Something to pick your brains

I have a haz mat assessment for the region where I work. Im enclosing the scenario that I have to deal with, I know what im going to do Im curious if I missed anything so here goes;

I have recieved a rare opportunity; at one of the place that I assess they just elected a new sheriff, fire chief, ems manager and emergency management guy. We got a sit down to go over haz mat and decon; I know what Im going to say but what part would YOU have each of them play?

Its a small town about 2500 ppl in the summer; 2 fire trucks, 1 pumper 6 full time guys and about 20 trained volunteers. the truck has a foam option

LEO's have 4 cars 6 deputy sherrifs, NO swat and a actual posse of about 20 with two volunteer pilots

EMS has 2 als rigs 4 on staff paramedics, 2 emts + a rescue squad with a older ambulance and about 6 more ppl.

The hospital is a level 4 trauma center with a interior decon shower and an exterior 1 person decon tent. 3 people are trained in decon with another 4 available to help out

The nearest form of any kind of help is one hour away - This hospital has NO stocks of atropine injectors but atropine sulfate on hand.

There is a reverse 9-11 and it is fully functional, there is a local FM station and several members of the community have HAM / SHORTWAVE radios. The hospital has a HAM radio but no trained operator on staff

The hospital has its own generator capable of independant power for 3 days, along with the capability to conduct mass feeding for 3 days. The local high school has offered thier gym and football fields if needed.

And to really jog your brains the town has two carwashes, one can handle semi - and all the water is contained!

and to make things fun a crop duster has just crashed outside of town downwind of the town, and the sun has been up for thirty minuets. the previous nights weather has the temp for today to be 80 degrees...

And to make things interesting the local county fair opens today!

Hit me up Im curious how you all think, and yes you are the emergency manager!

Request mutual aid be put on standby from nearby town that is 1 hour away. Reverse 9-1-1 area residents and ask them to stay home and shelter in place. Place a similar broadcast over the local FM radio station. Have the LEO's close off the roads to the fair and shut it down. Detail a posse pilot to overfly crash site if possible. Send fire dept. to stage upwind of the plane crash to deal with potential leak. Ask hospital and EMS to be on standby for contaminated casualties. Assign a ham radio operator to the command post and one to the hospital as backup communications. Decontaminate fire crews at truck wash as they return.

First I would try to find out what (if anything) was in the cargo tank of the aircraft.

First I would ask for a volunteer to go and find out what was in the cargo tank of the aircraft.

Sorry but the scenario has lost me somewhat. What is the HAZMAT threat, are we talking about a industrial chemical release like Bhopal with folks dropping like flies or folks complaining about the smell of newly cut grass and almonds.

Just a check here - but would a town of 2500 need a SWAT team? Sometimes I fear police are becoming too militarized.

I would definately send a team to check the corn dogs at the fair to be sure they weren't 'dusted'.

crop duster has just crashed outside of town downwind of the town

So what is downwind from the crop duster? Who is monitoring the wind conditions?
So long as the wind is away from populations there is no worry.
Most crop dust or spray is unlikely to drift on the wind from a crash site anyhow.
it isn't like a train car full of poison gas.

Next questions.
Who is handling the co-ordination of your EMS, Fire and Police units?

Assuming somebody responded to the crash already, (EMS, Fire, Police) have they reported any spillage?

Has anybody contacted the crop dusting company or got the MSDS?

Has anybody contacted the EPA?
Or the DOT?


Of course you are going to set up a cordon around the plane but that is pretty standard anyhow.

If the insecticides or herbicides were leaking somebody is going to want to know if they are leaking into water and if they need to do containment.
Even if they didn't leak they might need to be removed before sending inspectors in to investigate the wreck, and they almost certainly need to be removed before the wreckage is transported.

If the materials are solids they would still need cleanup.

Your hazmat crews might be cleaning up chemicals used by your Fire Dept too.

You may also going to need cleanup on spilled fuel from the plane.

Just a last thought. Do your first responders all have training in the placard system and a set of binoculars in their vehicle so they can read the placards on crashed trucks etc?

Well... Since it's a Crop-duster crash,that means usually, Rural Area/Farms/Green Acres,So... No Need for a SWAT team,Everyone is sufficiently armed,& Well-versed for protection.Water supply is normally from canals,of which are closed,or can be closed quickly.Short of Tornadic Activity,winds are rarily strong enough,to blow a "Planted" crop anywhere,or the top-soil,as it would be moist,hence, the need for a crop-duster in the 1st place!The county fair wouldn't even have to know,A crop duster bursting in flames upon crashing,Even thick Black-smoke,wouldn,t last long enough to stir anyones attention,Farms often have smoke billowing from their activities,on a daily basis.On a parts per million ratio,the USDA/FDA rules will apply to the poison/fertilizer strength,so nothing further than an Engine co. would be needed,possibly the sheriff if the pilot,Kicked the bucket.Any of the Deep-Fried delicacies at the fair,would be Un-affected by any amount of Toxins as, They will Kill you,Regardless,lol! As per the size of Crop-dusters,they are Very small planes,single-seaters,short wing-spans for tight maneuvers,& they couldn't carry more than 100 gallons,if that,since 1gal.water=8lbs. The clean up crew would consist of the farmer using his Front-loader & his dump truck covered with a tarp,It probably wont be more than a yard of dirt total,most dump trucks haul 5 or more yds.at a time.If they have a scanner,& are using it at that time,maybe the towns local paper,will send out a reporter.If this town is in Minnesota,since I'm the disaster prep.Mgr.,I will have plenty of time to participate on the judging panel for Best Booya,Gooseberry pie,& Home-brewed Beer,& Ride the "Hammer"&spray the crowd below,:)

Phew, dude, I hope that smiley refers to your whole post.

It's a crop duster. That right there narrows the HAZ-MAT.

Herbicide or pesticide. Ask at his point of origin, or ask the farmer he was working for.

If herbicide -- not so bad.

If pesticide, depending on type, could be semi - to sorta bad.

Materials are more than likely in liquid form - they were crop dusting. Contiain and Clean up and neutralize, according to package directions.

Im on day two of this conference and in about 15 minuets your ahead of the town council meetings Ive been too, congrats!

The situation I was given was organophosphate

Smaller towns cant afford the swat team, and some counties dont want to go through the hassle to submit the paperwork for FEMA or DHS grants

Apparently you all are smarter than the elected over-educated idiots that Im stuck working for. By the end of day two they were still trying to figure out whom was going to speak to the media.

Ugh - that and their crackberry had more priority. So I let them figure it out. Cant fix stupid.

"Chickenlittle" & "Richlacal" You guys are all over it. Some schools now offer a AA degree in "Emergency Management" Id recommend you two challenge the course!

That and apparently I cant figure out the "how to reply to a forum" because I am that blonde.

Thanks Phoenix! Emergency Management in Los Angeles?That would be Way outa' my league,I'd rather be a Sugar Beet Farmer in NW Minnesota,Long Live Green Acres!

Phew! It was lucky the crop duster crashed - it could have sprayed all of the organophosphate pesticide into a fine mist making the situation many times worse down wind for the local community.



Did you complete the Chicken, Fox and Bag of Grain team building exercise successfully?

nope - death by powerpoint