HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION CHECKLIST
Emergency Management / Incident Commander
 
Planning:
 
Ensure the public is well informed regarding transportation issues relative to hazardous materials.
Coordinate with local broadcast media to ensure timely and accurate Emergency Alert System activation, especially for the transient population.
Coordinate with local plants, businesses or other facilities that receive or transport hazardous material and obtain information as allowed by Community Right to Know or SARA Title III (Code of Federal Regulations).
Provide an avenue for transient transportation companies to report chemical spills (i.e., 9-1-1).
Coordinate with Chemtrec (800-262-8200) for timely information regarding spills.
Coordinate with local transportation departments or State Department of Transportation regarding potential for specifying truck routes for hazmat carriers, avoiding densely populated areas.

Coordinate with schools, daycare centers, hospitals, etc. in proper precautions and emergency actions prior to a transportation chemical spill or accident.

Obtain transportation information from DMV or other state agencies regarding the number of trucks passing through in a 24 hour time period, thus calculating your risk potential.

Coordinate and plan at least one exercise (table top or practical) every three years or participate in an actual event.
Conduct hazard analysis of vital facilities along transportation corridors and the impact of a major chemical spill on one or more of those facilities.
Establish or facilitate joint incident command with agencies likely to respond, such as fire departments, regional hazmat teams, etc.

Ensure fire department personnel and other responders meet or exceed OSHA 1910.120.
Determine the location of the nearest hazmat response team and their capability.
Determine the availability of shelters and obtain shelter agreements if the Red Cross (or other designated lead agency) has not.

Coordinate with Red Cross, public agencies and/or the Salvation Army for shelter operations.
   
Response:

 
Identify immediate action or response requirements. Refer to online Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS) listing if needed.
Immediately carry out those action requirements necessary to preserve life and/or property, including the deployment of required resources.
Activate the EOC as appropriate.
Organize or establish the EOC, based on operational procedure or guidelines..
Issue alert and warning based on operational procedure or guidelines, as warranted.
On order, evacuate affected areas with assistance from response or predetermined evacuation forces.
Establish communications with responding agencies.
Establish traffic control and security with law enforcement.
Through communications with responding agencies determine as quickly as possible: 
 
The location of any established command post:
  Has incident command been established? If not, establish incident command.
  Has the incident commander been appointed or assumed command? Who is it?
  Have incident communications been fully established?
What is the two way radio frequency being used by incident command?
Number of killed or injured.
General boundary of the affected area.
The general extent of damages.
The general extent of power or other utility disruption.
Immediate needs of response forces.
If voluntary evacuations of the population have begun.
Location of any triage area.
Location of any congregate care area established or ad hoc.
Coordinate with the shipping or receiving company for response and information.
Evaluate overall county situation (i.e. roads blocked, weather conditions that may affect the incident, etc.).
Establish communications with the transporter reporting the spill or leak.
Request a technical liaison from the carrier or shipper report to the EOC (or command post).
Establish communications with the State.
Request hazardous materials team response if appropriate.
Establish communications with and request a liaison from State Transportation and electric, telephone and gas utilities as necessary.
Establish communications with area schools, medical facilities and/or businesses that might be affected.
Establish ongoing reporting from the response forces, private agencies and utilities.
Coordinate with Red Cross (or designated lead agency) the opening of appropriate number of shelters in the appropriate areas, based on shelter procedure or guideline.
Conduct first staff briefing as soon as practical after EOC / Command post activation.
Activate or establish rumor control through the public information officer (PIO).
Establish a schedule for briefings.
Brief city/county/agency/utility executives.
Provide PIO with updated information.
Establish, as appropriate a Joint Information Center (JIC) with the carrier or manufacturer if appropriate.
Provide response forces with all updated information, as appropriate.
Cause public information to be released, via the public information officer (PIO) as soon as practical.
Issue action guidance as appropriate.
Establish 24/7 duty roster for the EOC and/or command post.
Develop and post any required maps or diagrams.
Activate an events log.
Ensure all appropriate forms (ICS) are being used to track personnel and resources.
Review and follow resource procurement procedure or guideline.
Inventory additional resources that may be used or called upon for use.
Activate formal resource request procedure or guideline and resource tracking.
Coordinate all resource requests being forwarded to the State.

Activate financial tracking system coordinated by the Finance Officer.
Activate damage assessment as appropriate and follow damage assessment procedure or guideline.
If the incident continues, develop a 12 hour incident action plan outlining actions that must be accomplished in the next 12 hours.
Conduct a "second shift" or relieving shift briefing, if you are being relieved.
Discuss with and present to your relief, the incident action plan for the next 12 hours.
   
Recovery: 
 
Gather damage assessment information (public, housing, business) from damage assessment teams.
Obtain information from technical sources regarding potential health effects duration.
Obtain information from Red Cross (or designated lead agency) regarding number of shelterees and support necessary for continued operation.
Obtain from Red Cross (or designated lead agency) an estimated duration period for continued shelter operations, if any.
Obtain information from utilities regarding outages, length of repair, safety, etc.
Assess citizen / community needs for individual assistance and/or public assistance.
Activate local unmet needs committee if appropriate.
Gather financial information from the Finance Officer.
As appropriate gather additional information to include:
 
Personnel that responded and the time involved in the response.
Time sheets or time logs.
Supplies used.
Contracts issued.
Purchase orders issued.
Any other expenditures.
Damages to public buildings, equipment, utilities, etc.
Loss of life or injury of any responder.
Documents regarding economic impact.
Notation: In most cases the person responsible for the chemical leak or spill is responsible for cleanup and all costs associated with response as well. Volunteer resources may not be reimbursable unless under contract.
 
Develop or generate reports for the following, as appropriate:
 
FEMA
State
Local elected officials
County/City /Town Managers
Others requiring or requesting reports
Coordinate recovery organizations including federal and state agencies and private or volunteer relief organizations.
Establish donated goods management based on policy and procedure or guideline.
It is unlikely that a single hazardous materials spill will warrant a Presidential declaration, however, if a Presidential declaration of disaster is made, file "Request for Public Assistance" to apply for assistance as soon as possible with the proper state or federal agency.
Ensure public officials are made aware of the assistance application process, if applicable.
Ensure the general public is made aware, through the public information officer, of the assistance application process, if applicable.
Perform an incident critique as soon as possible with all possible response organizations.
Review agency and self performance.
Review the weaknesses of the plan.
Correct weaknesses.
Implement hazard mitigation or modify hazard mitigation plan accordingly.
Brief elected officials with updated information and disaster recovery progress.
   

*** End Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident Checklist ***
Last updated: May 09, 2008