GENERAL ORDER Rev. 04/16/09

Transcription

1 San Francisco Police Department 8.07 GENERAL ORDER HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENTS This order establishes policies and procedures for officers and supervisors to follow when a hazardous material incident poses a safety threat to citizens. The order explains the levels of responsibility, including those of police and fire department personnel. I. DEFINITIONS A. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL. Any substance, in any amount, that when released outside of its normal containment is dangerous to human beings, property, or the environment. B. HAZARDOUS WASTE. Hazardous waste is any waste that holds no monetary value and because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics, poses a present or potential hazard to human health and safety, or a potential hazard to the environment, e.g., used motor oil, acids that have passed their expiration date, etc. C. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT. A hazardous material incident is a condition caused by the release of any hazardous material or hazardous waste that requires the unified and coordinated response of multiple agencies to assess a situation in which the health and safety of the public is jeopardized to any degree. II. POLICY A. RESPONSIBILITIES 1. HANDLING. It is the policy of the City and County of San Francisco that the primary authority and responsibility for all hazardous material incidents within the City rests with the San Francisco Fire Department. The San Francisco Police Department will supply technical and resource support and joint Incident Command, pursuant to Standard Emergency Management System (SEMS). The Office of Emergency Services will assist in major incidents. The California Highway Patrol will manage hazardous material incidents on State freeways that lie within the City and County of San Francisco. The following guidelines specify the responsibility for handling specific types of hazardous material: a. The SFFD is responsible for incidents involving explosive chemicals at all locations under the jurisdiction of the City and County of San Francisco. 1

2 b. Investigation of suspected terrorist and/or Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents shall rest with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from SFPD Special Investigation Division. c. Pursuant to 2454(b) CVC, SFPD and SFFD share responsibilities for hazardous material releases that result from incidents on local streets or roads. d. Incidents involving the disposal of crystallized picric acid, crystallized ether, or other unstable and potentially explosive agents shall be handled by the SFPD EOD (Explosive Ordinance Detail). III. PROCEDURES A. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT. When confronted with a hazardous material incident, members shall follow these procedures: 1. SAFETY. Always approach upwind, upgrade, etc. DO NOT get so close that you cannot conduct a safe assessment. Use binoculars if available. DO NOT make contact with the suspect material(s). Assume any substance is dangerous until the SFFD HazMat technical specialist team or the DPH Bureau of Toxics has analyzed the substance and proved it is harmless. 2. ISOLATE AND DENY ENTRY. Establish a perimeter. Use crime scene tape, cones or barricades. DO NOT use flares at any time when suspected hazardous materials are present. (This includes use of flares at traffic collision scenes when such use is unsafe.) Back vehicles into the scene to aid in rapid egress from an area in the event of a sudden wind shift. Follow the guidelines in the Orange Pages of the D.O.T. Emergency Response Guidebook, Public Safety Sections, Isolate spill or leak. 3. NOTIFICATION. Upon arrival to a hazardous material incident, members shall notify the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) to have the San Francisco Fire Department respond. Members shall then notify a district supervisor and Operations Center of the situation. Operations Center will contact the Police Department s Environmental Crime Unit. The first responder should check with the SFFD to ascertain if the Bureau of Toxics should respond on the matter. Request that the Department of Public Works (DPW) to respond to any case involving oil spills or liquids that require damming. 2

3 Give your exact location, the wind direction, and/or safe direction for approaching the incident site. Also notify your field supervisor and request that he/she respond. In the event of a suspected chemical release, whether accidental or criminal, or traffic collision notify the Operations Center to have the on-call Environmental Crimes Inspector contact you ASAP. In the event of a suspected release of a weapon of mass destruction (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear agent) notify the Operations Center to activate the City s Metropolitan Medical Response System (M.M.R.S.), and the Homeland Security Unit. 4. IDENTIFY AND ASSESS THE HAZARD. Members should observe any hazard clues. Clues may include shipping papers, placards, or NFPA diamonds on the outside of a building or vehicle. Members should immediately advise DEM of any odd colored smoke or flame, runoff, or localized multiple victims. This information shall be relayed at once to those responding to the scene. The Incident Commander, or their designee, is responsible for ensuring that this information is relayed. 5. RESCUE. Rescue of persons from a contaminated area shall not be attempted unless the member has the appropriate protective equipment including respiratory protection. Further, he/she must have previous training in the use of that equipment. 6. DOCUMENTATION. Whenever possible, a member(s) certified as a Hazardous Materials First Responder OPERATIONAL shall be summoned through Operations Center to the scene. This member(s) shall be responsible for generating the appropriate report (Collision, Incident, or Crime Report). If no Hazardous Materials First Responder OPERATIONAL member is available, the first member on scene shall be responsible for generating the appropriate report. The report(s) shall include the names of ALL responding personnel, the CAD printout, Crime Scene Log, and all suspect information. The Environmental Crimes Unit will investigate criminal violations, whether daytime or nighttime. Members certified as Hazardous Materials Incident Commanders shall be notified by the first member on scene, through the Operations Center, to respond to the scene to help coordinate, manage and direct SFPD operations. B. SUPERVISOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES. When notified of a hazardous material incident, the Field Supervisor shall respond to the scene and follow these procedures: 1. PERIMETER. Inner perimeter zones shall be established by the SFFD HazMat Team members, the Health Department s Industrial Hygienists, or the SFPD s CPC Specialists as appropriate (See type of incident, as indicated in section II-A). SFPD members who lack personal protective equipment and respiratory protection shall remain on the outer perimeter line and remain there until informed the area has been rendered safe. 3

4 04/16/09 2. COMMAND POST. Establish a command post at a safe distance outside the perimeter, upwind and out of the path of possible changing conditions. Report the location to DEM and specify a safe approach route (see DGO 8.01, Critical Incident Evaluation and Notification). Establish immediate and continuous communication between the SFPD and the Fire Department. If possible, establish the command post jointly with the Fire Department to facilitate communications and coordination. Supply the SFFD Incident Commander with the name and rank of the Officer-in-Charge of the SFPD Command Post. 3. EVACUATION. Security for evacuated areas may be provided by available personnel. In cases of spontaneous and/or serious explosive threats (natural gas leaks, liquefied petroleum gasses etc.), spontaneous evacuations can be conducted. 4. MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS. If a HAZMAT incident occurs as a result of a motor vehicle collision (e.g., a semi truck/tractor transporting hazardous materials), the first member on the scene shall notify DEM and request a HAZMAT trained officer certified in commercial vehicle enforcement. Also see DGO 9.02, Vehicle Accidents. C. UNLAWFUL DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTES 1. NOTIFICATION. Members who encounter incidents involving hazardous waste (e.g., unlawful disposal of motor oil or hazardous waste in a garbage dumpster or down a sewer, etc.) shall notify the Bureau of Toxics, Health and Safety Services or the Operations Center. Whenever possible and/or applicable, members certified as Hazardous Materials First Responders OPERATIONAL, shall be notified to respond to the scene to commence initial size-up and mitigation actions in a safe, defensive manner. 2. INVESTIGATION/REPORT. Prepare an incident report. Forward one copy of the report to the District Attorney's Office, Environmental Crimes Unit, and another to the DPH Liaison officer. Include any information that would enable cost recovery (i.e., shipping papers or shipping reports). D. CHEMICAL DISPOSAL. If a citizen requests information regarding chemical disposal in a nonemergency situation, members shall tell the citizen to contact a commercial handler listed in the telephone directory or the Department of Health Hazardous Material Program. E. DECONTAMINATION. If a member has been contaminated or suspects contamination at the scene, the member shall be decontaminated by the SFFD. Any member related incidents of 4

5 decontamination shall be documented in the incident report. Encourage members to report immediately to SFGH, if deemed necessary by Emergency Medical Services personnel in the field. Members shall submit a memorandum, through their chain of command, indicating specifics of the suspected contaminant, place, date, time, etc. References Event Management Manual, SFPD D.O.T. Emergency Response Guidebook. Chris Manual, DOT Coast Guard CG Area Plan for Emergency Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents, March 1993, State of California, OES HazMat Basic Response Strategy, First Responder Operational/Awareness Manuals. 29 CFR (q)(iii)(b) San Francisco Department of Public Health, Bureau of Toxins, Health and Safety Services 5