InfoGram 33-11: August 18, 2011

This InfoGram will be distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures. For further information, contact the Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) at (301) 447-1325 or by email at emr-isac@fema.dhs.gov.

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Dumpster Fire Precautions

(Source: Fire Engineering)

On 29 December 2009, one firefighter was killed and others wounded when responding to a dumpster fire in the parking lot of a Wisconsin manufacturing plant.  More recently, firefighters extinguished dumpster fires at four Massachusetts schools without injury.  Because it is usually not possible to determine the presence of hazardous materials at these “outdoor fires,” precautions are warranted to mitigate inherent dangers and prevent harm to responder personnel.

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned from a Fire Engineering article that despite location there is always the possibility of illegal dumpster dumping of hazardous materials such as chemicals, biological waste, explosives, asbestos, plastics, etc.  “Regardless of any container markings, the contents inside dumpsters are the ultimate unknown.”   

Within the aforementioned article, the co-authors offered an “Operational Guide for Dumpster and Trash Fires,” which includes the following steps abbreviated by the EMR-ISAC:

• Wear full personal protective equipment and use a self-contained breathing apparatus.
• Establish a safety zone to protect all responders.
• Establish an adequate water supply.
• Stretch an adequate size hoseline.
• Consider the possibility of victims.
• Monitor all nearby exposures (e.g., buildings, vehicles)
• Remain upwind and remain “on air.”
• Use tools such as pike poles to open and close lids and move rubbish.

More helpful information on this subject can be seen at the following articles: Firefighter Training Drills for Dumpster Fires, How to Safely Attack Dumpster Fires, Tricks of the Trade for Dumpster Fires.

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack Awareness

(Source: The Heritage Foundation)

A Web Memo by The Heritage Foundation explained that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is produced by the detonation of a nuclear weapon at high altitude or as the result of unusually powerful solar activity.  Specifically, “An EMP is a high-intensity burst of electromagnetic energy caused by the rapid acceleration of charged particles.” 

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) ascertained that a wave of EMP creates three chaotic effects: 1) An electromagnetic shock that disrupts electrical devices; 2) A power surge that burns circuits and immobilizes electronic components and systems; and 3) A pulse effect that flows through electricity transmission lines, damages distribution centers, and fuses power lines.

The high numbers of networked electronics that control nearly every aspect of the American economic engine make an EMP attack potentially devastating.  In an instant, the power grid could be seriously degraded or shut down completely.  Because several other services rely on electricity, and since many infrastructures are interconnected, the possibility exists that other grids beyond the exposed area would collapse as well.

The “Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack” (PDF, 7.2 Mb) generally recommended that prevention, protection, and recovery be balanced by “making preparations to manage the effects of an EMP attack, including understanding what has happened, maintaining situational awareness, having plans in place to recover, challenging and exercising those plans, and reducing vulnerabilities.” Furthermore, the report suggested the following actions for Emergency Services Sector departments and agencies:

• Develop training courses for emergency services providers on how to enhance immunity to, operate during, and recover from an EMP attack.
• Create an EMP attack consequence assessment tool to perform planning analysis and training and to assist in the identification of critical equipment and personnel requirements.
• Establish a program to assess the vulnerability of evolving emergency services networks and electronics equipment to EMP and to develop a model plan for hardness maintenance and surveillance for implementation by state and local jurisdictions.

More EMP information is available at the Washington State Office of Radiation Protection website.

Chemical Emergencies Website

(Source: NIH)

The National Institute of Health (NIH) notified the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) regarding a new resource and website about responding to chemical emergencies.  The website, Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM), will enable first responders, first receivers, and other healthcare providers and planners to plan for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of mass-casualty incidents involving chemicals.

The CHEMM website will also provide a comprehensive, user-friendly, web-based resource that is downloadable in advance, so that it will be available during an event if the Internet is not accessible. 

CHEMM was produced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in cooperation with the National Library of Medicine, as well as many medical, emergency response, toxicology, and other experts.  For more information, see Other Resources for First Responders.   

Public Health Emergency Response Guide

(Source: CDC)

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) was informed regarding the availability of the Public Health Emergency Response Guide (Version 2.0) (PDF, 211 Kb) on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Preparedness and Response website.    

This guide is an all-hazards reference tool for health professionals who are responsible for initiating the public health response during the first 24 hours (i.e., the acute phase) of an emergency or disaster.  It provides useful information on the activation and integration of a jurisdiction’s public health system into the existing emergency response structure during the acute phase of an incident.  It also contains guidance that is applicable to specific types of incidents, such as floods, earthquakes, and acts of terrorism.

The guide is not a substitute for emergency preparedness activities and it not intended to replace existing emergency operations plans, procedures, or guidelines within a jurisdiction’s health department.