HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1986/02/11 Item 5 COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
Item 5
Meeting Date 2/11/86
ITEM TITLE: Resolution 47,_ 77- Adopting the Unified San Diego County Hazardous Materials
Emergency Response Program
SUBMITTED BY: Director of Public Safei (4/5ths Vote: Yes No x )
REVIEWED BY: City Manager
The Unified Disaster Council directed the preparation of a study to evaluate the
potential for providing a regional mechanism for responding to hazardous materials
incidents. A task force spent several months examining the current status of hazardous
material emergency response capabilities in San Diego County and identified several
options for dealing with shortcomings in the current system. On November 21, 1985,
the Unified Disaster Council conceptually approved the option calling for a joint
response by the San Diego Fire Department's HAZMAT Response Team and the Department
of Health Services' Hazardous Materials Management Unit. If this proposal is endorsed
by the various jurisdictions, the program will commence on July 1, 1986.
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt resolution supporting Hazardous Materials Response Program.
BOARDS/COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION: Not applicable.
DISCUSSION:
In the past few years, incidents involving the release and spill of hazardous materials
have been increasing in San Diego County. Some of these incidents are of such a nature
that routine resources are not capable of containing them or of preventing exposure to
surrounding populations. When such an incident does occur, specially trained and
equipped staff must be available. Currently, approximately 5-10 incidents per week
occur in San Diego County which require an emergency response by a fire agency, the
County Department of Health Services or both.
In San Diego County, as elsewhere, hazardous materials incident response is conducted
by fire agencies as first responders, with a supporting role played by the Department of
Health Services' Hazardous Materials Management Unit (HMMU) . When an incident occurs,
it is the responsibility of the local fire unit to respond to the scene and, after
making an initial evaluation, act to contain the release, maintain site control, order
and arrange for the evacuation of surrounding residents, and generally function as
Incident Commander. The City of San Diego Fire Department currently has the only
adequately trained and equipped Hazardous Materials Response Team in San Diego County.
The HMMU, once notified, deploys to the scene and is responsible for making public
health evaluations and providing technical assistance to the incident commander. Under
current procedures, the HMMU's responsibilities include: arranging for clean-up of the
area, preparing enforcement cases against violators and initiating recovery of costs
incurred for clean-up and other activities.
Hazardous materials incident response is a highly specialized and expensive endeavor.
Preparation of an emergency responder can require approximately 200 hours of initial
training in chemistry, hazard analysis and risk assessment, personal protection and
safety, and the use of a wide variety of chemical monitoring instruments. A large
part of this training is currently available only through expensive courses which have
very limited enrollments. The provision of this training, with personnel time included,
can cost more than $6,000 per person per year. Personal protection gear for a single
emergency responder can easily run into the thousands of dollars and a basic set of
Form A-113 (Rev. 11/79)
Page 2, Item 5
Meeting Date 2/11/86
equipment for an emergency response vehicle can cost approximately $50,000. Vehicle
costs range from $50,000 to $150,000.
Recognizing that the costs involved in staffing, equipping and training 50 fire agencies
would be substantial, the Unified Disaster Council directed the preparation of a study
to evaluate the potential for providing a regional mechanism for responding to
hazardous materials incidents. A task force was formed consisting of representatives
from the Unified Disaster Council, the Department of Health Services, the San Diego City
Fire Department, and the Office of Disaster Preparedness. In addition, a liaison from
the Sheriff's Department participated and provided a law enforcement perspective.
The task force spent several months examining the current status of hazardous materials
response capabilities in San Diego County and identified several options for dealing
with shortcomings in the current system. After considering each option, the Disaster
Council approved the option calling for a joint response by the San Diego City Fire
Department HAZMAT Response Team and the Department of Health Services' Hazardous
Materials Management Unit.
Under this proposed program, the Unified Disaster Council would exercise policy direction
over the program through a special three-member Hazardous Materials Policy Committee with
one representative each from the San Diego Fire Department, County of San Diego Health
Services Division, and the San Diego County Fire Districts' Association.
The functions of the Hazardous Materials Policy Committee are to insure that the
Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program operates according to established guide-
lines, develop policy statements, make recommendations to the Council, and review and
approve operational plans.
There will also be a Hazardous Materials Operations Group reporting to the Policy Committee.
This group will develop standard operating procedures, establish training goals and
objectives, and provide centralized hazardous materials emergency response data control.
San Diego City Fire Department - The San Diego City Fire Department HAZMAT Response Team
is a fully trained and operational hazardous materials emergency response unit. The
team has thirteen trained HAZMAT specialists available to respond to incidents 24 hours
a day. Their responsibilities at an incident include: scene isolation, containment,
stopping the release, effecting rescues and related tasks.
If this program is approved by the City of San Diego, the other cities, and the remainder
of the county by a joint powers agreement, the San Diego Fire Department will provide
emergency HAZMAT response service to all participating areas in the county.
County Hazardous Materials Management Unit - The Department of Health Services' Hazardous
Materials Management Unit (HMMU) is the lead enforcement agency for all hazardous waste
regulatory activities in San Diego County. These activities are conducted as part of
their primary mission, the protection of public health. in relation to these activities,
they have clearly defined responsibilities in the event of a hazardous materials incident.
These include: assessment of public health risk; determination of the need for evacua-
tions; assessment of risks to the environment and arrangement for protective measures;
assessment of the need for clean-up of contaminated soil, water or other surfaces; deter-
mination of the adequacy of clean-up; and the conduct of enforcement and cost recovery
procedures.
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Meeting Date 2/11/86
Office of Disaster Preparedness - The Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODP) will function,
for the most part, in a staff and administrative capacity to the program. The only area
where ODP will have program responsibility is in situations where there is a radiological
hazardous materials incident. In those cases, the ODP Radiological Officer will report
to the Incident Commander in full coordination with the San Diego City Fire Department.
If the San Diego Fire Department is the Incident Commander, ODP will report directly to
SDFD. All other responsibilities of ODP are administrative in nature. They include the
development and administration of the Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) which is necessary
for the program to be established and become operational.
Concept of Program Operation - As part of the county-wide program, the HAZMAT Response Team
and HMMU will apply this same working relationship throughout San Diego"County. When an
incident occurs, the first-responding fire agency will determine if the services of the
HAZMAT Response Team and HMMU are needed. If so, they will be requested through San
Diego Dispatch and/or Station X. An average response time will be between 30 and 45
minutes county-wide. When dispatched to incidents that will require a great deal of
at-scene time, a back-up team will be placed into service to provide necessary coverage
in the event of concurrent incidents.
Three fully equipped emergency response vehicles are currently available to provide
county-wide response to incidents: The SDFD HAZMAT Response Team's apparatus; HMMU's
response vehicle and the State HAZMAT vehicle provided through SB 618, the State Super-
fund. The HAZMAT Team will respond in either the SB 618 vehicle for response outside
of the City of San Diego or their special unit as appropriate. Each will be utilized
as a back-up for the other in concurrent incidents. The HMMU will purchase two emergency
response sedans for rapid response to hazardous materials incidents and will utilize
their van for lengthy responses and long term enforcement or clean-up efforts.
Training - Training will be provided by the hazardous materials teams throughout San
Diego County on a regular basis. Two four-hour training sessions will be offered per
fire zone per year on several subjects, including: the Incident Command System;
familiarization with the program and equipment; hazardous materials identification;
and integrated agency coordination. Training will be made available to all agencies
having hazardous materials incident responsibilities.
Program Implementation & Cost - The costs for the first year have been computed to be
$851,688. Eighty percent of these costs are derived from the salaries and fringe
benefits of the personnel being utilized from the San Diego Fire Department and the
County Health Department. The City of San Diego will assume 50% of these costs. The
remaining 50% will be distributed amongst the other participating cities and unincorp-
orated areas. Each jurisdiction's costs will be based on their percentage of popula-
tion and assessed valuation (secured & unsecured) weighted equally.
Based on this formula the cost for the City of Chula Vista for the first year of
operation will be approximately $43,380.
Funding of this program can be provided through an amended Joint Powers Agreement (JPA)
of the 17 entities comprising the Unified Disaster Council. Each jurisdiction would
have to specifically and individually approve participation in the proposed HAZMAT
Program.
Under this program, aggressive cost recovery will be pursued. Any costs recovered will
first be used to offset expenses incurred by participating member jurisdictions. The
balance will be placed in a trust account to reimburse operating expenditures and reduce
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Meeting Date 2/11/86
member contributions. Cost recovery activity will be directed by the Hazardous Materials
Policy Committee. The Task Force believes that cost recovery will have a significant
positive impact on program costs within the initial three years of the program. Signifi-
cantly, there are several pieces of legislation recently signed into law which authorize
cost recovery. The most recent is AB 2185 which appears to allow for full cost recovery
for industry related incidents. Also, SB 618 is still in effect. As you know, this
bill created a ten year program which, among other things, provides for vehicles and
equipment to cities and counties of hazardous materials response.
At this time, staff recommends that Council pass a resolution adopting the proposed
Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program.
FISCAL IMPACT:
In FY 1986/87 - $43,380 will be budgeted if a JPA is approved.
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