Central City Hazardous Materials Response - Assignment Example

Central Hazardous Materials Response C-6 Resource Management HazMat Plan 43 and 44 There are numerous measures putin place to control resources and reduce wastage of valuable resources used in case of emergencies. Each section of the central city hazmat has got well defined rules and procedures that tools are supposed to follow before leaving the premises incase of any major dangerous concern that may occur. Some of the main sections that face key dangerous scenes and have resource management formulas are decontamination, rapid intervention team, rehabilitation, emergency medical services and water sections. Any materials used from Central city sections and other partner agenies have laid down systems that officers should follow to avoid any loss or misuse of equipments while in the field. Equipments, tools, and substances are also soundly managed to avoid any risk or harm to the public. The need for safety and proper management of resources has led to the introduction of logistics, service, and support departments that are supposed to ensure safety of the materials in addition to maintenance of equipments. Resources that are supposed to be used are released by planning section where as any procurement of equipments and supplies pass through divisional head. Resource management is further extended to the scene where every officer at the sight is expected to exercise maximum responsibility in ensuring safety of all the resources they use. Before officers go for any mission, every officer is assigned equipment, which is well recorded and is needed to return the equipment or service after use. The management stresses the responsible use of equipments and substances as any misuse or mishandling of the resources may impose threat to the users at the field. All the equipments used in the field are disinfected, as they should be in order to avoid any danger that they may inflict on users. There exist several accountability systems such as model city systems that are used to ensure proper management of equipments from within the premises to the field where they are utilized and back to their origin. There is fair distribution of resources attributed to the extra personnel that may be employed when the task overwhelms the assigned officers. Equipments and vehicles are kept track of throughout the operation as well as mutual aid systems put in place to track off working hours and operations in the field. Furthermore, there is regular training of individuals within the interdepartmental that enable smooth running of operations. C- 7 Health and Medical Services HazMat Plan 45 and 46 Health and medical services section is responsible for offering first aid services to the injured parties and full treatment, care, and ferrying of accident casualties to the appropriate places where they ought to receive medical services. There exists three basic life support units, three advanced support units, and a supervisor outside the evacuation zone that help with emergency issues. Moreover, most agencies and societies have also come together by pulling their resources jointly to help with the health and medical services in case of disasters. The agencies that collectively contribute to these life saving missions include Liberty, Stratford, Green, Mineral, Apple, and Granite. There are numerous life saving materials placed at the strategic places for any expert to access while giving first aid services or serving injured victims. Some of the equipments used in saving the victims lives comprises of a triage footlocker, trauma footlockers, spine boards, stretchers and slats, oxygen resuscitators, suction units, spare oxygen bottles, portable cardiac defibrillators, and disposable hazardous supplies costumes. Additionally, there are two helicopters belonging to Liberty County and St. Dorothy’s Hospital that are used in transporting patients. The helicopters act quickly in response to accidents by taking victims to the appropriate places where they can receive immediate medical attention. There are measures to ensure that landing regions for the helicopters are not in a position to interfere with the activities of the scene. In addition, there are measures put in place to classify victims in terms of the degree of the wound an individual got. The sufferers are then treated as per the set levels starting with the most critical patients to the less injured victims. Many hospitals such as Central City, Faith Hospital, Levine, Columbia Veterans, Fishersville General, and Harvest Junction help in treatment of the accident victims. All these hospitals have soundly trained workers who are ever prepared to assist in the event of any incident and additional doctors and nurses who may be called if the activities overwhelm the existing medical practitioners that have been released to discharge their duties. The first aid officers are taught different methods and styles on how to treat victims as quickly as possible with an intention of offering immediate treatment. The first aid officers are the most important people at the accident scene whose actions and performance is mandatory as far as life rescue is concerned. The first aid officers are required to understand various dangerous aspects of the accident scenes to protect themselves and the victims from further injuries. The officers doing the first aid ought to understand the effects of the chemical well enough to differentiate between casualties who are actually contaminated and the ones who are not contaminated. C-8
Response Personnel Safety HazMat Plan 47 The personnel wellbeing is an important issue that must not be omitted since any injury to an officer may eventually affect the disaster victim. The need for employees’ safety has greatly been taken care of by the organization to motivate them so that they can work without any fear of being injured. The firm assigns safety officers who are firstly required to visit the scene and verify the safety of the incident. After confirming the safety of the event, the safety officers can delegate their work to other officers with careful instructions on the precautions that they should take in order to remain safe. The people whom work is delegated are further needed to document every activity-taking place at the incident and the names of officers at the scene to remove doubt on the health and whereabouts of any officer. Special protective costumes and apparatus such as tychem TK level A suits and self contained breathing apparatus are provided to the officers at the scene to protect them from hot environments and gaseous chemicals effects respectively. There are actions taken by the local governments, which are intended to protect individual workers as much as possible during the life saving events. Commendable insurance plans have been put in place to cover all the officers involved in assisting throughout an incident. The insurance covers any liability of health hazards that may take place because of working in the life endangered and unhealthy environments in the name of saving lives. All the workers’ health and overall wellbeing are closely examined. Officers working on the dangerous scenes are required to practice using different equipments that boost their eagerness and awareness such that they do not become efficient while in the field. Thorough practices are held up twice a year thus removing any doubt that may have arisen at the scene accident, which may lead to loss of life. C-9 Personal Protection of Citizens HazMat Plan 48, 49 & 50 Protection of the public is a fundamental issue that cannot be overlooked by the organization’s management since every activity involved in the accident scene is geared towards helping the public. The organization has come up with many measures to protect the public from being hurt while carrying out rescue activities in areas with calamities. There is proper internal safeguard of all people within the Central City. Immediate evacuation plans carried out by the employees of the organization wherever there is a disaster are correctly described to avoid public injuries. There are measures put in place that help in public awareness regarding disasters such as alert systems that require the public to stay indoors. Public satisfaction is the only achievement that the Central City aims at always. The Central City must at all times, ensure that citizens are not injured at all costs. In case of a chemical leak, every residence staying within the chemical spill should go to the places especially raised grounds to avoid the effects of the chemicals. The public awareness campaigns are done once a year where everyone is invited to learn more about the precaution measures that should be taken to avoid injuries in case of any disaster. There is a well-organized evacuation procedure involving three people ordering an evacuation in the Central City. The three individuals are properly trained people from different departments with immense knowledge on evacuation procedures that reduces injuries to the public as much as possible. In absence of the three qualified individuals, authority can fall into the hands of the Fire Chief or the Incident Commander who are also competent enough to carry out evacuation procedures. The evacuation places that are highly considered safe include schools, shelters, a radio station, and a firehouse. The public will be required to drive their personal vehicles out of the evacuation zone while buses will be called to ferry students from schools after the incident alert has been issued. Evacuation alerts will be via public media such as television and radio or other effective techniques such as use of larger facilities that can receive phone calls from the Central City Emergency Management Office. Due to the challenges involved in evacuation, the National Guard will be called in to assist the Central City Police with the evacuation procedures by directing traffic and keeping out of the evacuation zone. The National Guard and Central City Police Personnel will be placed at strategic positions such as each major stop sign in the city to answer questions asked by the public as they direct the citizens to the safe places. During the evacuation, the Red Cross will always provide bedding, food, water, and clothing. Any excess people who cannot comfortably fit inside the set evacuation zones such as the library, the chapel or the Willie Nelson Auditorium, will use CSU as the evacuation location. Every destination chosen have various floors that can be made use of as the doors and windows create airtight seals. The Central City may transport citizens that may need medical attention to one of the two local hospitals for medication purposes. After the issues have been settled, the public will be informed via television and radio about the freedom to leave the evacuation zones. The National Guard with the help of police personnel located outside evacuation zones will evacuate each citizen in an orderly manner after the area has been cleared. All citizens will be cautioned on the dangers and signs of chemicals or any other substance. Every other activity that may lead to public suffering is taken care of by the Central City. For instance, all the sewerage systems will be shield by the Central City Water Department, which will further alert the citizens in case of any pollution of the city’s water as the Public works will tend to redirect the contagion to guard public health and the entire environment. The Central city will always endeavor to protect the public at all cost by instating a proper way of implementing its policies. The relationship between the Central city and other agencies is the key to the success of Central City in delivering its mandate. The commitment by the Central City staffs in their operations, which, is highly motivated by tireless training and public awareness campaigns, is fundamental in maintaining public safety. Read More