Fixed facilities include large industrial complexes, warehouses, and small manufacturing sites. Every community, regardless of size, likely has one or more of each. Yet, what do first responders really know about the potential problems they could face if there were a release of hazardous materials stored or used at these facilities? Do you know how and when such releases should be reported or whether some facilities offer in-house technical expertise or other resources such as hazardous materials response teams first responders can use to their advantage? What about whether these resources would be available to respond to incidents that occur elsewhere in the community?
Have you actually gone beyond the gates of fixed facilities in your response area instead of just passing by? Have you ever spoken with safety representatives at larger facilities or reviewed copies of material safety data sheets (MSDSs) submitted to fire departments and local emergency planning committees before an emergency? If not, you may end up dealing with an incident involving a fixed facility incident no differently than you would one involving the landing of a spacecraft from another planet in our district.
To safely and effectively deal with fixed facility events, you must do your homework and be prepared. Remember that these locations have the potential to threaten not only employees within the facility but also the citizens who live and work nearby and the environment-often with little warning. Preparations for a hazardous materials incident response at a fixed facility should include attention to at least the following topics: emergency planning and hazard assessment, emergency release notification, on-site hazard assessments, first responder safety at fixed facility incidents, and resources from fixed facilities.
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