FEMA Region X Monthly HAZMAT "Update"
Release Date: May 6, 1999
Release Number: R10-99-24
This monthly update is produced in an effort to keep hazardous materials program personnel up to date in the areas of exercises, training, and planning. If you have a contribution or wish other items posted in this "Update", please contact Mike Hammond at FEMA Region X headquarters at (425) 487 4775 or email at, mike.hammond@fema.gov.
This update is for the period of 5-1-99 to 8-1-99.
Quotes of the Month
"The limitation of riots, moral questions aside, is that they cannot win and their participants know it. Hence, rioting is not revolutionary but reactionary because it invites defeat. It involves an emotional catharsis, but it must be followed by a sense of futility" (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
"Tourists are terrorists with cameras. Terrorists are tourists with guns." (Anon.)
Web Page Highlight (Your Additions are Welcome)
Hazardous Materials Management
http://www.hazmatmag.com By a company from Markham, Ontario, Canada. Contains articles from prior month's magazines. Last time I checked, there was a good article on terrorism that could be printed.
United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
www.chemsafety.gov Lots of interesting articles from a fairly new entity that investigates injuries and deaths due to accidents and incidents involving chemicals.
State Emergency Management Web Site Addresses
Oregon www.osp.state.or.us/oem
In the April "Update" I included a "." after "us", please eliminate the "."
IdahoAt the end of the Idaho HazMat address, some people may have to enter the letters html instead of htm.
Washington 6-3-99, Camp Murray.
Oregon April 30, 1999, Salem, Quarterly LEPC meeting
Idaho As Needed, Contact Bill Bishop for more information. (208) 334 3263
Alaska
4-13-99, Anchorage, SERC
4-12-99, Anchorage, LEPC planning meet
7-20-99, Anchorage, LEPC workshop
7-21-99, Anchorage, SERC Meeting
Contact the Provider or Mike Hammond for More Information. Course Dates and Times may Change, be Sure to Check Before the Class
- 5-1-99 to 5-2-99. Emergency Response to Terrorism; Basic concepts. Call Bob Berney (360) 675 2636 for Info
- 5-7-99 to 5-9-99. Mitigation for Emergency Managers, Boise
- 5-11-99 to 5-13-99. Regional Coastal Earthquake Conference. Seattle. Contact WA DEM at (253) 512-7069
- 5-12-99 RMP training Course on 112r, Seattle. 8 Hour class. Contact Lisa McArthur, EPA, at (206) 553 0383
- 5-14-99 Same class as above, Portland.
- 5-26-99 Same as the two above, back in Seattle.
- 5-17-99 to 5-19-99. Effective Communication (PDS) Richland, WA. Sponsored by Washington Emergency Management
- 5-10-99 RMP planning course, Fairbanks.
- 5-10-99 to 5-14-99. E227 Emergency Planning Course, Emmitsburg. FEMA Course
- 5-10-99 to 5-14-99. E362 Multihazard Safety Program for Schools, Emmitsburg. FEMA course.
- 5-11-99 RMP Planning course, Anchorage.
- 5-12-99 to 5-13-99. Mass Fatalities Incident, Twin Falls, ID
- 5-18-99 to 5-21-99. WA & OR HazMat conference, Doubletree INN, Pasco, WA. Call WA. Fire Chiefs Assn. at (360) 352 0161 for info
- 5-20-99 WMD awareness level training. King County (Seattle) EOC
- 5-20-99 Developing Volunteer Resources. Richland, WA. Sponsored by Washington Emergency Management.
- 5-21-99 to 5-23-99. Exercise Design. Idaho Falls
- 5-17-99 to 5-21-99. Exercise Design & Evaluation, Bend, OR. Sponsored by Oregon Emergency Management.
- 5-27-99 ICS Field Operations/ECC Integration. Baker City, OR. Sponsored by Oregon Emergency Management.
- 6-3-99 Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction; Incident Command System. Sponsored by Washington Emergency Management.
- 6-8-99 to 6-9-99. Exercise Program Manager. Sponsored by Idaho BDS at Pocatello.
- 6-21-99 to 6-25-99. Mass Fatalities Incident Planning. North Coastal Oregon. Sponsored by Oregon Emergency Management.
- 6-21-99 to 6-25-99. HazMat Technician Level (HAZWOPER). WA State Patrol. Shelton. Contact # (360) 753 0435
- 6-24-99 ICS Introduction. Sponsored by State of Idaho at St. Anthony.
- 7-12-99 to 7-15-99. HazMat On Scene Incident Command. WA State Patrol. Shelton. Contact # (360) 753-0435
- 7-12-99 to 7-16-99. Disaster recovery Operations, Beaverton. Sponsored by Oregon State.
- 7-13-99 to 7-15-99. ICS, Train-the-Trainer. Spokane. WA. State sponsored
- 7-26-99 to 7-30-99. HazMat Technician HAZWOPER. WA state Patrol. Shelton. Contact # (360) 753 0435.
- 7-27-99 to 7-29-99. Principles of Emergency Management (PDS) Moses Lake, Sponsored by WA state.
- 7-29-99 States/BC Oil Spill Task force, Annual Meeting, Valdez, AK. Contact (503) 229 5720
For more Information on Courses, Call;
IDAHO (208) 334 3460
OREGON (503) 378 2911
WASHINGTON (253) 512 7048
ALASKA (907) 428 7023
- 5-10-99 to 5-14-99. CSEPP (Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program). Pendleton/Umatilla. Required exercise
- 6-17-99 DOE (Department of Energy)/Hanford. Annual, full scale exercise. Emergency
Response Exercise for DOE-RL, OR & WA and Counties near the Hanford Site.
Attention; I WOULD LIKE YOUR EXERCISE DATES. All exercises, large or small are welcome. If received before the end of April, they will be included in the May "Update".
FREE PUBLICATIONS: ! ?
Perhaps the name of this section should be, "Suggested reading", and include free, reasonable and good subscriptions or reading that we can all use. Since I have run out of free subscription suggestions, lets turn this back to you and suggest entries for this section of the update. So, lets get those cards and letters coming this way. Ideas, as always, are welcome here,
As some of you may be aware, the state of Washington has gone out of the business of calibrating radiological instruments. They join the State of Idaho in those that do not calibrate or repair the older CDV (Civil Defense) radiation detection units. From now on, people in these two states will have to make arrangements to have their instruments calibrated through a private lab.
If you need help finding a spot to have them calibrated, let me know and I will get you some suggestions.
There is another thought here. Now that we are attempting to get EOD (Explosive Ordnance) personnel to use monitoring instruments on suspected devices before they dispose of them and with the increased emphasis on WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) we will need more of these instruments. The State of Washington sold all of theirs, and other sites seem to be disposing of them also.
Those of you who are familiar with the old CDV instruments know that they were accurate to + or - 30%. Since all most of us really want to know anyway is whether or not there is the possibility of something radioactive present, all we need to know is that something is actually there. We do not need to measure it precisely. Once a reading goes above background, as indicated by the meter face or audible signal, we will call someone, either State Radiation Health, Department of Energy or other agencies. The old CDV instruments will detect the presence of beta and gamma radiation regardless of calibration. This detection is best indicated through the headphones or speaker on a CDV 700. So, if that is all you want, perhaps the calibration is not too important. And, unless you can afford to buy a new instrument and have it calibrated at least once a year, you just might decide to stay with the old "Yellowjackets".
You may, however decide you want spare parts for the low reading instruments you have. I am suggesting that if you would like to have some extra instruments or specific pieces of gear, that you let me know and as they become available, I will see that these parts get to the people who need them. If you have extra instruments that you do not want, let me know and I will give you the name of a person who could use some of the pieces or parts.
If you have thoughts or comments on this idea, they are welcome.
Check this Out
If you have not already done so, try, www.ndpo.com. I have included a copy of the last newsletter from the site with this mailing. All sorts of useful information.
Notes
In May at Arlington, VA, there will be a conference involving the six federal players in the area of WMD, DOD (Department of Defense), FBI, DOE, FEMA, EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and PHS (Public Health Service). Each agency will be presenting a brief on their role in an effort to bring a sense of continuity and singleness of purpose to the NDPO.
The GAO (General Accounting Office) has expressed the opinion that there needs to be a reassessment of the RAID (Rapid Assessment Initial Detection)team concept. Are they needed or are they not needed. The training for these units is still proceeding, and more on this will be included on this in subsequent issues.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 06-Jan-2004 10:29:46