Agenda - City of Santa Monica

THREAT ASSESSMENT 2 - HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT
General Situation
The City of Santa Monica has a Hazardous Materials Plan which provides an overview
of the City's industrial locations and the potential involvement of hazardous material
incidents. The Santa Monica Fire Department Hazardous Material Area Plan 2010 is
available from the Santa Monica Fire Department and is updated regularly. Coupling the
database of potentially hazardous locations with other elements of the plan provides an
analysis and a beneficial planning tool. Hazardous materials are any substance or
combination of substances which because of quantity, concentration, or characteristics
may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in death or serious injury, or pose
substantial hazards to humans and/or the environment.
Hazardous material incidents differ from other emergency response situations because
of the wide diversity of causative factors and the pervasiveness of the potential threat.
Circumstances such as the prevailing wind and geographic features in the vicinity of
emergency incidents are relevant factors that may greatly increase the hazardous
chemical dangers. Incidents may occur at fixed facilities where, most likely, the
occupants have filed site specific emergency response contingency and evacuation
plans. However, incidents may also occur at any place along any land, water or air
transportation routes, and (in event of vessel mishaps, aircraft accidents, misuse of
agricultural chemicals and illegal dumping) may occur in unpredictable areas, relatively
inaccessible by ground transportation.
In Santa Monica the vast majority of hazardous material incidents are handled prior to
their becoming a major disaster. Nevertheless, the emergency organization needs to
be flexible and evolutionary in its response to a developing incident. The Hazardous
Material Plan is designed to accommodate both the large number of relatively routine
minor spill incidents and the truly catastrophic hazardous material disaster.
Specific Situation
The threat of a major hazardous material incident in Santa Monica exists from five
different sources: (1) commercial vehicle, (2) air transportation; (3) pipeline; (4) fixed
facility; and (5) clandestine dumping.
There are numerous locations within the city which pose an above average risk of
hazardous materials incident occurrence. This is due to the nature of the business
conducted at each location rather than unauthorized use of hazardous materials. Many
of the businesses classified as posing an above average risk store and handle Class I
and II flammable liquids. These businesses have been mapped and can due to the
sensitive nature of the information is available for emergency response from the Fire
Department. Mapping higher risk businesses has achieved two things; areas of high risk
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