G-HAZC HazMat Incident Operations Part 1

First Arriving Officer

• Rescues civilians that can be rescued, wearing full Structural Firefighting PPE and limiting exposure to rescues that can be done quickly.
• Search area, and maintain safe distance until chemical can be identified.
• Conducts gross decon and removes bunker suit, with SCBA being last.
• Restricts access and takes defensive corrective actions until chemical is identified.
• Sets up a charged hose line in a safe area for emergency decontamination.
• Identifies hazardous material using available resources, including on-site personnel, placards, labels, containers, shipping papers, and MSDS.
• Notifies the Communications Centre that a hazardous material is involved.
• Determines hazards of the chemical and initial action guidelines through the Emergency Response Guide.
• Evacuates civilians as per the evacuation guidelines in the Emergency Response Guide (if necessary).
• Monitors the area with appropriate detection devices.
• Determines whether the product can be contained or confined safely by on-site personnel.
• Decides whether any action such as rescue can be safely initiated by Firefighters.

Command

• Incident Commander establishes a Command Post in the Cold Zone and a safe area based on the information received from the first arriving Officer.
• Confers with the Hazard Unit Officer and other on-scene Hazardous Materials (Haz Mat) Technicians to assist in decision making.
• Defines the limits of the hazard zones (Hot, Warm, and Cold) and the evacuation area after consultation with the Haz Mat Team and other qualified persons.
• Develops and initiates a plan of action once the hazardous material has been identified and the hazards are known.
• Calls for all outside agencies and resources required.
• Confirms decisions (may contact CANUTEC).
• Ensures personnel are assigned to the following: Hazardous Materials Sector Officer, Hot Zone Sector Officer, and Decontamination Officer.
• Maintains a safe operating distance from the emergency site and ensures other arriving vehicles are informed of the current status of the situation.
• Establishes control of the scene and maintains a Command post in a safe area.
• Ensures decontamination, first aid, and medical assistance are provided for all contaminated persons at the scene.
• Ensures records are kept of all persons requiring decontamination or medical aid due to exposure to hazardous materials from the incident.
• Ensures the incident is properly documented in accordance with TFS practices.