Download Haz-Mat Technologies

Presented by Lt. Scott Fleck
Background

Lt. Scott Fleck
 Firefighter/EMT, Hazmat technician
○ Specializations in strategy and tactics, safety,
hazmat operations/terrorism response, prehospital emergency medical care
 Undergraduate degree in political science
and history, IU 1991.
 Currently pursuing 2nd bachelors degree in
human biology
Bloomington Township Fire
Department
Opened for service in 1971
 Combination fire department

 11 career firefighters (3 per shift, 2 admin
during week)
 Approx. 8 part-time/fill in positions
 Approx. 35 volunteers
Provides coverage 24/7/365
 Fire suppression/prevention, EMS,
rescue, hazmat capabilities

Bloomington Township Fire
Department
Cover approximately 140 square miles
 Mutual aid throughout the county
 Regional training facility

Hazmat Response

Goal is mitigation
 Stop the hazmat from hurting people,
property and the environment
 Note: not clean up!
Respond in Monroe County, 5
surrounding counties, 8 counties of
District 8, potentially anywhere in the
state of Indiana
 4 piece hazmat response unit

 Approximately $1,000,000 in equipment
Hazmat Challenges

Known materials
 Usually can trust multiple sources of
information to assure chemical is properly
identified
 Usually just a monitoring problem

Unknown materials
 Must attempt to identify by risking people
and equipment to acquire paperwork,
samples, etc.
Key Concepts

Detection
 Usually a binary determination
○ Present/not present

Monitoring
 Already know what the material is
 Determine levels over time
○ PPM/PPB, mg/cc, %
 Can be intermittent or continuous
Strategic Concepts

Protect life
 Emergency responders
 Unaffected public
 Affected public
Protect property
 Protect environment

Current State of Technology

“Dumb” technology
 Detection papers
○ pH, lead acetate, M8/M9
 Binary chemical tests
○ 20/20 anthrax test
 Chemical detection strips/patches
○ Chem strips
○ Smart strips
 Colorimeter tubes
Current State of Technology

“Dumb” technology continued
 CMS
○ Chem tests on a chip
 BADD
○ PCR bio reaction
 M256 kits
 Radiation detectors
Current State of Technology

“Semi-smart” technology
 Single and 4 gas detectors
○ CO, HCN, CL2, NH3
○ O2, explosive gas (LEL), CO, H2S
 Photo Ionization Detector
○ Uses polarized light to sense the presence of
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
 Does not identify the chemical, only that something is
present that shouldn’t be and at a specific level
Current State of Technology

“Smart” technology
 APD2000
○ Chem warfare agent/gamma rad detector
 Ahura First Defender
○ Ramen IR signature against library
 SensIR/TravelIR
○ FT-IR
Current State of Technology

Unavailable locally
 Flame Ionization Detector
 Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spec
Field Use/Response
When hunting unknowns, start with
dumb and/or semi-smart, then use smart
to confirm
 Always pH first!

 Strong acids/bases eat electronics for lunch!

Add most appropriate for situation, take
as many as possible during recon trip
Field Use/Response

Also use general indicators
 Lowered/raised oxygen levels
 Visual indicators
○ Green stripped from grass or tree tops
○ Puddles, pools, gas clouds
○ Fish floating on the surface of water
○ Birds falling from the sky
Important Hazmat Points
EVERYTHING EXCEPT PEOPLE IS
ULTIMATELY CONSIDERED
DISPOSABLE!
 If it can’t be decontaminated, it must be
disposed of

Technological Shortcomings

Many devices with many interfaces
 Difficult to learn and use in field

Many devices do not talk to each other
 No unified format
 No automated data collection
Technology is expensive
 Technology is not hardened

 “Firefighter” proof
Technological Shortcomings

High maintenance
 Labor intensive
 Frequent out of service period

Lack of stand off detection
 Most must be in close proximity to the
material to detect
 Must be carried into the situation and
operated by a human
Areas of Improvement
Fewer devices, more capabilities
 Stand off range

 Detect from a distance or remotely operate
Transmit data
 Unified control/report console

 Report/document for legal purposes
Linked to database/information
 Photo capable
 Decreased power needs

Important Features
Must be disposable or hardened and
decontaminatable
 Intrinsically safe
 Economical
 “Firefighter” proof

 Durable
 Oversized buttons, screens, etc
 Intuitive, easy to use
Other Areas of Technology
GPS tracking systems
 Training systems
 Robotic sensing
 ???

Questions?

???