Minnesota State Hazardous Materials Response Team Program
Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Rochester Fire Department Hazardous Materials Regional Response Team Program
Haz-Mat History Pre 1986 Chemical reporting was limited from both transportation and fixed sites leaving local responders unable to prepare for potential hazards in their community. Minnesota fire service organizations introduced legislation creating a Minnesota right-to-know law. This attempt failed.
Post 1986 Federal Government passes the Community Right to Know law, a driving force being the Bho Pal, India catastrophe. The State of Minnesota formed SERC (State Emergency Response Commission), to oversee the implementation of the Community Right-to-Know law. The state also codified federal law & added a fee structure. Community Right to Know required fixed facilities to report chemicals allowing each community to prepare for a potential incident. This lead to duplication of services that was inefficient and costly. Reporting businesses also wanted accountability for the fees they were paying.
Post 1995 The Minnesota Department of Public Safety created guidelines for responders interested in becoming state hazardous materials response teams. These guidelines included, minimum manning, SOGs, geographical location, response times and training. The outcome was 10 (CAT) Chemical Assessment Teams and 4 (ERT) Emergency Response Teams.
2002 The Minnesota Department of Public Safety changed the program to include 11 CAT Teams and 1 ERT.
What are the benefits of State Teams?
Reduce training time and cost for local authorities.
Reduce equipment costs for local jurisdictions.
Eliminate duplication of services.
Accountability of expenditures.
What is a hazardous material ?
Substances or materials that, because of their chemical, physical, or biological nature, pose a potential risk to life, health, or property if they are released.
How does a local incident commander know when to request a state team?
1. Recognize: Does this incident involve Hazardous Materials?
2. Scene Control: The Incident Commander must immediately gain and maintain strict control of the Haz-Mat scene. Specifically, Isolate & Deny entry. (The 1996 Emergency Response Guide book is a good reference for initial actions.)
3. Identify product: Placards, Shipping papers Etc.
4. Estimate potential course and harm: Where is it going ? Who or What may it hurt when it gets there?
5. Does your crew/department have the Resources/Training? Can you affect the outcome?
What can a state team do for you?
Provide technical advice to incident commanders.
Recommend mitigation actions necessary to protect life, property, and the environment.
Call the Minnesota State Duty Officer 24 Hours a Day 1-800-422-0798
Dispatch Criteria:
1. There is a release or potential release from a transportation incident or a fixed facility, and
2. The release presents an actual or potential threat to public safety or the environment, and
3. Local emergency response personnel have been dispatched, are on the scene, and have made an initial assessment of the incident, and
4. Incident exceeds local capabilities, and Local authority (Incident Commander) is requesting a response.
5. If the answers to all of these questions is Yes! A team response must be authorized when requested.
What can you expect when a team is dispatched?
Chemical Assessment Team: A team trained and equipped to evaluate a hazardous materials incident and recommend the best means of controlling the hazard. Personnel: 3 to 5, 1 Specialist, 4 Technicians
CAT Primary Responsibilities:
1. Hazard Assessment
2. Technical Assistance
3. Decontamination
4. Mitigation Supplies
ERT Primary Responsibilities
1. Hot Zone entry
2. Mitigation Actions
Prohibited actions by CAT teams:
1. Cannot assume overall command of the hazardous materials emergency.
2. No clean up, transportation or disposal of Haz-Mat. (This is done by responsible party.)
3. May provide technical assistance for clandestine drug labs - No Mitigation
4. Explosives No mitigation
Liability/ Workers Compensation.
During authorized operations, members of a regional hazardous materials response team operating outside their geographic jurisdiction are Employees of the State.
Response Costs
1. The Responsible Party is Liable for Reasonable & Necessary costs of response (MN Statute 299A.52)
2. There is no cost to requesting a response, unless the jurisdiction requesting a response is the responsible party.
3. The state team bills state - The state recovers costs from the responsible party.
4. The state is not permitted to cover local costs. Local Recovery MN Statutes 299A.52 and 115B.04 Provide Authority
Local Emergency Services support may include:
1. Personnel (including 6-8 trained in decon)
2. Fire Suppression/Foam
3. ICS
4. Public Protection
5. Equipment
6. EMS/ALS Transport
7. Air/Water Supply
8. Equipment
Training Levels Required;
Cold Zone - First Responder Awareness.
Warm Zone - First Responder Operations, or training specific to the task to be performed, i.e. decontamination.
Hot Zone - Technician, or training specific to the task to be performed
Know your Limits!
Requests for assistance which exceed local levels of training/response capability, including those of mutual aid agencies, should not be made.
Local authorities are responsible for providing only properly trained personnel to provide support services to team operations.
Incident Command Local authorities are responsible for:
1. Establishing an Incident Management System (IMS).
2. Establishing a command post.
3. Designating an Incident Commander.
4. Designating other local command positions.
Teams will operate under the local incident command structure.
Communications:
1. Cellular Phone - Team to Scene (In Route)
2. Cellular Fax - In Route / On Scene
3. State Wide Fire - In Route / On Scene
4. State Wide Fire Ground - On Scene
5. Local Team Frequencies - In Route / On Scene
6. Pollution Control Agency - On Scene
7. MIMS - On Scene Coordination