Hazardous Materials

Hazmat Response Firefighters are 6 times more likely to be injured on a hazmat incident than at a structure fire Most calls do not come in as hazmat calls initially Difficulty breathing Suspicious odor Person down Motor vehicle accidents

Hazmat Dangers Effects Thermal Mechanical Poisonous Corrosive Asphyxiation Radiation Etiological Methods of Entry Inhalation Ingestion Absorption Injection

Containers Cardboard boxes Bottles Bags Drums Cylinders Totes Bulk tanks

Containers

NFPA 704 Health hazard – Blue. Fire hazard – Red. Reactivity hazard – Yellow. Special Hazard – White.

The 9 Hazard Classes Class 1 Explosives Class 2 Compressed Gases Class 3 Flammable Liquids Class 4 Flammable Solids Class 5 Oxidizers Class 6 Poisons Class 7 Radioactives Class 8 Corrosives Class 9 Miscellaneous Every Good Firefighter Fries Onions Plus Roast Chicken Monthly

Class 1, Explosives Division 1.1 (Mass Hazard) Division 1.2 (Projectile hazards) Division 1.3 (fire or minor blast hazards ) Division 1.4 (Minor explosion) Division 1.5 (Very insensitive) Division 1.6 (very insensitive/ no mass hazard)

Class 2, Gases Division 2.1 (flammable gases) Division 2.2 (non- flammable, non- poisonous, pressurized gases, including cryogenics) Division 2.3 (poisonous gases)

Class 3, Flammable Liquids Flash point less than 100 degrees F. Combustible liquids are those with flash points between degrees F.

Class 4, Flammable Solids Division 4.1 (wetted explosives and self reactives) Division 4.2 (spontaneously combustible) Division 4.3 (dangerous when wet; water reactive)

Class 5, Oxidizers and Organic Peroxides Division 5.1 (materials that can produce their own oxygen) Division 5.2 (organic peroxides that can explode or polymerize)

Type 6, Poisonous Materials Division 6.1 (toxic materials) Division 6.2 (microorganisms & their toxins that could cause disease)

Class 7, Radioactive Materials Materials determined to have radioactivity at certain levels. Radioactive I. Radioactive II. Radioactive III.

Class 8, Corrosives Acids Bases Visible destruction in skin or corrodes steel or aluminum.

Class 9, Miscellaneous Hazardous Catchall category.

DECIDE Method D etect the presence of hazardous material E stimate likely harm C hoose response objectives I dentify action options D o the best option E valuate progress

Chain of Priorities Safety Isolation Notification Command Identification Action Plan

Safety Safety is always our first concern. We cant help resolve the situation if we become victims ourselves. Keep a safe distance from the scene using the “thumb method”. Stay uphill, upwind, upstream, and avoid sources of contamination.

Isolation Stop traffic, block roads, deny entry into the area Triage victims and bystanders as to who was in contact with the substance and who was not, keep contaminated people isolated. Set up an exclusion zone based on your “rule of thumb” as initial isolation

Notification With the larger hazmat incidents, we’re going to need help, some of it highly specialized. Its best to get these resources moving early, you can always turn them around if it turns out to be nothing. Have dispatch order requested resources.

Identification 3 different sources of information for chemical identification should be used The NAERG DOT guide will give excellent information on initial response actions NIOSH guides will give chemical properties and toxicity data Shipping papers should be carried with the transported materials

Action Plan Your action plan should be based on mitigating a worst case scenario of the materials and situations involved You must have a safety plan as well if something goes wrong! Have both plans written down. Consider the following; Safety Chemical properties Rescue Air monitoring Residents/businesses Liquid flow paths Exposures Traffic movement Weather Decon/disposal