriving on scene may already know if an incident involves the release of chemicals.  But you may have to make a determination given only what the scene itself can tell you.  Consider cues you can quickly gather about the incident, the environment and any victims.

 

Consider Other Explanations

The less obvious signs of a chemical release are uncommon. However, there may be other, less sinister explanations for them. For example:

• Droughts could explain dead vegetation and lack of wildlife in the area
• Meteorological conditions could explain the presence of low-lying clouds or puddles
• Odors could come from nearby manufacturing plants, restaurants, etc.

 

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How to Recognize a Chemical HAZMAT Incident

Confidence in recognition is high when you detect:

• Any ONE of the cues rated “HIGH”
• Any TWO of the cues rated “MODERATE”

Event-Related Cues	Confidence
Observation of a chemical release	High
HAZMAT labeled container (e.g., placard or chemical name) nearby with damage or breach	High
Chemical-related container (e.g., storage tank, tanker truck, rail tank car) nearby with damage or breach	High
An unexplained plume or cloud (e.g., not from a fire)	High
Colored cloud or plume (e.g., green, yellow)	High
Unexplained odors (e.g., bleach, ammonia, bitter almonds)	High
Chemical-related facility (e.g., production, processing, storage, use, waste treatment, disposal) or container (e.g., storage tank, tanker truck, rail tank car) nearby	Moderate
Environment-Related Cues	Confidence
Low-lying clouds or fog not explained by the weather	High
Unusual number of dead or injured animals in the area	High
Dead fish, aquatic birds and/or insects in and around water sources	High
Unexplained liquid puddle or powder deposit	Moderate
Oily sheens, coatings or droplets on surface	Moderate
Clouds of dust or particles not explained by the weather or incident (e.g., building collapse)	Moderate
Unusual and unexplained dead, discolored or withered plant life in area	Moderate
Victim-Related Cues	Confidence
Casualties with no apparent reason or trauma	High
Casualties clustered in a geographic area, especially downwind from incident scene or in low-lying areas	High
Same medical symptoms in multiple victims not explained by the incident	High
Breathing difficulty, coughing not otherwise explained (e.g., building collapse)	High
Burns or irritation on skin (not from fire)	High
Tearing of eyes not otherwise explained	Moderate
Disorientation not otherwise explained	Moderate

 

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How to Recognize a Chemical MEI Incident

Confidence in recognition is high when you detect:

• Any ONE of the cues rated “HIGH”

IF A Chemical HAZMAT Incident AND…
Event-Related Cues	Confidence
More than 10* victims observed that are “down” or require urgent and medical treatment.	High
Potential that more than 10* persons have been contaminated by or are in the Isolation Zone for the Chemical HAZMAT Incident	High
Any incident that could cause multiple casualties combined with potential exposures or contamination (e.g., major transportation accident, building collapse) at a location where 10 or more* persons could be affected	High

*Use local definition of number of patients for MEI if known.

 

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How to Recognize a Chemical WMD Incident

Confidence in recognition is high when you detect:

• Any TWO of the cues rated “MODERATE”

IF A Chemical HAZMAT Incident OR a CHEMICAL MEI AND…
Event-Related Cues	Confidence
Credible threat of a terrorist attack applicable to the area	Moderate
Bomb or munition-like debris	Moderate
Debris that could have been caused by an explosion	Moderate
Unexplained persons wearing personal protective equipment (PPE)	Moderate
Unexplained discarded PPE	Moderate
Explosion with little or no structural damage	Moderate
Device that may have dispersed a mist or vapor	Moderate
Oily sheens, coatings or droplets on surface	Moderate
Unusual or unauthorized spraying in the area	Moderate
Suspicious persons urgently leaving the area	Moderate
Victim - Related Cues	Confidence
Multiple casualties exhibiting similar symptoms	Moderate
Mass casualties with no apparent reason or trauma	Moderate
Sudden unexplained weakness, collapse, apnea, or convulsions	Moderate
Dimmed or blurred vision	Moderate
Hypersecretion signs and symptoms (such as drooling, tearing, and diarrhea)	Moderate
Inhalation signs and symptoms (eye, nose, throat, chest irritation; shortness of breath)	Moderate
Burn-like skin signs and symptoms (redness, blistering, itching, sloughing)	Moderate

 

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Declare And Activate the Emergency Response System

Recognition of a Chemical HAZMAT, Chemical MEI or Chemical WMD Incident should trigger immediate notification of the emergency response system / network. 

 

The notification should include a short form of key information about the event, as prescribed by local protocol or SOG.  In the absence of a local SOG, a variation of the widely used METHANE protocol can be used:

• Incident: Declare a HAZMAT, HAZMAT MEI or HAZMAT WMD Incident
• Exact location: The precise location of the incident
• Type: Chemical HAZMAT, Chemical MEI, or Chemical WMD Incident
• Hazards: Both present and potential
• Access: Best route for emergency services to access the site, or obstructions and bottlenecks to avoid
• Numbers: Estimate of numbers of contaminated, casualties, dead and uninjured on scene
• Emergency services: Which services are already on scene, and which others are required

 

Info	Description
Incident	▢  HAZMAT ▢  HAZMAT MEI ▢  HAZMAT WMD
Location
Type
Hazards
Access
Numbers
Emergency Services

 

 

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