OPERations. In This Issue

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1 OPERations Office of Preparedness and Emergency Response Newsletter October 2013 Notes from the Director. Welcome to our inaugural additional of the OPERations newsletter. This quarterly newsletter is designed to share news, best practices, significant events and training information with our staff, partners and stakeholders. As we move toward becoming the Office of Preparedness and Emergency Response (OPER), we look forward to a more proactive role in outreach, planning and prevention. Although we have had a preparedness role for years, our new stance intent is to have more robust and collaborative interaction with our partners and stakeholders to prevent and mitigate potential hazards. We welcome submissions, suggestions and requests from all recipients (by the 14 th of the first month of each quarter i.e. October, January, April and July) to our newsletter editor, Amanda Hartsfield (Amanda.hartsfield@dep.state.fl.us). Thank you to our staff of responders, whose 24/7 statewide presence makes Florida a safer, healthier and cleaner place to visit and to live. The Office of Emergency Response provides a statewide response capability to coastal or inland oil spills or hazardous material incidents, involving any situation that represents an imminent hazard, or threat of a hazard, to the public health, welfare and safety, or the environment. In This Issue Director Introduction Mercury Information Forensics Team Clean Gulf 2013 New Grant from DHS OER Responders monitoring unknown chemical with Eagle Meter

2 To mitigate an Hg release the following steps are taken: (to be done by a professional cleanup contractor) Checking for mercury Why is mercury such a big deal? I use to play with it as a kid This is a question OER anticipates having to answer every time we respond to a mercury incident. So, why is it a concern? Let s start with the basics. Mercury (Hg) in its elemental state is a silver metal that is liquid at room temperature. Hg evaporates from a liquid into a vapor when the element or Hg compound is not properly contained. Exposure to Hg vapors over a long period of time or at higher concentrations for a short period of time can result in neurological effects. Children and developing fetus are the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of Hg. For more information on Hg health effects visit the following link: More detailed information can be found here: c2.pdf. Hg containing devices commonly include thermometers, thermostats, blood pressure sphygmomanometer, antique clocks, etc. Often times OER is made aware of an Hg release after a citizen or facility notifies their local fire department. After the initial assessment of the incident, the fire department will typically notify the State Watch Office and request OER s assistance. OER will work with the local first responders to determine the level of response necessary; which, will usually include an on-scene response in order to survey the impacted area with specialized airmonitoring equipment, OER typically utilizes the Lumex Mercury Analyzer. OER will often times work with other agencies local programs, EPA, DOH, and ATSDR to ensure the best service is provided. All visible Hg is removed from the impacted area. This may include removing flooring, dry wall or other porous materials in the vicinity. Careful steps must be taken to prevent spreading Hg from the impacted area in to clean areas; also known as cross contamination. A chemical binding agent is often times applied to the impacted area and allowed to react. After the reaction has occurred, the area will be mopped and the impacted area will be treated multiple times. After the majority of the Hg has been removed through these physical and chemical means, the impacted area is heated. Heat causes the remaining minute particles of Hg to vaporize. The area is vented to remove the Hg vapors from the area being treated. Heating and venting may take from several hours to a couple of days. Throughout the treatment process the area of concern will be monitored to quantify the levels of Hg contamination. The amount of contamination will determine what the next step in the cleanup process will be. Each response has its own unique challenges that will determine the appropriate steps. OER is always mindful of properly disposing of contaminated materials. Clearing a building for re-occupancy is accomplished through continuous air monitoring or sampling, depending on guidance from ASTDR. For information on cleaning up Hg releases click on this link:

3 Upcoming Training/ Exercises: Nov 5-Jan 20th: Executive Order 13650: Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security Nov 6th: 8hr Refresher Course Orlando Nov 13-14: Clean Gulf 2013 event Dec 3-5th: 24hr HAZWOPER Abandoned Drum/Drum Sampling Chemical Sampling Office of Emergency Response Forensics Team The Office of Emergency Response (OER) Forensics Team is capable of supporting the full range of forensic activity including response to major environmental crime scenes with the purpose of providing expertise and assets to properly secure, collect and record forensic evidence. The OER Forensic Team, comprised of scientific experts with knowledge of procedures and resources to support forensic efforts, will work collaboratively with law enforcement officials throughout the state to construct a robust chain of evidence in support of the successful prosecution of those guilty of environmental crimes. Collection of environmental forensic evidence is ever challenging. Whether it is pulling samples from a 300-gallon tank in the back of a minivan used for fuel theft or, navigating the hazards of an abandoned plating shop with leaking vats of chromic acid impinging on drums of sodium cyanide, sharp focus and attention to detail are essential to ensuring that the samples collected are an unassailable link in the chain of evidence brought to bear in any case. The next couple of months will be an exciting and active time for the OER Forensics Team following the DEP Law Enforcement transition to FWC. Though FWC staff is aware of our capabilities, many may not be familiar with the specific skill set the OER Forensics Team can offer law enforcement and efforts are underway to remedy that. Come the New Year, statewide Forensics Coordinator Pete Wenner, will be taking to the road to introduce FWC and other law enforcement agencies to the world of forensics sampling. So be on the look-out, the Forensics Program will soon be coming to a town near you.

4 Report a Spill: When in doubt call the State Watch Office: Petroleum spills Spills into or involving state waterways ERT Exercise ERT responders in Level A suits OER Awarded Department of Homeland Security Grant The OER was awarded $80,000 grant from DHS to fund exercises for the State Environmental Response Team (ERT) and Regional Forensics Teams. OER responders with law enforcement officers and professionals from Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tallahassee Police Department, Department of Health, Department of Financial Services, and Florida Highway Patrol make up the ERT. The ERT is a specialized team that has level A entry, criminal investigative and environmental forensics capabilities that can be deployed during an event where evidence needs to be collected in a hot zone. The next exercise is scheduled for April 2014 at the Florida State Fire College. Spills greater than or potentially greater than 25 gallons Spills requiring any state/federal notification or assistance Chemical Spills All SARA/EHS/ CERCLA Releases All spills threatening population or the environment All spills requiring evacuation ERT Exercise Decontamination Boomed leaking boat

5 Florida DEP Hosts Clean Gulf This Year The Florida DEP proudly hosts the 23 rd annual CLEAN GULF conference in Florida this year. CLEAN GULF is the conference and exhibition where oil and spill prevention and response professionals get together to network with colleagues, build new relationships and keep up with best practices and new technology. The conference will focus on response, prevention, preparedness and planning, information & response technologies, deepwater prevention & response, and special interests. CLEAN GULF will be held November in Tampa, at the Tampa Convention Center. CSX Train Derailment Significant Event of the Quarter On July 25 at 1258 hrs a CSX train with tankers of ethanol (E90) derailed at the entrance to the Port of Tampa. There was no fire or injuries. Eleven tankers containing 30,150 gallons each came to rest on their sides across the Maritime Blvd entrance to the Port, blocking all inbound lanes. Three of the tankers were leaking ethanol from their domes. The Tampa Fire Department suppressed all vapors with copious amounts of Alcohol Type Concentrate (ATC) fire fighting foam. Approximately 5500 gallons of ethanol was discharged before SWS (contractor) secured the leaks. E90 is ethanol denatured with 10% gasoline. Much of the discharge was contained in adjacent drainage ditches. Some may have entered a storm drain leading to the bay. SWS will continue to remediate contaminated surface water and soil. CSX is in the process of up-righting the overturned tank cars. Vehicular traffic in an out of the Port has been rerouted through the exit gate. OER Tampa joined the Unified Command and is maintaining a presence on scene throughout the incident.

6 Office of Emergency Response Tallahassee (HQ) Pensacola (CST) Jacksonville Orlando Tampa Ft. Myers Boca Raton Marathon Contact Us Florida Department of Environmental Protection Office of Emergency Response 3900 Commonwealth Blvd. MS 659 Tallahassee, FL Visit us on the web at oer/default.htm Hotlinks: Florida Oil spill Toolkit: Contractors: Federal EPA: Division of Emergency Management: National Hurricane Center: Clean Gulf: Chemical Security: