36114473.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER TITLE ACCREDITATION Hazardous Materials CALEA 46.3.2 PRIOR REVISIONS PROPONENT UNIT 08/05/02; 11/01/02 Patrol Support Bureau ATTACHMENT: 0 NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES 46.9 07/01/98 03/23/2020 7 I. PURPOSE: This Order provides members with basic information on responding to, containing, and reporting hazardous materials incidents. II. DISCUSSION: The most common incidents that may involve hazardous materials include, but may not be limited to: 1. Accidental: Transportation accidents, illegal dumping, dumpster / trash fires, electric power transformer or substation explosions / fires (PCBs), commercial, institutional, or industrial building explosions and/or fires involving chemical reactions, drug lab operations, or vehicle fires / crashes. 2. Intentional: Any of the above that is determined to be intentional; or any other act that involves the theft, and/or the employment of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons to plan, conspire, or commit an act of terrorism or war. III. POLICY: The Department shall take all possible precautions and actions to protect life and property when dealing with occurrences involving hazardous materials. IV. DEFINITIONS: Hazardous Materials: A hazardous material is any substance, element, or compound in a quantity that is flammable, corrosive, explosive, toxic, radioactive, or highly reactive that may be harmful or injurious to humans, property, or the environment when released from its container. V. SCOPE AND AUTHORITY: The following identifies which agency has control of hazardous materials incidents. 1. Significant Hazardous Material Incidents: In the City of Gainesville, significant incidents involving hazardous materials come under the authority and control of Gainesville Fire-Rescue, which department has specialized equipment, personnel and procedures to handle such incidents. 2. Criminal Investigation or Traffic Crash [CALEA 61.2.1.e]:\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT a. Unsafe Scene: Scenes so dangerous as to be inaccessible will initially be managed by Gainesville Fire-Rescue. After Gainesville Fire-Rescue personnel have contained the scene and made the area safe, Gainesville Police personnel will initiate / continue their investigation. b. Safe Scene: If the scene is safe to access, personnel from GPD will take the lead and conduct the investigation. 1) Criminal Investigations: Gainesville Fire-Rescue personnel will advise investigators regarding hazardous materials, and will assist in the coordination, management and removal of hazardous materials once they have been released from the crime scene. The materials become unstable or unsafe during the investigation, GFR will take over the management of the hazardous materials until the scene is made safe. 2) Crash Sites: GFR will manage, neutralize, remove or otherwise make safe hazardous materials on-scene. c. Stolen / Missing Chemicals: Gainesville Police will investigate incidents of missing / stolen chemicals occurring within City jurisdiction. However, due to the actual or potential public health threat and/or use of such chemicals, GPD members will alert the following support agencies when any such incident occurs. 1) Gainesville Fire-Rescue 2) Alachua County Emergency Operations Center 3) Alachua County Health Department 4) North East Florida Fusion Center 5) Any other agency as designated by the Incident Commander. VI. PROCEDURES: 1. Implementation: The procedures in this directive should be implemented whenever a call is received about an odor, a spill, leak, fire, or explosion potentially or actually involving a hazardous material. This includes a. Suspected or actual chemical, biological or nuclear weapons / materials. b. Reports of missing, stolen or recovered hazardous materials. 2. First Responder: Police personnel may, at any time, come into contact with a hazardous or potentially hazardous material that needs to be identified, so that the immediate danger, and the immediate and potential impacts on life, property, and the environment can be determined / accessed. Responding members shall: a. Determine the exact location of the incident; 2\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT Do not approach it if there is any doubt regarding personal safety. b. Obtain / determine wind direction. Wind directions may vary from those reported; look for visible signs in the area of the incident to confirm wind direction upon arrival, and at intervals when on scene. c. Approach the area cautiously uphill and upwind only, keeping out of low areas where heavier-than-air vapors can accumulate. d. Stay away from and out of gas or vapor clouds (toxic atmospheres may exist outside visible clouds); and avoid contact with or inhalation of all gases, fumes, and smoke, even if no hazardous materials are suspected to be involved. 1) Do not assume gases or vapors are harmless because of lack of smell. 2) Stay away from injured / affected persons in the contaminated area. Depending on the substance to which they have been exposed, they (or their clothing) may contaminate first responders as well. 3) Do not walk into or touch spilled materials. 4) Do not taste, smell (sniff) or handle any suspected material. 5) Do not introduce, eat or drink any food items within the contamination zone. 6) Do not light anything or allow open flames or other ignition sources (such as cigarettes, flares, hot engines, exhaust) near or in the scene. e. Relay specific information to Communications and other responding personnel. Alert them to the extent of damage/injury already caused, and the likely source, if known. f. Request assistance from Gainesville Fire and Rescue Hazardous Materials Team. g. Determine and report injuries and estimated numbers of casualties, if applicable. h. Summon emergency medical assistance for injured persons. i. Notify a field supervisor. j. Stage in a safe location (upwind and uphill). k. When possible, gather information regarding the type of involved structure, vehicle, or container shapes and sizes; l. Establish a Perimeter. 1) Refer to the US DOT Emergency Response Guidebook and GFR personnel to determine a safe distance regarding known chemicals and substances. 3\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT 2) Deploy responding personnel as needed to secure the perimeter. 3) Evacuate and deny access to all non-essential personnel. m. Request additional resources as needed, for example: 1) Specific: Gainesville Fire-Rescue Hazardous Materials Response Team, Department of Defense, Office of Domestic Preparedness, Explosive Ordnance Department (U.S. Army), Department of Environmental Protection, FL Department of Transportation, Regional Transit, Regional Utilities, 2) General: Traffic control, crowd control, PIO, training officer. n. Retain witnesses, and direct them to a safe location where information can be obtained from them. o. Do not allow contaminated persons to leave the area without the approval of EMS/HazMat personnel. 3. Material Identification and Evaluation: Since a variety of materials may be stolen, created, and/or used to further terrorist acts, members investigating incidents of hazardous materials leaks, spills, thefts, recoveries, transportation, dumping, or other potential exposure shall, depending on the type of incident and whether the material is on-scene or being sought: a. Attempt to identify the hazardous material; 1) Interview personnel involved in the incident, crash or spill. 2) Contact Gainesville Fire-Rescue Hazardous Materials Response Team to respond to the scene. 3) When applicable, use the US DOT Emergency Response Guidebook to help identify the material. The material being transported is not always properly identified on the outside of the container. b. Notify Communications of the following (if identified, known, or observed). Communications will make notifications as identified in their call-handling guide. Departme