Chapter 14 Critical Incidents

What are critical incidents?

Events that can put lives at risk and cause major damage to property and the environment. They can be natural or the result of human acts or error

- Hurricanes

- Tornadoes

- Floods

- Wildfires

Examples of natural critical incidents:

- Active shooter events

- Hazardous material spills

- Bomb threats

Examples of human-made critical incidents:

What is the incident command system (ICS)?

A standard, on-scene, all-hazards approach to manage and coordinate the operation of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications under a common organizational structure

What is shelter-in-place?

Taking immediate shelter in a readily accessible location or remaining inside a structure to prevent exposure to a dangerous situation that exists outside of the structure.

How should you communicate when an ICS is established?

In plain language since different agencies may use different radio codes

The national Incident Management System (NIMS) provides ICS training on the ____________ website

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

What two courses must you complete and pass the online exams for for ICS training?

IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100; and IS-700B: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System

- A family meeting location

- At least one out-of-town contact

- A list of emergency management contacts for your county

- A method for your family to contact you once the disaster is over

A few things to include in your family emergency plan include:

What should a disaster kit contain?

Basic supplies needed for a 72-hour period. First aid kit, important paperwork, non-perishable food, water, toys, pet food, flashlight, batteries, medication, and a radio

How often should you check your disaster kits?

Every 6 months

How does the FBI define an active shooter?

An individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Occasionally referred to as an "active threat"

- Loss of significant relationships

- Changes in financial status or loss of termination from a job

- Feelings of victimization

- Major adverse changes to life circumstances

- Feelings of perceived injustice

Certain factors common to active shooters:

It is also important to remember that there is not a single profile for a ___________

Mass shooter

If you respond to an active shooter situation, you should always be prepared to

Respond alone and not wait for backup

- A factory explosion

- A gas leak in a residential neighborhood

- a petroleum spill in a body of water

A few examples of instances where you might encounter hazmat incidents include:

- Isolate the area without entering it

- Keep people away from the scene

- Ensure people are upwind and out of low-lying areas

In a hazmat incident, the main objectives are to:

What is the standard of care?

The level of competency expected or required when an officer responds to a hazmat incident

The U.S. Department of transportation defines _____ common classes of hazardous materials

Nine

What is Class 1 of hazardous materials?

Explosives

What are explosives?

Materials or devices designed to release energy very rapidly

What are some examples of class 1 hazardous materials?

Dynamite, black powder, and small arms ammunition

What is Class 2 of hazardous materials?

Gases

What are gases?

Materials that are neither solid nor liquid at ordinary temperatures; they are contained under pressure. They can be flammable, nonflammable, poisonous, or corrosive

What are some examples of Class 2 hazardous materials?

Acetylene, hydrogen, and anhydrous ammonia

What is Class 3 of hazardous materials?

Flammable liquids and combustible liquids

Class 3 materials

Burn in the presence of an ignition source

What are some examples of Class 3 hazardous materials?

Gasoline, diesel fuel, and acetone

What is Class 4 of hazardous materials?

Flammable solid, spontaneously combustible, and dangerous when wet

Class 4 materials

May burn in the presence of an ignition source, in the presence of heat or friction, ignite spontaneously, or when in contact with water

What are some examples of Class 4 hazardous materials?

Magnesium, sulfur, and calcium chloride

What are Class 5 hazardous materials?

Oxidizers and organic peroxides

What are some examples of Class 5 hazardous materials?

Bromine or calcium hypochlorite (bleach)

Class 5 materials may

Cause spontaneous combustion or increase the intensity of a fire

What are Class 6 hazardous materials?

Toxic material and infectious substances

What are some examples of Class 6 materials?

Medical waste and biological hazards

What are Class 7 materials?

Radioactive substances

What are some examples of Class 7 materials?

Nuclear waste, radioactive medical materials, and X-ray equipment

What are Class 8 materials?

Corrosive substances

What are some examples of Class 8 materials?

Acids, solvents, or other materials that may cause irreversible damage to human tissue

What are Class 9 materials?

Miscellaneous dangerous good

- Lithium ion batteries

- Dry ice

- Magnetized metals

- Auto-inflating devices

- Asbestos

- Molten sulfur, PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls)

- Hazardous waste

What are some examples of Class 9 materials?

Occupancy

Refers to a structure and its use

Location

Refers to an area and its use

The main types of containers include

Portable, fixed, and transportation containers

There is usually a direct relationship between the size of the container and the

Size of the affected geographical area

The ________ requires most vehicles transporting hazardous materials to display placards that describe the class of hazardous materials on board

USDOT

Anything that holds two or more classes of hazardous materials should display a _________ placard and may use this placard instead of the specific placard for each class of material

"DANGEROUS"

The __________ requires all pesticides and some other chemical substances to show warning labels on the outside of the container to indicate harmful contents

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Commercial vehicle operators are required to carry documents that list the contents of their shipment. These documents are called

Shipping papers or shipping manifests

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed a standard facility and vehicle marking system called the ________

704 system

- Blue: health hazards

- Red: flammability hazards

- Yellow: reactivity

- White: other (provides information on any special hazards of the material)

The diamond-shaped symbol is divided into four segments that indicate the following risks:

At a safe distance, what senses can you use to identify hazardous materials?

Sight and hearing

When responding to hazmat situations, the orange color-coded pages are the most important part of the ERG. What are the three main topics for each substance identified?

Potential hazards, public safety, and emergency response

What does the "potential hazards" section of the orange color-coded pages in the ERG represent?

Describes the potential hazards that the material may display in terms of fire or explosion and health effects upon exposure

What are the three subsections of the "public safety" section of the orange color-coded pages in the ERG?

Notification, protective clothing, evacuation

What is the protective action distance?

The distance that people should stay from a hazardous spill

________ responders must not attempt to extinguish a fire that involves hazardous materials

Awareness-level

__________ personnel with the necessary protection and training can accomplish a defensive fire attack

Operational-level

_________ personnel must conduct an offensive fire attack

Technician-level

_________ personnel can perform spill control if they avoid direct contact with the material and have proper protection. They can also activate remote shut-off.

Operational-level

___________ responders can perform leak control

Technician-level

___________ responders may identify contaminated people who present a significant risk of secondary contamination, but should avoid direct contact with these people to prevent exposure

Awareness-level

OSHA regulations require a structured termination process. What are the three steps for this process?

On-scene debriefing, incident critique, and after-action analysis

What are meth labs?

locations where methamphetamine is manufactured. They can be as small as a soda bottle or as large as a warehouse

A simple chemical process converts __________ or __________ into methamphetamine

Pseudoephedrine, ephedrine

What are some common methods used in making methamphetamine?

One-pot "Shake and Bake" method, the red phosphorous method, and the "Nazi" (anhydrous ammonia) method

What is chemical suicide (detergent suicide)?

A way of committing suicide that involves mixing two or more easily acquired chemicals

What is the most common method of chemical suicide?

Using hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide

What symptoms could you experience from minor exposure to chemicals used in chemical suicide?

Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat

What symptoms could you experience from moderate exposure to chemicals used in chemical suicide?

Headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, coughing, and difficulty breathing

What symptoms could you experience from high exposure to chemicals used in chemical suicide?

Severe respiratory irritation, severe eye irritation, convulsions, coma, and death

What is an improvised explosive device (IED)?

A homemade bomb built and used in ways other than conventional military action

-Are rigid

-Have too much postage

-Have misspellings of common words

-Are handwritten

-Have poorly typed addresses

-Have discoloration

-Have protruding wires

-Have strange odors

Mail bombs can be difficult to detect. Some possible signs are envelopes or packages that:

What is a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED)?

A motor vehicle used as a bomb

Evacuation distance from a vehicle should be much ______ than evacuation distance from a building because a VBIED is potentially very large, and pieces of the vehicle can act as shrapnel

Greater

What are some well-known examples of incendiary devices?

Molotov cocktails, napalm, and firebombs

What are the three components that every incendiary device contains?

An ignition source, a combustible filler material, and a container

What are some means of detonation?

Tripwires, pressure switches, motion detectors, infrared beams, and remote triggers

Most bomb threats come via _______

Telephone

A common policy or rule is to be out of a building at least ____________ before the alleged time of detonation and not return until the building has been cleared

30 minutes

Avoiding ________ use may stop the accidental triggering or detonation of a bomb designed to explode by _______

Radio, radio waves

It is essential to follow a ______ approach when arriving at the site of a bomb threat

Tactical

The ______ is sometimes the most important witness; so, interview them as soon as possible

Recipient

_____ will be the major issue in determining whether to search or evacuate.

Credibility

Treat all threats and bomb situations as _____ until proved otherwise.

Credible

A general safe distance for the initial perimeter is ________ from the supposed location of the bomb

1000 feet

What is a secondary explosive device?

A bomb placed at the scene of an ongoing emergency response that is intended to cause casualties among responders

During a search, always assume that there is a

Secondary device in the area

Unless you know the exact location of the device, conduct an ______ search of the building perimeter

Exterior

A building's interior search should go from _________ to _________.

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