Major mutual-aid responses at industrial facilities require exemplary firefighting strategy

By RICK HAASE

PHOTOS AP/SMILEY N. POOL, AP/CHITOSE SUZUKI, AP/WILL KINCAID AND AP/JIM MONE

A huge crude oil storage tank fire rages out of control … A worker is trapped inside a process vessel more than 120 feet above ground … A leaking barge-loading system pours hundreds of barrels of heating oil into a river … A piping system fails, allowing thousands of gallons of acid to pour onto the ground. These incidents may not typify events for municipal fire departments, but they are very realistic events for industrial fire departments.

Although they are a relatively well-kept secret, industrial fire departments and emergency response agencies provide service to hundreds of large industrial facilities across the country, including refineries, chemical plants, steel mills, paper mills, mines and other large industrial structures. Private response agencies at these facilities must be also prepared to respond to "industrial size" incidents, which can test even the largest municipal fire and emergency service departments. For example, a large tank fire can require pumping capacities of more than 12,000 gpm of water and a foam supply of 20,000 gallons for extinguishment. Naturally, these types of resources are difficult for a single industrial fire department to muster, especially because these organizations are usually small in size and have limited resources. As a result, industrial emergency response agencies have developed very efficient mutual-aid networks to plan for and respond to large-scale emergencies.

Industrial response agencies have become very skillful at organizing and managing large-scale mutual-aid resources. In fact, municipal response mutual-aid systems could use some of the mutual-aid methodology employed by industrial fire departments. Outlined in this article are some key industrial mutual-aid management guidelines that can be used effectively in all types of large-scale response operations.

Planning: The Cornerstone of Mutual Aid
Strong mutual-aid plans cross agency lines because resources outlined in the plan may come from the fire service, law enforcement, emergency management, state or federal agencies, industry and even contract services. These plans also identify all needed resources and devise a means to obtain these resources during times of need, ensuring their availability without the worry of which agency or organization provides them.

Effective mutual-aid response systems first require pre-response planning, such as mutual-aid training programs, pre-planning tours in mutual-aid response areas, sharing pre-plan information and regular information sharing or mutual-aid meetings. Pre-planning is an ongoing process that continuously expands the overall effectiveness of any mutual-aid response network. Remember: The more informed mutual-aid partners are, the better orchestrated response operations will become.

Next, major mutual-aid systems must run a complete operations cycle at the facility. Because of the potential impact to business operations, large industrial facilities are quick to institute response operations and follow-through to ensure all business assets return to normal operations as fast as possible after an incident. An effective "response cycle" includes five key periods: pre-deployment/alert mode; deployment/activation mode; operations mode; demobilization mode; and the return-to-normal-business restoration mode.

The pre-deployment/alert mode has proven very useful in the industrial sector. During this mode, large industries often alert their corporate sector resources or neighboring industries to the potential for deployment of emergency services and their response needs. This pre-deployment alert also allows resources to be marshaled and readied for response. The deployment/activation and operations modes are very similar to the response modes typically seen in the municipal sector, with one exception: Many times, industrial facilities increase the size of their response during a larger incident, which is something municipal agencies may not do initially.

Many industrial response operations employ very detailed demobilization and business restoration operations. Due to the nature and potential size of industrial response, demobilization operations return many different types of resources to service quickly and efficiently. For example, industrial facilities are very quick to return unneeded response personnel to service since many of them work as operations or maintenance technicians within the plant. Additionally, during large-scale response operations such as the 2005 hurricane responses, many industries staged rental generators, pumps, consignment foam and similar resources. Industries were very quick to release any unneeded equipment since they were paying rental costs for it. These demobilization operations are performed not only for resource management reasons, but also for financial reasons.

During an industrial mutual-aid response, business restoration operations begin the moment an incident occurs and continue until the facility returns to full operation. Similarly, during major mutual-aid responses in the municipal sector, the jurisdiction initially affected by the response must return to a "business as usual" mode. Appropriate resources must be obtained and maintained to help the jurisdiction return to its "normalcy" mode as quickly as possible. Typically, this includes immediate repair of critical equipment, restart of any equipment that was shut down during the emergency and working with vendors/suppliers and customers to restart the flow of finished products.

Because strong mutual-aid response management is all about getting ahead, not playing catch up, major mutual-aid incidents at industrial facilities also require long-term planning operations. Many times, responders take additional steps and request additional resources at the beginning of large mutual-aid incidents to meet immediate needs, because many industrial incidents turn into major hazmat responses that require specialized personnel (hazmat technicians/specialists, industrial hygiene monitoring personnel, etc.) and specialized hazmat response equipment (chemical protective clothing, sorbent boom, firefighting foam, etc.). Long-term industrial incidents also require support resources such as breathing air refill operations, rehab services/equipment, equipment fueling and maintenance services, and similar operations.

But after these initial resources arrive on scene, the need to provide relief and rotation can be forgotten. Industrial facilities avoid this problem because they consider a large-scale response a major business project that must maintain a constant flow of resources until the job is complete. This requires both forethought and forecasting.

Additionally, industrial mutual-aid planning must ensure the interoperability of response equipment with local municipal response agencies, other local industrial response services, contract response services and corporate response resources. Interoperability considerations must include communications, key response equipment (hose, SCBAs, etc.) and key specialized response resources (foam, chemical protective clothing, etc.).

Although this may seem relatively elementary, many industries have been working to overcome this issue for years. For example, hose threads were one major stumbling block for industrial facilities, and it appeared the issue was resolved until the advent of larger-diameter supply hoses (6 inches and larger) over the last few years. Compatibility of SCBAs, foam, technical rescue equipment and hazmat protective equipment is just one of the interoperability issues industrial fire departments and municipal departments face. As response equipment becomes more technologically advanced, interoperability will become even more difficult.

Finally, pre-designated and well-organized incident areas are essential to large-scale mutual-aid responses. These areas can be located within the industrial site, on the immediate perimeter of the industrial site, in an adjacent community or even at a remote location. Well-organized industries have primary facilities identified on site and/or on the immediate perimeter with backup facilities located some distance from the plant.

Many industrial facilities go to great lengths to designate and organize on-site staging areas, off-site marshalling areas, heliports, equipment caches (such as foam storage facilities), shelters and emergency operations centers (both on-site and off-site). Well-organized plans include primary and secondary locations for these key areas, as well as signs indicating the locations of these areas and maps to guide incoming responders to the facilities.

Municipal response agencies can greatly enhance their response capabilities during the "Big One" by pre-designating key incident areas within their jurisdiction and their entire region for similar purposes. For example, municipalities can designate a backup emergency operations center in an adjacent community, or they can designate a marshalling area for large-scale mutual-aid resources at an area fire station that's close to a major interstate or transportation route. Developing and documenting these areas and communicating the information with mutual-aid responders greatly streamlines mutual-aid operations.

PHOTO AP/TODD MIZENER Many industrial incidents turn into major hazmat responses that require specialized personnel and specialized hazmat response equipment; therefore, it’s a good idea to take additional steps and request additional resources at the beginning of large mutual-aid incidents to meet immediate needs.

Effective Resource Utilization & Management
During large-scale industrial incidents, certain equipment, such as foam apparatus, high-volume pumps, large-diameter hose, high-volume distribution devices and large-scale foam supplies, is needed. Strong mutual-aid plans clearly identify the need for these specific resources. For example, if an industrial fire department must develop a high-volume water-supply system, a 500-gpm pumping apparatus is not a good choice. Effective mutual-aid plans ensure appropriate resources respond, even when they're not the closest resource. If your department needs 1,500-gpm pumpers or greater, ensure your plan makes them available when needed.

PHOTO AP/DON SEABROOK It’s important to provide relief and rotation during large-scale incidents, which can often be forgotten.

Once specialized resources are identified and their availability is ensured, they can be rapidly deployed. Two specialized industrial mutual-aid networks, the Channel Industry Mutual Aid (CIMA) group and the Hired Gun Gang, have led the way in the coordination of specialized resources by developing very detailed plans to activate and deploy these resources in very short timeframes. Both groups consist of petroleum and chemical companies. The CIMA group is centered in the Houston area and includes municipal response agencies. The Hired Gun Gang is centered in the Texas/Louisiana border area.

Other similar industrial mutual-aid organizations are located throughout the country that respond to mutual-aid incidents at member locations and, in many cases, assist municipal response agencies during large-scale events (especially hazardous materials incidents). Note: To find out which industrial mutual-aid organization is in your area, contact nearby large-scale facilities.

Not only is proper resource utilization a vital element of a well-orchestrated mutual-aid response, resource management is vital as well. Industrial fire departments pre-define staging locations and run very organized staging areas. Other resource management operations that prove vital to large-scale mutual-aid incidents include detailed resource tracking, continuous replenishment or addition of resources and pre-deployment of key resources. For example, during hurricane season, gulf coast industries routinely pre-deploy additional foam supplies and equipment to be prepared for potential storage tank emergencies that result from severe weather conditions.

PHOTO AP/DALE OMORI During large-scale industrial incidents, certain equipment is needed, such as foam apparatus, high-volume pumps, large-diameter hose, high-volume distribution devices and large-scale foam supplies. Strong mutual-aid plans clearly identify the need for these specific resources.

Command & Control 
Well-trained and experienced incident command system (ICS) personnel are great assets to any mutual-aid response because they provide specialized management resources to the incident. Many industries consider incident command teams so vital that they have developed corporate incident management teams to muster resources from facilities across the country when needed. During last year's Katrina and Rita hurricanes, a number of industries pre-deployed their ICS to better coordinate the expected mutual-aid response operations.

To meet the demands of potentially large-scale mutual-aid response emergencies, industrial fire departments often staff key ICS positions not routinely staffed by municipal departments. Specifically, industrial fire departments train key members of their management groups to routinely staff the public information officer, logistics chief, planning chief and finance chief roles. Procurement specialists become logistics chiefs. Accountants and financial specialists become finance section chiefs. Information technology specialists become sit/stat unit leaders. The use of business specialists in similar ICS roles has proven so effective, the strategy could easily be adapted by municipal incident management teams.

Due to the length of industrial incidents, industrial command personnel have become very resilient, ready to overcome problems and failures and deal with issues related to both the incident and the numerous response and regulatory agencies involved. For example, during large-scale hazmat incidents, industrial command personnel must not only manage response activities, but they must also communicate with state and federal environmental protection agencies, such as the Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard and municipal drinking water and storm water agencies, and deal with their concerns. The key to overcoming any problems and failures: Constantly re-evaluate incident operations, and develop plans B, C and D in the event that plan A doesn't work.

One important aspect of ICS: unity. As a result of oil spill responses and similar large-scale mutual-aid incidents, industrial fire departments now recognize the importance of a participative unified command. All key agencies involved in an incident must be part of the decision-making process. Participating agencies and officials that are not major players during the incident, such as local governmental officers (mayor, township supervisor, etc.), local school administrators and management of other area industries/businesses who may not be immediately impacted but could be impacted if the incident worsens, are also part of the information exchange process. Allowing input and feedback from all participants encourages continued participation and provides additional resources.

To facilitate a unified ICS, consider using incident management software, which many industrial departments now use as a result of lessons they've learned during major mutual-aid responses. Incident management software greatly streamlines documentation of operations and provides a system of checks and balances to ensure key tasks are completed. Some software packages also allow users to pre-load resource listings, contact numbers and similar data that assist in the rapid contact and deployment of mutual-aid resources.

Although there are no official rules on how to keep track of firefighting tasks during an industrial incident, mutual-aid agencies must base response operations on pre-adopted standard operating guidelines, while using the National Incident Management System (NIMS) for the overall management of incidents. Well-structured mutual-aid response systems ensure personnel conduct key incident management operations, such as accountability or communications, via a standard format at every incident. Large mutual-aid networks, such as Firescope and the U.S. Forest Service, have led the way in this area for years. Mutual-aid agencies must adopt standardized guidelines on a regional, state and national level in order to ensure maximum efficiency of operations. (For more information on inter- and intrastate mutual aid, read "Answer the Call")

The Specialists
Liaison/technical specialists greatly enhance mutual-aid operations. During a mutual-aid response to a large industrial facility, many industries incorporate the use of a specialized ICS role known as a facility and/or process liaison. The purpose of this position is to provide facility-specific information and assistance to field-deployed response personnel, including the specific locations of equipment, information on how equipment operates, assistance with shutting down power supply systems and information on specialized fire-suppression systems and water supplies. A similar position could greatly enhance large-scale mutual-aid response operations in a municipal setting.

A city/area liaison serves as an information link to incoming mutual-aid resources. The liaison must be not only extremely familiar with the local geography, but they are also aware of area hazards, water supply locations and similar information vital to the success of incident operations.

Technical specialists are deployed as part of the standard mutual-aid response system when needed, such as when responders require mitigation assistance during an incident. The most well known example of technical specialists in the industrial world: air-monitoring teams, which are made up of industrial hygienists and industrial health and safety personnel who provide assistance during hazmat situations. Industrial facilities also routinely dispatch environmental specialists and marine spill response specialists as part of their normal mutual-aid response resources.

PHOTO AP/GERRY BROOME Due to the sheer size and scope of many industrial facilities, as well as the hazards they pose, incident command must have plans B, C and D in the event plan A doesn’t work.

Effective Communication
When response personnel arrive on an incident from a wide geographic area (as with the 2005 hurricane operations), common terminology that will be used during the response operation must be clarified with responders. During industrial responses, representatives typically review the names of the plant areas involved, the compass directions within the plant, radio designators and similar incident-specific terminology. During a large-scale municipal mutual-aid response, similar common terminology issues must be resolved. To do this, develop a one-page listing of common terminology for effective long-term operations.

In addition to distributing incident-specific terminology, mutual-aid operations must include well-structured briefings prior to deploying personnel. Due to the potential presence of hazardous materials, industrial response agencies perform pre-deployment briefings that cover key aspects of the response operation, including identified hazards, required PPE, location of key incident facilities, evacuation plans, etc. These briefings not only inform personnel working the incident, they also increase the overall efficiency of the operation. As with common terminology, a single-page overview of key briefing information proves extremely effective during long-term operations.

Pre-defined communication plans also greatly enhance mutual-aid operations. Plans should include instructions on how to request resources and how to communicate during emergency situations and non-emergency situations. Many industrial mutual-aid groups also look outside the box when developing communication plans; they use cell phones, plant radios and other electronic messaging formats (e-mails, pager systems, fax communications, etc.) as alternate means of communicating during high activity periods.

Conclusion
Large-scale incidents are very complex. Not only must fire departments deal with extinguishing fire, containing any hazardous materials and tending to any injured civilians, they must also deal with the many different responding agencies and the incident management operation. As a result, a large-scale mutual-aid incident will challenge any response agency—industrial and municipal alike. To effectively manage these types of incidents, responders must learn from past incidents and incorporate as many pre-incident planning elements as possible to ensure a smooth transition from a single-agency response to a large-scale mutual-aid response with a unified command.

Rick Haase, CFO, CFPS, CEM, is the emergency response specialist/fire chief at the ConocoPhillips Wood River Refinery in Roxana, Ill., and the volunteer chief of the Staunton (Ill.) Fire Protection District. He holds an associate's degree in fire science technology, a bachelor's degree in advanced fire administration and numerous state and national fire service certifications. Rick was awarded the 2001 Illinois Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year award and the 2004 Fire Chief magazine Volunteer Chief of the Year award. He is currently the vice-chairman of the IAFC Industrial Section.