As in any emergency situation, the most important rule is to always think SAFETY. Following basic safety precautions helps to keep you and other bystanders safe, and assists the trained first responders in identifying and controlling the release.
If you suspect that you have discovered a hazardous substance release:
Immediately move away from the suspected release site and keep a safe distance away.
Always treat any unknown materials as hazardous -- never touch, ingest, or inhale any materials at the incident site.
Do not rush to or touch victims at the incident site. By doing so, you may come into contact with or inhale the hazardous materials and, inadvertently, become a victim yourself. More often than not, you can do more good by staying away from the incident and providing information to professional responders.
Before the first responders arrive:
Once you are a safe distance away, attempt to isolate the incident and prevent others from coming into contact with the hazardous substances.
Attempt to report the incident to appropriate authorities. A call to your 911 operator will alert local fire and police departments to the incident, and they will notify other responders as necessary.
Provide the 911 operator with as much information as possible, even if you do not know the exact nature of the hazards involved. If possible, give:
- The location and nature of the incident;
- A description of any materials, foul odors, or gases present;
- The number of victims and their reactions to the unknown materials; and
- Any other information that may be helpful to responders.
Once professional responders arrive at the scene:
Responders will establish safety zones and will initiate safe procedures to address the threat. (See Investigating Sites for further information on these procedures).
As a witness, you should provide the responders with any information about the incident that may be helpful.
Remember, they are trained first responders and will treat the incident as an emergency situation -- you do not want to obstruct their actions!
Even with limited knowledge of evidence and its preservation, a police officer who is the first responder to a crime scene can properly protect, preserve, and, in some cases, collect evidence.
The officer who is the first to arrive at a crime scene must appreciate the importance of preventing or controlling any changes in the crime scene. The two critical factors most likely to change the crime scene are people and the weather. The first factor is the most amenable to officer control. First, the officer must ensure that he/she does not introduce change into the crime scene. The patrol car should be parked away from the crime scene, both to prevent impacting evidence left by the suspect and to prevent any suspect still on the scene from observing the officer. Officer and citizen safety are of primary concern when entering a possible crime scene, even if it may mean compromising some evidence. The search for a perpetrator may inevitably involve officers' leaving some of their own trace evidence at the crime scene. While making a search, officers should limit touching objects and places at the scene. When it is clear that the scene poses no danger, officers should cordon off any area of the scene likely to contain evidence from the crime. This can be done with crime-scene tape and the posting of one or two officers at strategic spots. No unauthorized personnel, including police officers, should enter the scene. In securing the scene, officers should be careful to observe and avoid disturbing any possible evidence. The names of possible witnesses should be obtained, but officers should avoid interviewing a witness or suspect at length. This should be left to follow-up investigators. First-responding officers should document in writing every action and movement that they take, keeping in mind that this is likely to be the subject of any examination and cross-examination should a trial occur.
D. Strategic level
Which level of the basic Command organization configuration entails the overall direction and goals of an incident? (322)A. Task levelB. Tactical levelC. Logistics level
Which of the following is a duty of a safety officer? (323-324)A. Conducting safety briefingsB. Establishing the site safety planC. Establishing a decontamination plan and operation
D. Identifying the materials or conditions involved in the incident
Which of the five major NIMS-ICS organizational functions are responsible for the establishment and maintenance of the staging area? (325)A. Logistics Section B. Planning SectionC. Command Section
D. Operations Section
The major NIMS-ICS organizational function that provides services and support systems to all the organizational components involved in the incident is called the: (326)A. Logistics Section.B. Planning Section.C. Command Section.
D. Operations Section
What is a purpose of the Intelligence and Information Section in NIMS-ICS? (327)A. Prevent/deter potential unlawful activityB. Establish a decontamination plan and operationC. Identify and monitor hazardous and unsafe situations
D. Identify the materials or conditions involved in the incident
The person relinquishing Command must provide the person assuming Command with: (328)A. the preincident plan.B. copies of mutual aid contracts.C. an established Command Post.
D. a briefing or a situation status report
. A written agreement defining roles and responsibilities within a Unified Command structure is known as a(an): (329)A. Incident Management System (IMS).B. National Response Framework (NRF).C. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
D. National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Before an incident with Unified Command occurs, agencies should perform what action to avoid jurisdictional and command disputes? (330)A. Assign a Safety OfficerB. Assign an Incident CommanderC. Be familiar with the preincident plans
D. Know what mutual-aid contracts cover
When are response tactics developed? (331)A. Once the IC has taken commandB. As soon as any victims are identifiedC. After response strategies are in place
D. Before response strategies are in place
In the U.S., the notification process is detailed in the: (332)A. Incident Management System (IMS).B. National Response Framework (NRF).C. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
D. National Incident Management System (NIMS)
What are the specialized response forces that provide medical care following a nuclear, biological, and/or chemical incident? (333)A. Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT)B. Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT)C. Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Teams (WMD-CST)D. National Medical Response Team-Weapons of Mass Destruction
(NMRT-WMD
Scene control at an incident is greatly facilitated by the establishment of: (335)A. law enforcement.B. hazard-control zones.C. public safety sampling.
D. interdepartmental MOUs
Multiple hot zones or a very large hot zone may be required at an incident with: (337)A. more than one IC.B. interstate agencies.C. multiple contaminants.
D. multiple devices or release points
Decontamination usually takes place within the: (338)A. hot zone.B. cold zone.C. warm zone.
D. command zone
In which of the hazard-control zones are workers not required to wear PPE because the zone is considered safe? (338)A. Hot zoneB. Cold zoneC. Warm zone
D. Command zone
In order to spread out emergency response personnel and limit their exposure as a target, the IC may: (339)A. establish multiple hot zones.B. require them to shelter in place.C. dispense with use of the buddy system.
D. use a cornering/quartering staging procedure
A personnel tracking and accountability system must include: (340)A. a method to exclude all nonessential personnel.B. tracking and accountability for all deceased victims.C. an IAP that details the responsibilities of each responder.D. a way of identifying and tracking the location of each unit and
all personnel on scene
The buddy system’s primary benefit is to: (341)A. reduce the need for backup personnel.B. provide rapid help if there is an emergency.C. provide rapid decontamination for victims in the hot zone.
D. reduce the need for more equipment to enter the hot zone.
An effective strategy to protect first responders at hazmat incidents is: (341)A. progress reports.B. evidence preservation.C. time, distance, and shielding.
D. recovery, withdrawal, and termination
The US&R designated signal that consists of one long and one short blast means: (342)A. Evacuate the Area.B. Resume Operations.C. Cease Operations/All Quiet.
D. Conduct Search Operations
First responders without Mission-Specific training can conduct rescueoperations without risk of contamination such as: (343)A. moving victims to a safe place.B. decontaminating exposed victims.C. conducting searches within the hot zone.
D. conducting searches on the edge of the hot zone
When protecting the public at an incident, if there is enough time, the best protective action generally is: (344)A. evacuation.B. shelter in place.C. progress reports.
D. on-scene debriefing
Which protective action involves directing people to go quickly inside or to stay inside a room or a building and remain inside until danger passes? (346)A. ReportingB. Shelter in placeC. Exposure protection
D. Protecting/defending in place
When might the IC decide not to protect property or the environmentat a hazmat incident? (349)A. During size-upB. When planning the initial responseC. When doing so would pose a risk to life safetyD. If they are unfamiliar with the responders that have reported
for duty
Attempts to confine a hazardous material that has been released from its container are called_____ strategies. (349)A. offensiveB. defensiveC. undefined
D. environmental
To help preserve evidence and assist law enforcement, first responders should: (350)A. remove fatalities quickly.B. collect evidence when possible.C. take photographs and videos of the scene.
D. not allow any photographs or videos to be taken
If an IC receives favorable progress reports from tactical and/or task supervisors, this is an indication that: (352)A. the IAP is effective.B. the incident is destabilizing.C. the IC is no longer needed.
D. responders should withdraw immediately
Which of the following is an indicator to withdraw immediately? (352)A. Black smokeB. Consistent temperaturesC. A sudden change in pressure
D. Alarm sounding on a photoionization detector
What aspect of evaluating progress deals with returning the incident scene and responders to a preincident level of readiness? (352)A. RecoveryB. WithdrawalC. Termination
D. Progress reports
What information should be provided to responders before they leave the scene? (353)A. Postincident analysis B. Postincident critiquesC. Evacuation and escape procedures
D. Signs and symptoms of an exposure
What procedural action of the termination phase compiles the information obtained from the debriefings, postincident reports, and critiques to identify trends regarding operational strengths and weaknesses? (354)A. On-scene debriefingB. Postincident critiqueC. Operational recovery
D. Postincident analysis