Isle of Wight Fire Service
Hazardous Material Incidents
The Fire and Rescue Service deal with incidents involving hazardous materials such as chemicals, biological agents, gases, flammable substances, radioactive substances, etc.
These types of incidents may take the form of fires, leaks, spillages, etc.
They can occur in many different
locations, such as some domestic premises, commercial premises, industrial
premises, agricultural premises, educational or research establishments, power
stations, all on land, but what about the sea or large bodies of water? and how
would it be resolved?
The transport of hazardous materials also presents the potential for these types of incidents occurring.
They can occur, for example, in road
traffic accidents, railway incidents, aircraft incidents and large vessels at
sea colliding.
Other types of hazardous materials include sewage products, which can be
encountered during incidents such as floods and sewer tunnel rescues.
Incidents involving hazardous materials inevitably involve close liaison with
other agencies, such as police, ambulance, lifeboats etc.
With the capability for mass public decontamination in the event of a major
incident of this type.
This would be carried out in
conjunction with other emergency services where people would be decontaminated
and then passed to the ambulance service for triage, treatment and removal to
hospital.
- The following photo's are taken from a training exercise involving Newport & Shanklin Fire Service.
- THIS WAS A TRAINING EXERCISE.
(Members of the public would not be allowed in the Cordoned Zone if this was real)
Tuesday 20th of June 2006
SSILB was tasked by Solent coastguard to a Mayday call from a tanker, call sign 'Silly Tanker', requesting immediate assistance, the vessel had collided with another vessel, call sign 'Sleepy Crew', Silly Tanker had some of it's cargo dislodged in the collision and some of the cargo had fallen into the sea.
Some of the crew of Silly Tanker, had tried to secure the cargo before it fell into the sea, one of the crew had been dragged into the sea, as the cargo fell over board and was also in need of assistance.
The cargo on board Silly Tanker was a Hazardous material.
SSILB arrived on scene to find the crew member clinging to a small plastic drum, he has burns on his hands and face.
The crew of SSILB took the Casualty on board and started first aid.
The Casualty did not speak English and information on the contents of the small plastic drum could not be obtained.
The small plastic drum was placed at the stern of the lifeboat, as it has a self draining deck, there was a hole in the small plastic drum and that was faced upwards to stop further spillage.
Whilst this was happening the Coxswain of SSILB viewed the hulls of Silly Tanker and Sleepy Crew, finding that the hulls outer skin of Silly Tanker had been breached, but not to the inner hull and no substances where visibly leaking.
Solent Coastguard requested information on the Casualty and small plastic drum.
SSILB informed Solent Coastguard about the condition of the Casualty and that an Ambulance would be needed, no details on the container and colour / size was passed on.
Solent Coastguard asked SSILB to start heading to Shanklin , but to stand off until further notice, as they had informed the Fire Service about the hazardous material and an Ambulance was also on it's way.
SSILB stood off Shanklin bay, awaiting further instructions and kept the Hazardous material at a safe distance from the crew & Casualty.
SSILB stands off in Shanklin Bay.
Solent Coastguard informs SSILB that the Fire Service (Newport & Shanklin Fire Houses) are now in the Shanklin Sailing Club car park, they are setting up the Decontamination protocol equipment, to proceed to Hope beach and await further instructions.
Newport & Shanklin Fire Service start setting up the Decontamination protocol equipment.
Solent Coastguard informs SSILB to Anchor the lifeboat off Hope beach, then proceed to take the Casualty and container ashore.
SSILB transfer the Casualty and container ashore, making contact with the Fire Service, are asked to stop, place the container in the sand, move away from the container, leave one person with the Casualty, the other two crew members to move away from them and wait for further instructions.
The Fire Service Hazard suit team approach the crew of SSILB and starts gathering information about the Casualty and container.
The Fire Service Hazard suit team are ready to start gathering information.
The Fire Service Hazard suit team then approach the container, gathering information on the container like serial numbers or any ID details.
With luck there is a serial number on the container and is searched for on a data base.
The Fire Service Hazard suit team find the ID details (Members of the public would not be allowed in the Cordoned Zone if this was real)
The Fire Service find that the substance in the container is Hydrochloric Acid, the Hazard suit team ask the SSILB crew member with the Casualty to go with them into the Decontamination protocol equipment, explaining what will happen before they enter and once they have been Decontamination protocol equipment, after the treatment they are given protective clothing, the Casualty and SSILB crew member are transferred to the Ambulance crew for treatment & taken to St. Mary's.
The remaining SSILB crew are taken through the Decontamination protocol equipment, given protective clothing and are seen to by Paramedics.
The protective clothing - modelled by SSILB 1st Coxswain Mark Birch.
The Hydrochloric Acid is the dealt with whilst the Decontamination is happening.
Hydrochloric Acid breaks down in water, so it can be poured into a drain and flushed with water for 5 minutes as a precaution.
Burns would happen due to contact with the skin, as the container had a hole, allowing neat Hydrochloric Acid to leak, the SSILB crew member who would carry the container might suffer from minor burns as well.
The Fire Service Hazard suit team de-kit and start to dismantle the Decontamination protocol equipment
- THIS WAS A TRAINING EXERCISE.
SSILB would like to thank the Isle of Wight Fire service - Newport Fire Station & Shanklin Fire Station, for the opportunity to train along side them and in helping them with this TRAINING EXERCISE.
We learnt a lot on the day and am sure it help your crews with training.
Thank You
Newport Fire Station
Shanklin Fire Station
Web Link Above - Just Click The Badge
