SLCFD Suspicious Package and Chemical Suicide Guideline PDF

Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) Suspicious Package and Chemical Suicide Effective Date: 08/01/2010 Guideline Number 04-14A Revised Date: 07/01/2019 Number of Pages 03...

Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) Suspicious Package and Chemical Suicide Effective Date: 08/01/2010 Guideline Number 04-14A Revised Date: 07/01/2019 Number of Pages 03 1. Overview This guideline cannot address each potential situation specifically, but rather outlines the proper procedures for Salt Lake City Fire Department employees to adopt in such incidents. The Incident Commander, as always, will determine the best plan for mitigating the incident, but should remain aware that these guidelines exist to assist in the safe resolution of any potential hazard release. 2. Definitions CBRNE – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive HMRT - Hazardous Materials Response Team 3. Guideline Under no circumstances should Fire Department first responders attempt to contain, package, or physically investigate an unknown potentially hazardous material, packaged or not. Initial public safety responders should: A. Isolate the area, compartment or building containing the package (create hot zone) B. Deny entry to that hot zone C. Identify the substance remotely, if possible, through information gathered from responsible parties. Public safety actions should be the priority. Such actions include ensuring the safety of endangered persons and appropriate decontamination, treatment and transport of any possibly contaminated persons. 4. Standard Notifications It shall be standard procedure of the Salt Lake City Fire Department to ensure that the following individuals or agencies are notified (preferably by phone) in the event of ANY potentially hazardous package of unknown origin or chemical suicide incident, with/without the presence of adverse symptoms. HazMat Company mobile phone should be primary point of contact for SLCFD personnel in the field. A. Salt Lake City Fire Hazardous Materials Team (HazMat) B. Salt Lake City Fire Battalion Chief on duty C. Salt Lake City Police Department D. Salt Lake City Bomb Squad (if explosives cannot be definitively ruled out) E. Salt Lake Valley Health Department F. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) G. Department of Enviromental Quality (DEQ) H. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), for chemical suicide incidents only I. Other law enforcement agencies with a jurisdictional interest (i.e. Postal Inspectors, etc.) 5. Coordinating With Law Enforcement Suspicious package or chemical suicide incidents should be managed through a Unified Command. The Salt Lake City Fire Department Incident Commander must identify a lead agency from the law enforcement side. IC may consider the use of SLCFD Investigator(s) as a liaison for this purpose. 04-14A Suspicious Package and Chemical Suicide Guideline (SOG), Page 1 of 3  The SLCFD Incident Commander should coordinate with the lead law enforcement agency and make an Initial Hazard Assessment and determine what actions department personnel will take after initial public safety concerns are mitigated. Such actions may include, but are not limited to: A. Field testing in support of law enforcement investigation B. Down-range photographs C. Sample collection and packaging D. Determining the need for further testing by the State Laboratory E. Identifying the agency responsible for transport of any materials removed from the scene prior to collection F. Identifying the destination of any materials removed from the scene G. Chain of evidence actions and documentation H. Contamination Reduction SLCFD personnel should not engage in any actions that increase the threat to the public or present an unreasonable threat to department personnel. 6. Field Testing and Sampling Field screening for public safety takes priority over evidentiary and investigative actions and should be limited to ruling out explosive devices, radiological materials, corrosive materials, possible presence of WMD or biological threats and volatile organic compounds (VOC). When appropriate, and in coordination with the lead law enforcement agency, further actions may be performed by department personnel such as, photographing, sampling for evidence, material packaging and removal, etc. Such actions may be performed during entries for public safety action or during subsequent entries. Sampling and packaging should be done in adherence to standard sampling and packaging techniques. Entries for any purpose should be done in adherence to standard entry practices. Such practices include appropriate PPE choice, establishing appropriate decontamination, practicing established methods, and RIT assignments. 7. Responsibility It will be the Hazardous Material Response Team Incident Commander’s responsibility to ensure that standard notifications are made in addition to appropriate field testing and sampling. Other Important Considerations: A. Do not touch, or engage any suspicious package until an initial Hazard Assessment has been conducted with lead law enforcement agency. B. Opening a previously unopened package may represent an unreasonable danger to the public and department personnel. C. Any sample collection should be accomplished by the Hazardous Material Response Team and transferred to the agency which has been identified prior to collection for transportation and further analysis D. State Biological Lab has authorized transport of unopened packages screened for explosives and radioactive material to their location. E. Treat threat scenes as crime scenes. Preserve evidence, maintain chain of custody. Document all field tests that are conducted. 04-14A Suspicious Package and Chemical Suicide Guideline (SOG), Page 2 of 3  F. In coordination with agencies specified in the SOG, identify a single responsible party for incident follow-up. G. Document everything H. Ensure that all personnel on scene who have been exposed in any way to hazardous chemicals are properly decontaminated prior to being released back into service or transported to the hospital. Cases meeting these criteria should be reported and handled per SLCFD policy 06-36C Chemical Exposures. Contact Information: FBI, WMD Coordinator (SLC) (O) 801-579-1400 (C) 801-514-4060 Radiation Control Division, Dept. of Environmental Quality (O) 801-536-0200 (24hr) 801-536-4123 (Backup) 208-526-1515, Idaho Radiological Assistance Program Salt Lake Valley Health Department (24hr) 801-580-6681 HazMat 6 / 10: (C) 801-560-4845 (HM 6) (C) 801-783-8924 (HM10) 04-14A Suspicious Package and Chemical Suicide Guideline (SOG), Page 3 of 3