SOP Manual - Cleveland Fire Department

Cleveland Fire Department
Operations Manual
Hazardous Materials Response
Purpose
This procedure provides a basic philosophy and strategic procedure for hazardous materials situations.
Objective
Hazardous material incidents encompass a wide variety of potential situations including fires, spills,
transportation accidents, chemical reactions, explosions and similar events. Hazards involved may include
toxicity, flammability, radiological hazards, corrosives, explosives, health hazards, chemical reactions and
combinations of factors. This procedure provides a general framework for handling a hazardous material
incident, but does not address the specific tactics or control measures for particular incidents.
Scope
This policy applies to all personnel responding to a hazardous material incident.
Responsibility
The Incident Commander is responsible for the enforcement of this policy.
Dispatch
Cleveland/Bradley County Communications Center will attempt to obtain all information from the person
reporting a hazardous material incident. This information should, if possible, include material name and/or
type, amount, size of container(s), problem (leak, spill, fire, etc.) and dangerous properties of the material.
The dispatcher should remain on the telephone with the caller, after notifying the Cleveland Fire
Department, to gain additional information unless the person needs to evacuate the immediate area. Any
additional information shall be relayed to responding units after they have been dispatched.
If the call comes from a person with particular knowledge of the hazardous situation, have that person meet
and direct the arriving units.
If the initial information is such that a large incident is either imminent or verified then additional
manpower will be needed and should be requested by the OIC. Communications should have the proper
notifications on hand based on the level of response and notify those agencies and/or individuals.
Incident Command System
As mandated by federal standard and legislation we will use a site-specific incident command system on all
hazardous materials incidents.
The IC will appoint a scene Safety Officer to oversee all aspects of scene safety and this individual will
have contact with command at all times. All other sector safety officers that may be designated will report
to the Scene Safety Officer.
Per this standard someone must be designated as Incident Commander (IC), but the decisions that are
required to be made at a large hazardous materials scene will be more than most individuals will be able to
handle on their own. A unified command structure may work best for most situations and will be referred to
here as “Command”.
Effective: June 1, 1997 Revised: 5/14/2009 Page | 125
Approved by: Chief Chuck Atchley